Office of Student Life
Disability Services

Student Accommodations Overview

Accessible Media 

Accessible formats enable students who use assistive technology to have equitable access to their classes. Our Accessible Media Team serves as a production and resource center for faculty/staff to provide accessible formats of their course materials. Students approved for this accommodation may receive course materials in one or more of the following common accessible media formats:

  • PDF (image or searchable)
  • RTF (Rich Text Format)
  • Paper enlargements
  • Braille
  • Captioned videos
  • Audio description (i.e. descriptive narration of images, videos, graphs, etc.)
  • MP3 (Audio format)
  • xhtml (Audible mathematics output format) 

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreting and Real-Time Transcribing 

Interpreting and/or transcribing accommodations are provided to students who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. Students who are approved for these accommodations can request interpreters or transcribers for in-person and virtual classes, appointments, meetings, and for all university activities.  

Assistive Technology

Assistive technology is hardware or software designed to create an accessible user experience and provides individuals with independence in reading, writing, communication, and physical/electronic navigation. Students approved for this accommodation will be trained to use technologies that meet their individual needs. Common assistive technologies include:

  • Notetaking technology
  • Speech-to-text software
  • Screen-reading/magnification software
  • Text-to-speech learning tools
  • Assisted Listening Devices (ALDs) 

Attendance and Deadline Modification

For students that have disabilities with 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 the student’s individual circumstances. Some examples of how this accommodation may be implemented include:

  • One-Off Flexibility as Needed – for students who have had a recent history of stable symptoms which have not impacted classes. 
  • Intermittent Flex Plan – for students who have recurring acute episodes or medical treatments which interrupt their academics for 1-2 days at a time.
  • Remain-in-Class Plan – for students who are experiencing a prolonged acute episode, or have extended medical treatment  

Consultation and Advocacy 

Once registered, students can meet with their assigned Access Specialist to review academic accommodations, discuss any concerns with classes or instructors, get assistance with petitions, complete graduate testing accommodations paperwork, or learn about campus and community resources.  

Each Access Specialist works with a specific set of academic programs/colleges. To learn more, visit the Contact My Access Specialist page. 

Dining Accommodations

  • Visit Dining Services to find locations that meet your dietary needs.
  • For more information, contact a Dining Services nutritionist at dining@osu.edu. 

Disability Parking / Adaptive Transportation

Disability Parking 

Visit CampusParc’s ADA Accessible Permits page for disability parking details and a campus map of accessible spaces. 

Adaptive Transportation

Ohio State Paratransit and COTA’s Project Mainstream provide transportation for students, faculty, and staff with disabilities. 

  • Paratransit: Year-round curb-to-curb service on and off campus within University established boundaries; available for temporary and permanent mobility needs.
  • Project Mainstream: Door-to-door service. Call 614-275-5833 or visit COTA’s website for details. 

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 

Housing Accommodations 

On-campus housing: To learn more about this accommodation or request housing modifications due to a disability, please review our Housing Accommodations page.

  • Students approved for disability-related housing accommodations will be charged the room rate they would have incurred but for their disability.
  • SLDS cannot terminate housing contracts. Reasonable requests for disability-related accommodations will be reviewed within the residential program. 

Off-campus housing: Contact Off-Campus and Commuter Student Engagement. 

For non-disability related housing requests, contact Housing and Residence Education at housing@osu.edu (preferred) or 614-292-8266. 

Notetaking Support

Students who have difficulty capturing lecture material in real-time can be approved for accommodations to support their notetaking. Disability Services takes a holistic approach to notetaking through a combination of the following:

Other Services

Accessible Classroom Furniture

Disability Services coordinates with Classroom Services to arrange wheelchair-accessible or alternative classroom furniture as needed.

Adaptive Recreation

Visit Student Life Recreational Sports Inclusive Recreation for more information.

Course Substitutions

Disability Services provides guidance through the course substitution petition process, including letters of support.

Full-Time Status with a Reduced Course Load

Allows students whose disabilities prevent a full-time course load to take fewer credits while maintaining full-time status, when possible. 

  • Implementation of this accommodation varies depending on the student’s specific disability and chosen academic program.
  • Reduced course loads may still affect factors outside the university’s control, including federal financial aid eligibility. 
Graduate/Professional Student Accommodations

Graduate specific accommodations can include support for:

  • dissertations, theses or oral defenses;
  • field placements, internships, or clinical experiences;
  • and comprehensive, qualifying, or candidacy exams. 
Lab Assistants

Students whose disabilities prevent completion of in-class lab requirements may request a lab assistant to perform tasks as directed. 

Priority Scheduling

All undergraduate students registered with Disability Services receive early access to class registration (excluding freshman/transfer orientation).

Study Abroad Accommodations

Disability Services the Office of International Affairs (OIA) work together to support accessible study abroad experiences. Visit the OIA Accommodations and Disabilities page for details.

Student Life

Students with disabilities may request accommodations throughout student life, including organizations, leadership programs, study abroad, campus events, and support services.