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Testing Accommodations

Accessibility Services (AS) helps to provide reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities. Providing testing accommodations ensure exam grades most fairly represent the student’s understanding of the course material with minimal interference from his/her disability. Testing accommodations may not fundamentally alter the integrity of the exam or lower the program standards of the college. Common testing accommodations at Otero include, but are not limited to:

Extended Time: Students may have additional time to complete exams or quizzes. Students must coordinate schedules with the testing center a week in advance.

Low distraction Testing Environment: Students may take their exam in a distraction reduced environment. Students must complete and submit the Accommodated Testing Form a week or 7 business days in advance.

Alternative Test Format: Students may request a test in alternative format. For example, a student given a test on paper may request to take it online. Students must coordinate with the Testing Center a week in advance to ensure they have access to the correct format.

Breaks as Needed: Students may take breaks during the exam. Breaks should count against total test time. For online tests, students may have an additional 25% extra time in lieu of breaks.

Reader/Scribe: Students may coordinate with the Accessibility Services Coordinator to have their test read outload or have a scribe for audio portions. Appropriate technology such as a text-to-speech program may be used in some cases.

Stress Reducing Device: Students may use a stress reducing device, such as a white-noise machine or headphones during the exam.

Assistive Technology: Assistive technology may include use of a white-noise machine, headphones or music, use of a computer or laptop to type answers, spell checking technology, Screen readers, and other types of accessibility devices.

Classroom Accommodations

Accessibility Services (AS) helps to provide reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities. Providing classroom accommodations ensures students can engage and benefit from classroom spaces with minimal interference from their disability. Classroom accommodations may not fundamentally alter or lower the program standard of the college. Common classroom accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

Books in Alternative Format: If your course gives you a PDF and you want a hard copy, or you want a text converted to a PDF compatible with a screen reader, AS will make sure you have the format that you prefer.

Captioned Videos: All videos that contain course contentment must be captioned: Zoom calls may have auto-captioning enabled.

Lecture Materials: Students will receive copies of Power Points Slides or instructor’s notes.

Audio/Video Recording: Students may record lectures to obtain all information from class sessions. Students should contact AS to learn about available tools.

Additional Time on Assignments: Students receive reasonable, flexible extension on assignments.

Breaks as Needed: Students may leave class to take a break.

Assistive Technology: Assistive Technology may include Use of headphones, use of a computer or laptop to type answers, spell checking technology and other various accessibility devices.

Other Accommodations

The Accessibility Services Office can help with other accommodations related to:

• Service Animals
• Emotional Support Animals
• Dietary Restrictions
• Housing Needs
• Temporary Accessibility Accommodations

Students who request accommodations will be required to provide documentation of their disability(s) beginning Summer 2024.

Why Do We Ask for Documentation?

• To determine if a disability exists (e.g., Learning, ADHD, Mental Health/Psychological, Medical, Physical, Neurological, etc.).
• To identify reasonable accommodations that will reduce barriers without creating an undue hardship.
• To verify that the documentation supports the requested accommodation(s).

The conversation with the Accessibility Services Coordinator during the intake meeting, in addition to the documentation students submit, helps us to identify academic barriers and the accommodations that are needed.

1. Documentation must be from a professional, unrelated to the student, who is trained and qualified (i.e., certified and/or licensed), to evaluate/diagnose/assess a particular disability. These professionals include, but are not limited to, medical doctors, psychologists, audiologists, ophthalmologists, and educational diagnosticians.
2. Documentation must include the letterhead of the professional providing the evaluation/diagnosis/assessment and include the name, address, and qualifications of the professional. In addition, it is helpful when documentation includes the following information:
   1. The specific diagnosis (e.g., DSM)
   2. The functional limitations caused by the diagnosis.
   3. Medication the student is taking which causes side effects (impacts student in the educational environment).
   4. Recommended accommodations.
3. Individual Education Plans (IEPs), Summary of Performance (SOP) and/or Section 504 Plans from K-12 institutions may be submitted, including information to verify a disability, statements regarding current academic barriers, accommodations used in the past, and how a disability impacted a student academically.

Please be aware that documentation requirements may differ from one college to another.