Office of Student Life
Disability Services

Activate Your Accommodations

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The Basics:

Accommodations:

Advocacy:

Overview - How to Activate your Approved Accommodations

  1. Review your syllabi at the beginning of the semester. Look at the requirements of each of your classes and consider your disability-related needs. Some accommodations may not be necessary for every class.
  2. Login to AIM to generate your Course Accessibility Letters. You and your instructors will receive your letters via email once classes are in session. Remember, accommodations are not retroactive, so be sure to generate your letters as early in the semester as possible.
  3. Contact your instructors (or the accommodations point-of-contact for a coordinated course). In this conversation, you do not need to disclose the specific nature of your disability. 
  4. Follow applicable procedures for your accommodations, as described on this page.
  5. Keep in touch. Communicate with your instructors throughout the semester. If you have any questions or run into any issues in this process, contact your Access Specialist.

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How to Use AIM

AIM is our online portal which allows to generate your Course Accessibility Letters. Watch or read the AIM student tutorial.

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Shared Responsibilities Summary

You are responsible for: 

  • communicating with your instructors and our office throughout the semester
  • requesting accommodations in a timely manner
  • following accommodation procedures (as outlined on this page and in the Student Handbook)


Your instructors are responsible for: 

  • communicating with you and our office throughout the semester
  • implementing accommodations in a timely manner
  • notifying our office when there are questions or concerns about any requested accommodations
  • maintaining your confidentiality


We (SLDS) are responsible for: 

  • approving your accommodations and training you on the request process
  • providing services and accommodations in a timely manner
  • consulting with you and your instructors on how to best implement accommodations
  • maintaining privacy of your documentation and disabilities

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Notetaking Support

Peer Notetaking Services

  1. Send your Course Accessibility Letter(s) requesting the “Peer Notetaking Services” accommodation.
  2. After attending a class and determining you will need a notetaker, go back into AIM and confirm your Peer Notetaking Services.
    • Note: Peer notetaking services are not typically approved for asynchronous (e.g. prerecorded) or non-lecture (e.g. lab, recitation) courses. Please contact your Access Specialist if you believe you require this accommodation in such a course. 
  3. You will receive multiple, automated reminders to confirm any outstanding requests for notetaking services in AIM. If you do not confirm your request within two weeks of sending your Course Accessibility Letter, your request will be cancelled.
    • Note: SLDS cannot take steps to secure a notetaker for you until you have confirmed your request in AIM. 
  4. Once confirmed, SLDS will coordinate with the instructor and/or class roster to secure a notetaker.  

Access to Lecture Slides in Advance

  1. Send your Course Accessibility Letter(s) requesting the “Access to Lecture Slides in Advance” accommodation.
  2. Discuss with your instructor the best way for you to receive the slides in advance to meet your needs.
  3. If your instructor has any concerns with sharing slides in advance, contact your Access Specialist. 

Use of Personal Notetaking Technology/Apps

  1. Review our Notetaking Technology Options Guide to compare our recommended options before contacting your Access Specialist to request a technology loan.
  2. Send your Course Accessibility Letter(s) requesting the “Use of Personal Notetaking Technology/Apps” accommodation.
  3. Discuss the accommodation with your instructor. If they have a no-tech or no-recording policy, this should be modified to allow you to use your notetaking technology.  

Additional Resources

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Intermittent Flex Plan 

Requesting a Flex Plan

  1.  Review the course syllabus for relevant policies and determine if you will need any flexibility. Remember that flex plans are not retroactive, so it is important to make a request at the beginning of the semester.

  2. After sending your Course Accessibility Letters, watch your flex plan dashboard in AIM for status updates. An incomplete flex plan will read as “Not Initiated,” while a completed flex plan will read as “Completed.”

  3. Review the flex plan. If you agree with the terms, no additional steps are necessary. Follow the terms of the flex plan, including the instructions for communicating need.

  4. If you have concerns about the terms of the flex plan and would like to request an individualized modification, please contact your Access Specialist within one week of receiving the flex plan. If we do not hear from you within that week, we will assume you agree with the plan.

  5. For general questions about the flex plan, please contact slds-flex@osu.edu.

Parameters for your Flex Plan

  • Troubleshooting/Conflict: Under no circumstances are you solely responsible for the resolution of conflicts arising from disability-related absences. Please contact SLDS if a conflict or disagreement occurs with your instructor. 

  • Communication: Clear and prompt communication is key, and your flex plan should include any specific expectations about how to communicate with your instructor in the event of a flare-up. We recommend giving proactive notice when possible. If proactive notice is not possible, you must contact your instructor within 24 hours to utilize the flexibility available to you. You do not need to share medical details; use terms like "acute episode of my disability" or "disability flare-up" and reference SLDS and the flex plan. You can see examples of how you might communicate your need in this template. 

  • Makeup Exams: Your instructor should offer you a makeup exam of equivalent difficulty in the event that you have an acute episode, even if the course policy is to drop the lowest exam or offer a comprehensive makeup exam at the end of the semester. While you may choose to opt-in to these alternative options, an equivalent makeup exam must be an option. Contact your Access Specialist if you run into issues receiving an equivalent makeup exam. 

  • Falling Behind: If at any point your symptoms worsen to the point that you are falling behind and are unable to meet the terms of your flex plan, contact your instructor and Access Specialist. We can work together to determine the best path forward. 

  • Asynchronous Weekly Participation Assignments: While flex plans do cover deadline extensions for most types of homework, they do not typically apply to asynchronous weekly participation assignments. By that we mean short discussion board posts, 5 minute Carmen quizzes, or other coursework common to online classes which are open for the whole week and require very little time to complete. You are expected to complete these assignments within their standard timeframes. However, if there are extenuating circumstances (e.g. hospitalization), please contact your Access Specialist and instructor so that we can discuss the situation on a case-by-case basis. 

Note: Flex plans are NOT intended to provide...

  • Unlimited flexibility. Almost all classes have a limit to the amount of flexibility possible, based on the course design.
  • Automatic flexibility. Your flex plan should only be applied in the event of a disability-related acute episode or essential medical treatment. You must proactively request a flex plan through AIM and notify your instructor promptly each time you need to use your plan.
  • Flexibility for perfectionism, avoidance coping, executive functioning, or chronic limits on daily productivity (i.e. spoons theory). If these issues are impacting your academics, please contact your Access Specialist to discuss alternative accommodations and available resources.

The Default Plan

If a flex plan is not provided by your instructor within the allotted time frame (~3 weeks from the time your letter was sent), you will be provided with the default plan from our office. The parameters of this plan should work for most traditional lecture courses. However, it does not account for group work, labs, or studio coursework elements. If you receive a flex plan for a course that includes any of these elements and they are not addressed in your flex plan, we recommend that you follow up with your instructor as soon as possible for clarification.

Other Types of Attendance/Deadline Modifications (ADM)

One-Off Flexibility as Needed 

If your symptoms have been consistently stable, then you can contact your Access Specialist to change your accommodation to "one-off flexibility as needed." This means that no proactive plan with your instructors is needed. In the unlikely event that you do experience an acute episode, please contact your instructor and Access Specialist. We will work with you and the instructor on a case-by-case basis.  

Remain-in-Class Plan 

Inform your Access Specialist as soon as possible if you are experiencing a prolonged acute episode or extended medical treatment. Given the course design, length of time missed and progress in the course, you may qualify for a "remain-in-class-plan". This temporary eligibility is not intended for multiple semesters in a row. If eligible, your Access Specialist can provide resources to facilitate a conversation with your instructors around the feasibility of a "remain-in-class plan". This can help you determine if there are options for you to continue to make academic progress in your courses (e.g. asynchronous participation, deadline extensions, taking an incomplete). If no options are feasible in a course, we may encourage you to reach out to your Academic Advisor to explore options, such as withdrawing from the course. 

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Accessible Media

Our Accessible Media Team is responsible for providing course materials in accessible formats (e.g. text conversion, audio description, closed captioning).

Text Conversions

Proactive Requests: It is important to take advantage of the priority registration window and to submit text conversion requests as soon as you have scheduled for next semester’s classes. This helps our team to begin converting your materials quickly.  We will not begin converting until we have received a text conversion request from you in AIM.

  1. Identify materials you plan to request in alternative formats by checking book information. 
  2. Send your Course Accessibility Letters requesting the “Accessible Media” accommodation.
  3. Select Accessible Media under the My Accommodations menu on the left side in AIM.
  4. To request accessible versions of any required books listed on the screen, click Select next to the book title, making sure to only select one version if there are multiple (i.e. E-book versions denoted by “Ebk.”) Note: Your books may not appear if your instructor has not added their textbook information.
  5. If your books or course materials are not listed, scroll to the bottom of the screen. For each book, select the class and fill in at least the following information: Book title, ISBN, and Editor. For any other reading materials, fill in the title and where the text can be found (e.g., Carmen course site). Make sure that the book information is accurate compared to the books listed for your course.
  6. Upload proof of ownership in AIM. See the Student Handbook for details.

Your Course Accessibility Letters will be put in a queue and won’t be emailed to your instructors until the start of the term. If you want to request additional accommodations in your classes, you can do so by logging into AIM, scrolling down to find the class you’d like to modify, and clicking the “Modify Request” link.

How to Access/Download Materials:

  1. You will receive an email from AIM notifying you when each request is ready.
  2. Scroll down to the heading “List Books Currently Being Processed for (Term & Year)” to find the request in the table.
  3. Click on the Download Book button at the far right of the row to be directed to the material’s location in SharePoint.

Captioning

Proactive Requests: It is important to take advantage of the priority class window and to submit captioning requests as soon as you have scheduled for next semester’s classes. This helps our team to begin converting your materials quickly.  We will not begin captioning for a class until we have received a captioning request from you in AIM.

  1. As soon as you have scheduled your classes for next term, generate your Course Accessibility Letters and request the “Captioning” accommodation for all applicable classes.
  2. Monitor your Buckeyemail account for communication regarding your requests.
  3. The Accessible Media team will work with your instructors to caption course materials.

Your Course Accessibility Letters will be put in a queue and won’t be emailed to your instructors until the start of the term. If you want to request additional accommodations in your classes, you can do so by logging into AIM, scrolling down to find the class you’d like to modify, and clicking the “Modify Request” link.

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Communication Access

Course Interpreting/Transcribing

  1. After you have scheduled classes for the upcoming term, the Lead Interpreter & Transcriber will generate your Course Accessibility Letters on your behalf in AIM. This allows us to proactively coordinate staff assignments. By default, your letters will include requests for Interpreting/Transcribing and Captioning.  If you want to request additional accommodations in your classes, you can do so by logging into AIM and clicking the class you’d like to modify under “Accommodation – List Requests.” Then, select any additional accommodations and click “Update Request.”
  2. Prior to the semester beginning, check the “Communication Access” tab in AIM to see your interpreter/transcriber team for the semester. Their names will display after staff have been assigned.

Additional Interpreting/Transcribing Requests

  1. Click the “Communication Access” tab in AIM.
  2. Select “Custom Request."
  3. In the drop-down menu, select course or “Non-Class-Related Request."
  4. Fill in the event information and click "Add New Request Event."

If you need to update your request, you can view your event information under the “Custom Requests” tab. Please remember if your request is less than 1 week in advance, email hedges.10@osu.edu to determine if SLDS can fill the request.

Instructions for Cancelling Interpreting/Transcribing

If you need to cancel interpreting or transcribing for any reason, please email interpretingandtranscribing@osu.edu with the class or event name, date, and time.


Instructions for In-Person Transcribing

To view the live transcript during class, you can choose to use your own technology or technology provided by SLDS. 

If you choose to use your own technology, there will be a link available in AIM for you to view your live transcript on your own device. Here are the steps for accessing the link:

  1. Click on “Communication Access” under your Accommodations.
  2. Click on "Meeting Links" at the top right of the page.
  3. Find the course and click on "View Meeting" to view the live transcript
    • If you see "View Meeting Detail" under "Meeting Information," that contains your join code to enter and view your transcript.

Note: If your transcribers are using both C4 and Typewell software, you will have to open two meeting links to toggle back and forth between browser tabs.

If you choose to use technology provided by SLDS, your transcribers will give you an iPad at the beginning of class that is connected to your live transcript. Your transcribers will collect the iPads at the end of class.

Note: If your transcribers are using both C4 and Typewell software, you will have to open two meeting links to toggle back and forth between browser tabs.

Assistive Listening Devices

(Students who use hearing aids may request the use of an Assistive Listening Device for use in the classroom environment.  Assistive Listening Devices are amplifiers that bring sound directly into the ear.)

  1. Contact your Access Specialist to be authorized for an appointment with the university's Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic.
  2. Call to schedule an appointment with the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic.
  3. The Clinic will require your most recent audiogram but may conduct additional testing to assess your current needs.
  4. The Clinic will fit you with an Assistive Listening Device and train you in its use.
  5. Sign a contract with the Clinic to check out the Assistive Listening Device equipment for the semester, which you will return to the Clinic at the end of each semester.

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Furniture and Mobility Access

Paratransit

Contact your Access Specialist if you need access to Paratransit.

To learn about Paratransit policies, procedures, and ride scheduling, visit Transportation and Traffic Management's Paratransit webpage. Schedule recurring rides in advance, as subscription rides take priority over one-time requests. Remember to cancel rides as necessary.

Furniture Requests

  1. Review the classroom layout by virtually touring your classroom.
  2. After registering for classes, contact your Access Specialist with your room assignments and specific accommodations needed.
  3. Your Access Specialist will work with campus partners to arrange for furniture placement. This process takes time, so be proactive with your request when possible.
  4. Contact your Access Specialist if your furniture request has not been met within three business days, or you encounter a problem with the furniture.

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Participation Access

(Includes alternative method for class participation or presentations; audio descriptions for visual content; breaks during class; food/water medicine in the classroom; lab assistant; spelling error flexibility; and voluntary contributions during class)

  1. Consider: What is the design of this course? Some accommodations may be less applicable to different course designs. (e.g., breaks during class or food/water/medicine in classroom may not be relevant to online course designs)
  2. After sending your Course Accessibility Letters, discuss your request with the instructor.
  3. Contact your Access Specialist if you or your instructor has concerns.

Lab Assistants

  • Contact your Access Specialist to request a lab assistant. This process takes time, so be proactive with your request when possible.
  • Note: Applicability of the lab assistant accommodation may vary depending on the course design. Your Access Specialist will work with you to determine what level of lab assistance is needed.
  • Contact your lab assistant if you are unable to attend class so they can plan accordingly.
  • Contact your Access Specialist if you drop the course, no longer in need of a lab assistant, or your lab assistant does not attend lab or does not perform tasks properly.

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Housing/Dining

Housing Accommodations

 Housing Accommodations

  • On campus (Ohio State) housing: If you are requesting a modification to your housing arrangements as an accommodation for a disability, please register with Student Life Disability Services (SLDS) by completing the registration form on the SLDS website.
  • Please include supporting documentation when completing the registration application for SLDS. Housing forms can be found on our website.
  • Students with disability-related residence accommodation requests are encouraged to work with SLDS. These accommodation requests are assessed on a case-by-case basis and are limited by room and space availability.

The priority deadlines for SLDS-supported accommodations to be factored into the upcoming academic year’s housing assignment are:

  •  last Friday of January (January 31, 2025) for RETURNING students
  • first Monday of April (April 7, 2025) for NEW students

Students may continue to submit requests after the priority deadlines, but accommodations supported after the deadline would be implemented based on available inventory at the time of approval. Please note that SLDS will focus on your disability-related accommodation needs and Housing and Residence Education will consider your preferences secondarily, based on room and space availability.

Dining Accommodations

Visit the Dining Services website to discover which locations offer food items that best suit your dietary needs. Contact Ashley Richardson (richardson.1415@osu.edu) for more information.

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Graduate/Professional Student Accommodations

For accommodations specific to graduate/professional school (such as accommodations for clinical rounds, dissertation/thesis work, or high-stakes testing), please contact your Access Specialist. They will work directly with you and your faculty to determine the best accommodations to meet your needs.

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Request a Letter of Support

(Includes course substitutions, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) appeals, retroactive withdrawal, and registration confirmation)

  1. Contact your academic advisor to discuss the petition process. For SAP appeals, contact Buckeyelink. 
  2. Once you are familiar with the petition process, contact your Access Specialist regarding your request. Include your personal statement for their reference and review.

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Request Support for External Standardized Test Accommodations

(Such as the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, DAT, etc.)

Contact your Access Specialist and specify the specific test and requested accommodations. If you have the needed forms, please also include those in your email.

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