Reasonable accommodations in a college or university setting are defined as: adjustments made in programs or services that give qualified individuals with a disability equal and effective access needed to participate. Educational accommodations may vary and depend on approved diagnostic evaluations and the nature of the courses you plan to take.
Services and the types of accommodations approved differ greatly between college and high school; click here to learn more.
Examples of some reasonable accommodations, by disability
Learning disabilities
Accommodations may include:
- Use of computer with spell check/grammar check during essay exams
- Duplication of overhead transparencies
- Early registration
- Note sharing
- Tape recorder in the classroom
- Testing in a distraction reduced environment
- Use of textbooks on audiotape for students with reading disabilities
- Use of a calculator during testing of students with math calculation or math reasoning disabilities
- Extended testing time that is proctored in most appropriate setting -- classroom, OSD, or Testing Center
- Extended time for in-class assignments to correct spelling, punctuation, grammar
- No penalty or spelling on assignments written in-class without dictionary/spell check
- Reader for tests for students with reading disability
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Accommodations may include:
- Providing the student with a copy of overhead transparencies
- Early registration
- Note sharing
- Use of a tape recorder to facilitate note taking
- Priority seating in the classroom
- Proctored testing in a distraction-reduced environment
- Textbooks on tape
- Alternative testing format (i.e., extended time for tests in most appropriate setting – classroom, OSD, or Testing Center)
- Supervised breaks during exams
Visual impairment
Accommodations may include:
- Use of low vision aids such as a magnifying glass, monocular, or CCTV
- Use of computer with programs like JAWS or ZoomText
- Duplication of overhead transparencies
- Early registration
- Enlarged print for testing
- Note sharing
- Priority seating in the classroom
- Readers for tests
- Scribe for exams
- Tape recorder in the classroom
- Textbooks on tape
- Written materials provided in an alternative format
- Learning assistant
- Alternative testing format (i.e., tests in Braille, extended testing time in OSD)
- Types of alternate format of printed material for student with blindness/visual impairments include:
- Audio tape: Most textbooks can be ordered on tape from Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (1-800-221-4792)
- Large print: Standard sized materials can be enlarged on a copier using 11" x 17" paper
- Computer disk: Convert the text of materials to ASCII format
- Braille: Adaptive equipment will be necessary to provide alternate format in Braille. Braille is probably the least requested alternate format for students with blindness.
Hearing impairment
Accommodations may include:
- Providing a sign language interpreter
- Ensuring that an interpreter is located where the student can see both the interpreter and the lecturer
- Early registration
- Note sharing
- Priority seating in the classroom
- Use of captioned videos, when available
- Extended time on oral tests that require an interpreter in most appropriate setting – classroom or OSD
Mobility Impairment
Accommodations may include:
- Special seating in classroom (i.e., chair, larger desk, wheelchair accessible desk)
- Duplication of overhead transparencies (i.e., for students with fine-motor disabilities)
- Early registration
- Learning assistant
- Note sharing
- Scribe for exams
- Tape recorder in classroom
- Extended testing time in most appropriate setting – classroom, OSD, or Testing Center
