• Enhance knowledge, skills, and awareness
• Improve social and communication skills
• Meet peers with similar interests
• Develop friendships
• Continue learning with peers in an academic setting
• Engage in athletic, leisure, and recreational activities with other young adults
• Prepare for future employment possibilities
• Work or volunteer at the university
• Explore personal interests
• Achieve personal goals
• Experience personal growth

Planning: The process of including students with intellectual disabilities begins when each student plans their program of study with the support of their family or other supporters, and the Axcess Acadia Coordinator. Each student selects courses based on their interests, career goals, past experiences, or the areas they wish to explore.

Registration: After a student has selected their courses, the coordinator approaches each course instructor to explain the program and request permission for that student to audit the course. Once a course selection is set, the students are supported through the registration process as auditing students in Open Acadia at Acadia University.

Academic Support: The Axcess Acadia Coordinator will assist with building a foundation with a natural peer support for the student in each course. In addition, a peer mentor may be provided to each student.

Ongoing Support: As the students attend classes, the coordinator, peer mentors and volunteers of Axcess Acadia support the students by shaping course content and adapting assignments to meet their unique individual needs and abilities. Their programs are designed to mirror other university students' academic experiences, including classes, labs, library work, study groups, and field trips. Students may study in any faculty or school at Acadia University with the permission of the course instructor.

Axcess Acadia students pay the auditing fee for each course (2018-2019 auditing fee per 3hr course $530.00) as well as residence fees. Students are responsible for paying for their own transportation, student fees, books, supplies, and incidental expenses. However, monetary support may be available for educational disability-related supports such as tutoring, note-taking, communication supports, assistive technology or specialized transportation.

For an up-to-date breakdown of the cost of attending Acadia University through Axcess Acadia please visit the application page.

Volunteers encourage and support students in Axcess Acadia as they participate in leisure activities, recreational activities, intramural sports, university clubs and relaxing time at lunch or between classes. The opportunity to develop friendships and acquaintances with their peers at the university is an important aspect of the program.

If you have a school, organization, or student you want to share information about Axcess Acadia to, feel free to use this pamphlet and brochure. They can be downloaded and shared.

Get a copy of the brochure here

Get a copy of the pamphlet here