Disability Services . . . Creating Access Together.
From orientation to commencement, we work with the campus community to create accessible learning environments. Disability Services collaborates with and empowers students who have disabilities in order to coordinate support services and programs that enable equal access to an education and university life.
In this context, ‘disability’ is a broad term that includes, but is not limited to, mental health conditions, ADHD, Autism Spectrum, chronic health conditions, learning disabilities, physical/sensory impairments, and temporary accommodations for injuries (e.g., broken limb). We partner with students, faculty, and staff to design accessible environments and to provide academic accommodations and support services. And we hire student assistants.
Our service is focused on four key aspects of support:
- Student Accommodations
- Faculty/Staff Consultations
- Education and Training
- Career Support for students
Ohio State students with a disability, can register with Disability Services to request accommodations. Accommodations are designed to eliminate disability-related barriers in the environment and curriculum so that students have an equal opportunity for success. Use the navigation links below to learn more about available accommodations.
COVID-19 ACCOmmodation requests
Disability Services, in conjunction with the Office of Institutional equity, works with students who are vulnerable to COVID 19 or face particular challenges because of the pandemic to ensure that they have the necessary resources to participate in university life as safely as possible. Ohio State students from any campus may submit a COVID related accommodation request HERE. Students registered with Disability Services call Ruth Montz at 330-287-1247 to modify their accommodations or make additional accommodation requests based on COVID-19. Long COVID and College Students. The Office for Disability Services supports college students with Long COVID. What to learn more about support for college students with Long COVID? Check out this video produced by the Disability Access Information and Support (DAIS), Long COVID Task Force Supporting College Students with Long COVID.
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ORientation
Students and/or family members who need disability-related accommodations (e.g., alternative text format, interpreting/transcribing, etc.) during new student orientation should complete our online form: Request Accommodations for Orientation in advance.
Placement test accommodations
Request accommodations at least 3 business days before you take the placement exam. Typical accommodations include extended time, alternative exam formats, readers and scribes. OSU student register with Disability Services to request accommodations.
exam accommodations
Students with disabilities that impact their test-taking ability can be approved for exam accommodations. Disability Services is committed to providing an equitable testing environment for students. Exam accommodations may include but are not limited to the following:
• Distraction-reduced space
• Extended time
• Assistive technology (e.g., CCTV, screen-reader software)
• Accessible formats (e.g., Word Doc, large print, braille)
• Computer/Microsoft Word for essay exams
• Raised table
• Reader/scribe
Registered students with exam accommodations use the Proctoring Request Form to schedule their exams with our office.
Test Anxiety: Struggling with test anxiety? Visit go.osu.edu/testanxiety to watch a video presentation on causes and intervention strategies.
notetaking support
Students who have difficulty capturing lecture material in real-time courses can be approved for accommodations to support their notetaking.
Access to lecture slides in advance: In order to aid students in preparing prior to class and as an aid while taking notes in class course instructors will provide student with lecture slides in advance.
Technology: Recording lectures and notetaking apps (e.g., Glean and Notability). We provide training on recording lectures and notetaking technology/apps to support their in-class notetaking. Loaning and training on notetaking technology/apps to support your notetaking (e.g. Micro Soft One Note, Notability, Glean, LiveScribe Smartpen). You will have permission to use these technologies in-class, even if an instructor typically has a no-tech or no-recording policy.
For students who are unable to effectively utilize the above supports to take their own notes, we offer peer notetaking services. Your instructor can help identify a classmate of yours to volunteer as a peer notetaker in the course. In exchange, Disability Services offers volunteers a certificate of volunteer hours.
Learning to take notes is an important skill that many college students need to develop. We encourage students to consider supplementing their notetaking accommodations by using our campus-based (free) academic support programs including:
1. Academic Coaching with Program Excel
2. Consultations on notetaking strategies with the Learning Lab
3. Notetaking Support with College Success and Career Planning
attendance and deadline modifications (adm)
Students that have disabilities with random acute episodes which may require them to miss classes or deadlines, Disability Services will approve for the student to be granted a moderate amount of flexibility with excused absences, exam dates, deadlines and participation points. We offer a range of options to best suit your individual circumstances.
ASSISTANCE ANIMALS
University Policy on Assistance Animals. The Ohio State recognizes that service animals help people with disabilities participate in everyday life, and that other animals can provide support or comfort. Assistance animal is the general term that incorporates service animals and emotional support animals.The University has a general “no pets” policy in all of its buildings. Pets are allowed on the grounds when leashed and under control. Service animals are generally allowed to accompany their handlers in any building or public space where their handlers are permitted. Emotional support and visiting therapy animals may be allowed in specified areas of the University with advanced approval. All animals are the responsibility of their handlers and should be under their control, house broken, in proximity to the handler and responsive to commands, in harness, on a three-foot lead, or in a carrier. The animal should not be disruptive or exploring others or the environment. An animal’s behavior is considered the handler’s behavior; the animal will be held to the same basic standard of conduct as their handlers. If they are disruptive to university business or community behavioral expectations in educational, or residential environments, handlers may be asked to correct the animal’s behavior or remove it from the environment. For more information contact Disability Services at faes-atiods@osu.edu or 330-287-1247.
assistive technology
Assistive technology is hardware or software designed to create an accessible user experience. Assistive technology provides students with disabilities independence in reading, writing, communication, and physical/electronic navigation.
As part of the University’s commitment to building seamless access to our environment and culture, Assistive Technology of JAWS (Job Access with Speech), Read and Write Gold, and ZOOM Text is now available at Student Success Services Computer Lab.
JAWS is designed to allow students who are blind or visually impaired to navigate the internet and software using auditory rather than visual cues. Reade and write Gold assists student reading and learning disabilities by rendering documents to speech, and ZOOMText magnifies screen content, enhances contrast, and provides navigation tools for individuals with low vision.
Once you are registered with Disability Services, we can help you with exploring different technologies. Common assistive technologies include:
• speech-to-text software (e.g., Dragon Naturally Speaking)
• screen-reading/magnification software (e.gg., ZoomText, JAWS)
• text-to-speech learning tools (e.g., Read and Write Gold)
Housing and dining accommodations
Housing Accommodations. On campus (Ohio State) housing. If you are requesting a modification to your housing arrangements as an accommodation for a disabiilty, register with Disability by completing the registration of the Disability Services website.
If your accommodation request is unrelated to a disability, please contact Housing and Residence Education via e-mail at housing@osu.edu.
Dining Accommodations. Visit the NetNutrition website to discover which locations offer food items that best suit your dietary needs. Contact Assistant Director of Nutrition, Gina Forster (614-247-7641 or forster.78@osu.edu) for more information.
Deaf/hard-of-hearing access
Sign Language and Transcribing
We coordinate interpreting and/or transcribing services for Deaf or hard of hearing students registered with our office. Sign language interpreting and transcribing services are available for all university activities.
Our interpreters are selected based on an assessment of interpreting skills, experience in the post-secondary setting, and the ability to handle the level of discourse common in a university setting. Our full-time staff interpreters are RID-NAD certified.
Other Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services
Deaf/Hard of hearing students may also benefit from the use of Assistive Listening Devices (ADL). Deaf or Hard of Hearing students may request an Assistive Listening Device (ALD) for use in the classroom environment. We partner with Ohio State's Speech Language Hearing Clinic for equipment fitting and loaning.
other services
Consultation and Advocacy. Once registered, students can consult with their Access Manager to review academic accommodations, discuss any concerns with classes or instructors, get assistance with petitions, or learn about campus and community resources, etc. And students can request their Disability Services Manager to advocate for them in appeals process such as SAP and Academic Action appeals.
Course Substitutions. We coach and support students through the course substitution petition process, including providing letters of support.
Furniture and Mobility Access. For students who need wheelchair-accessible tables or other alternative furniture in their classrooms, we will coordinate a setup to meet your needs.
Full-time Status with a Reduced Course-load. If a student's disability prevents them from being able to successfully manage a full-time course load, this accommodation allows them to take reduced course load while still maintaining their full-time student status, to the greatest extent possible. The goal of this accommodation is to provide students with a sustainable path toward degree completion. Some aspects outside of the university's control, such as federal student aid eligibility, may still be impacted by taking a reduced course load.
Internship. ODS will collaborate with Internship Coordinators to enable all students to pursue an internship.
Lab Assistants. Students with disabilities which prevent them from being able to complete in-class lab requirements can request a lab assistant. Lab assistants will perform only those tasks directed by you. They will not prompt or guide you in performing a lab task. ODS will collaborate with students and course instructors in order to ensure that all students have access to laboratory experiences.
Lending Program. Upon request we are able to lend items to students registered with ODS, including Calculators, Digital audio recorder, laptop computer (for in-office use only).
Priority Scheduling. Undergraduate students registered with ODS receive priority scheduling in order support reduction of disability-related barriers to class offerings. This means students may register for classes prior to the start of general registration. Note: This does not apply to registration during freshman/transfer orientation.
Campus Life. Students with disabilities can request accommodations in all areas of campus life, including student activities, student organizations, student leadership programs, campus programming, and student employment.
Scholarships for college student with disabilities. Use this link for Scholarships for college students with disabilisies. Study Abroad. In collaboration with ODS, the Office of International Affairs seeks to enable all students to pursue an international experience. To learn more about access and accommodations while studying abroad, visit the OIA Accommodations and Disabilities page. Technology for College Students with Disabilities. Assistive Technology of Ohio (AT Ohio). Assistive Technology of Ohio (AT Ohio) is a federally funded nonprofit organization that is part of the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University. AT Ohio is the officially designated Tech Act program for Ohio. Assistive Technology of Ohio has a statewide program that helps people with disabilities obtain their own computer. For more information about how you can get a computer contact AT Ohio first at 866-801-7306 (toll free) or 614-688-3222 to request an application.