Mission
The mission of the Office for Disability Services is to provide and coordinate free support services and programs to maximize the ability of all students to develop their potential, be fully present in their college experience, and be involved in a world of inclusion on campus and in their future workplaces.
Our office arranges reasonable accommodations and support services that are individualized and flexible. ODS creates opportunities for the same educational experiences, services, and enrichment to persons with disabilities that are offered to those who are not disabled.
All students are encouraged to contact ODS in the early stages of their college planning. Preadmission services include information about academic support services, specialized equipment, transition issues, admission requirements, and meetings with staff counselors.
Contact us:
567-242-6549 Office | 614-500-4445 VR
Lima-DisabilityServices@osu.edu
Our usual hours are: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to to 5:00 PM
Registration with ODS
Step 1: Submit a New Student Application
Tip: You will need your Ohio State user name (name .#) and your Ohio State student ID number. New students who do not yet have an Ohio State student number, please contact the ODS Office before applying.
The New Student Application helps ODS better understand the impacts of your disability and your accommodation requests. The application includes a file upload feature to provide ODS with your disability documentation.
- COVID-19 Information: If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19, please follow the University’s guidelines for self-quarantine (click here). If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms that are significantly impacting your coursework, or if you have a CDC-identified higher risk medical condition, please contact ODS at Lima-DisabilityServices@osu.edu. We would like to discuss these impacts with you and how you may be eligible for COVID-Related disability accommodations.
- Considering current community directives to promote social distancing, we understand it may be difficult for you to obtain disability documentation for registration. Please know that this is no cause to delay reaching out to our office. We are here to work with you. Please contact ODS at Lima-DisabilityServices@osu.edu if you have documentation concerns.
- For guidance on the documentation required, review our Documentation Guidelines.
- Click here to download our Disability Verification Form (which is one way that a medical professional can provide you with disability documentation).
- Student veterans whose medical conditions are on file with the VA are encouraged to contact Brett Mack, Ohio State VetSuccess on Campus Counselor. Brett can help verify your conditions on file with the VA and provide documentation to you.
- Students with readily observable disabilities (e.g. wheelchair user, white cane user) can contact ODS after submitting your application in lieu of uploading documentation.
- For assistance with the New Student Application, please contact ODS at Lima-DisabilityServices@osu.edu.
Step 2: If approved, you will receive a “Schedule Your Welcome Meeting with ODS” email to your Buckeyemail account.
- Typically, these emails are sent within three business days of documentation receipt.
- If not approved, the email will provide instructions for how to provide sufficient documentation.
Step 3: Schedule and (virtually) attend your Welcome Meeting.
- During your Welcome Meeting, you will discuss your submitted application, barriers you experience in your academics, accommodations that would work best for you and steps for setting up those accommodations in your classes.
- You are not officially registered with ODS until after you have completed your Welcome Meeting.
If you have any questions about the registration process, please contact ODS at Lima-DisabilityServices@osu.edu.
Documentation Guidelines
The Office for Disability Services will review and consider all pieces of documentation submitted. Documentation will assist Disability Services in understanding how the disability impacts the student in an academic setting and the current impact of the disability as it relates to the accommodations requested. Reviewing documentation is a collaborative process and is handled on a case-to-case basis. The eligibility determination process is not a same day process. Once documentation is received, it will be reviewed in order of receipt; therefore, it is recommended that documentation be submitted well in advance of any accommodation related needs. Typically, documentation is processed and the student will be notified within three business days of receipt.
NOTE: Students who have readily observable permanent disabilities (e.g. wheelchair user, white cane user) do not need to submit documentation. Instead, contact our office at 567-242-6549, or stop by the office, 310-G Galvin Hall for registration with Disability Services.
There are multiple ways to provide the Office for Disability Services with documentation of your disability. Documentation should provide proof of diagnosis and/or prior accommodations. Disability Services follows the guidance from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) on documentation review and accommodation approval.
Students should submit at least one of the following:
- IEP/504 plan
- Medical records / patient portal diagnostic summary
- Letter from a healthcare professional, on letterhead, which confirms a diagnosis.
- Disability Services Verification Form (Must be completed by a healthcare professional.)
- Accommodation letter from previous postsecondary institution
- Full evaluation/diagnostic report (e.g. ETR, MFE)
The following information is helpful, but not required, to determine the best possible accommodations and supports:
- Severity of the disorder (mild/moderate/severe)
- Medication or treatment currently prescribed
- Recommended accommodations that may assist the student in minimizing the impact of the condition in an academic setting.
Once registered, students only notify their instructors about their accommodations if they want to utilize accommodations in that instructor’s course. For more information about the ODS registration contact Lima-DisabilityServices@osu.edu.
Temporary Registrations
Students with a temporary injury (e.g. broken arm, concussion, surgery recovery) do not need to apply. Instead, call the office during business hours (M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) at 567-242-6549. If your injury is not readily observable, such as a concussion, please have a doctor’s note or other relevant documentation ready to send via email.
Transfer Students
If you are transferring from another college or university and are already registered with that institution’s disability services office, you should ask for that office to provide you with documentation of your disability and of your approved accommodations. Please provide the disability and accommodations documentation to our office to register for services. You must submit documentation in advance and follow our Registration Process.
ODS Services
A range of services are provided to students, based on the impacts of their qualifying conditions; some of these services include:
- Exam Accommodations (e.g., extended time, distraction reduced testing space)
- Note-taking Assistance (e.g., note taking apps, audio record lectures, copy of classmate’s notes)
- Attendance and Deadline Modifications (e.g., flexibility with number of excused absences, deadline extensions)
- Accessible Media (e.g., digital textbooks, captioned videos)
- Assistive Technology (e.g., text-to-speech software; screen-reading technology)
- Sign Language Interpreting/Transcribing
- Accommodations Consultation and Advocacy
- Accessible Parking
- Other Services may include, but are not limited to: Accessible classroom furniture, Assistive Listening Devices, Course substitutions, Lab Assistants, Priority Scheduling, Study Abroad Accommodations
Resources
- The Disability Services Student Handbook serves as a guide for student accommodation policies and expectations.
- Rights and Responsibilities Fact Sheet outlines the principles of access to assure educational access for students with disabilities.
- Assistive Technology Resources:http://www.atohio.org. Assistive Technology of Ohio offers a wide array of devices at their lending library.
- Learning Disability/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity. Students who think they may have a learning disability or ADHD and have not been diagnosed can receive assistance identifying a place to get tested. It is the student’s responsibility to check with their medical insurance provider to determine if any testing is covered by their insurance plan.
- Mental Health. Students needing referrals for mental health concerns are encouraged to use campus Counseling Services at Haudenschield.11@osu.edu for mental health services, consultations, and referrals.
- Veteran Services. The Office of Disability Services is proud to serve you and will work with you to make your transition to college life as rewarding as possible. We encourage you to schedule a meeting to determine your eligibility for disability services and identify accommodations to assist you to obtain equal access to educational opportunities.
- Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD): OOD is the state agency that serves individuals with physical, intellectual, sensory, and mental health disabilities. OOD’s Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors can assist with services such as vocational planning, career exploration and counseling, assistive technology, resume and interview preparation, placement services, and tools and licenses for employment. Please visit www.OODWorks.com to explore vocational rehabilitation, take a self-assessment, and apply for services.
Office for Disability Services 310-G Galvin Hall, 4240 Campus Drive, Lima, OH 45804
567-242-6549 Office | 614-500-4445 VRS
Lima-DisabilityServices@osu.edu
Columbus campus Office for Disability Services: www.slds.osu.edu