New to OAR

If you are new to the Office of Accessibility Resources, this is is the place to get started.

Requesting Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are available to postsecondary students who are willing to disclose a disability. An accommodation is a support that gives students an equal opportunity to participate and benefit from college.

Accommodations are granted on a case-by-case basis based on the information disclosed and student's self-report during the initial meeting, any additional observation and interaction, and information from external or third parties.

Reasonable accommodations can be provided in various ways. The following are brief descriptions and examples of the most common categories of accommodations that permit a qualified student with a disability to effectively participate in the educational process.

Changes to the classroom environment or task that can include extended times or reduced distraction environment to take an exam, assistance with lecture notes, materials in alternative format and use or dictionary or spell checker
Removal of architectural barriers such as adapting a classroom or lab to meet the needs of a student who uses wheelchair
Exceptions to policies, practices or procedures such as priority registration and accessing assignments early
Provision of auxiliary aids and services that include ASL interpreter, closed circuit television, screen-reading software and voice-activated software

Renew each semester

Letters of Accommodation are effective for one semester and you must request a renewal each semester.

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Registering with Office of Accessibility Resources

The determination of eligibility for services for services is a multi-step process:

1. Schedule an appointment with Director of Accessibility Resources

An initial intake meeting is required to discuss the accommodation process and fill out the online registration form or in-person in the Learning Center.

2. Provide updated documentation of disability

Documentation should be from an appropriate professional, such as a doctor, psychologist, licensed therapist, psychiatrist, etc. Documentation should include:

Diagnosis
Impact of the disability within the learning environment
Recommendations for academic adjustments or accommodations

The following form may be filled out by a medical or mental health professional as a way to obtain the appropriate documentation of disability: Documentation of Disability Form

Please see documentation guidelines for further information and requirements.

3. Letter of Accommodation Development

After the intake interview has been conducted, a Letter of Accommodation will be developed to identify the agreed-upon accommodations. The student will receive a copy of the Letter of Accommodation for his or her records.

4. Communicate with instructors

It is crucial that students keep instructors informed when requesting use of an accommodation. It is the responsibility of the student to distribute Letters of Accommodation to instructors. It is the student's responsibility to communicate his or her accommodation needs to instructors as soon as possible.

5. Contact Accessibility Resources each semester

It is the student's responsibility to request services and request Letter of Accommodation prior to the beginning of each semester. After receiving the request, Accessibility Resources staff will review the accommodation needs for the coursework. Accessibility Resources will contact the student if additional information is needed to process a request.

Process for Transfer Students

If students are transferring from another college it is important to note that accommodations do not automatically transfer from school to school. In order to get set up with our OAR and accommodations as soon as possible, please follow the steps listed in the applying for accommodations section.

Important Information about Receiving Accommodations

Letters of Accommodation are effective for one semester and you must request a renewal each semester.
Students have been asked to deliver a copy of their Accommodation Letter to each professor at the start of the semester and have been advised that accommodations go "into effect" only once the letter has been delivered.
Students have also been asked to discuss mutually agreeable practical arrangements for each accommodation with their faculty well in advance of the need to use such accommodations
Last minute student requests for accommodations that need advance planning time may pose barriers to the provision of accommodations for a particular test/exam.
Accommodations are not retroactive.
Students and faculty are encouraged to discuss accommodations for Final Exams, especially when double time or technological accommodations may require exams to be held in certain time slots and/or in specific locations.

Accommodations not provided by Inver Hills

In accordance with the law, there are some modifications that the college does not provide as a reasonable accommodation. Examples include:

Personal devices such as wheelchairs or glasses
Personal services, such as private tutoring or personal attendants (Note: Tutoring services may be available elsewhere at the campus)
Modifications that lower or change course standards or program standards
Modifications that would change the essence of a program, such as allowing a student in an auto mechanics program to take a written test on repairing an engine instead of actually repairing an engine or allowing a student in a public speaking class to substitute a written paper for an oral presentation
Services that are unduly burdensome, either administratively or financially