Welcome to the Instructor Center! This page serves as a central hub designed to provide faculty and instructors at OTC with essential information about the Disability Support accommodation process. The easiest way to ensure equal access for all students is for instructors to design courses with accessibility in mind.
DSS is committed to serving our faculty and staff as well as our students. Instructors are an integral part of the support at OTC that fosters student success and retention.
Because instructors hold valuable knowledge of their subject and courses, DSS relies on their expertise when identifying essential functions of a course or program in order to determine appropriate accommodations.
DSS can provide additional support to faculty and staff by providing resources, facilitating trainings, and offering ideas on creating a more accessible class.
Steps beginning with application through execution of accommodations:
To see the whole student process please visit our Apply page.
You might also be interested in the Timeline for Requesting Accommodations page.
Please review the student’s Release, Rights & Responsibilities
Students will complete their exam request which generates an email with the link for you to complete your portion.
Your student’s name and course information will auto populate from the student’s exam request. Please complete your sections and hit submit. It is very important that you include the quantity of time allowed for the exam (not unlimited) and specify resources you want your student to utilize on the exam.
You will notice there are two options for your exam’s return: email or pickup. You also have the option to attach additional documents to the exam request.
If you know you have a student who needs to fill out an exam request form but has not done so, you may submit your instructor portion using the button located above on this page. We will put the student request and your submission together.
Springfield and TRC accommodated testing: When one of your students schedules an exam with DSS by submitting an Exam Request Form, it will generate the Instructor portion by email. You should always fill out the Instructor portion of the Exam Request you received which indicates you approve the time, date, requested accommodations. You may attach an electronic copy of the exam or bring your exam to the DSS office in ICE116. Some accommodations require the instructor to modify the exam format before it is received by DSS. Please carefully review your student’s letter.
Seated Exams: Requested and approved accommodations will be facilitated in the Accommodated Testing Center or other OTC testing locations.
Canvas or Third-party Platform Exams: Please pay close attention to the requested accommodations. Extended time will have to be provided through Canvas by the instructor using the “Moderate this quiz” settings. It is necessary that you still return the instructor portion of the exam.
Cancelled or missed exams: we require students to contact their instructor in order to get approval for a reschedule date/time. Then the student should fill out a Updated Exam Request form with the new date/time and update the Sign-up Genius portion to confirm the new date/time is available.
Contact Disability Support with any questions or concerns.
Your student may have provided a Medical Alert Letter. These are accompanied by a more robust Safety and Security Letter that will provide information for emergency responders. In case of a medical emergency, call 911.
Speak with your student about emergency plans that might impact a student with mobility concerns, Safety and Security Procedures for Evacuating the Mobility Impaired.
Emergency Plan Information for DSS students page includes locations for seizure kits and printable pdf for Seizure First Aid.
Service animals are allowed on all OTC campuses and in all OTC education centers. Exceptions to campus access may include sterile environments and/or those requiring personal protective equipment. See OTC policy 4.11 Animals on College Campus. ESA determinations for access will be made on an individual basis and begin by contacting DSS.
Legislation: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its 2008 Amendments prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities. According to federal law, no otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of a public entity.
Accommodation Plan is a plan created to outline a student’s accommodations. Accommodations are discussed with the student during the intake when documentation of a qualifying condition has been provided to DSS.
Accommodation Letter is created for instructors. It outlines the accommodations included in the Accommodation Plan and agreed upon by the student and Accessibility Coordinator. The student is responsible for delivery to instructor. Once notified, the instructor is expected to provide the accommodations as written in the course. Immediately contact DSS with any concerns or questions about implementing accommodations. Never utilize a high school IEP or 504 or documentation from a provider to implement accommodations in college courses.
