Accessibility Services

Welcome

If you have a disability and feel that you may benefit from accommodations while attending Otero College, please contact Accessibility Services at otero-accessibility@otero.edu or you can call (719) 384 6963 to set up an intake appointment. Accessibility Services is a free service that is here to support you in all your educational endeavors and help promote your independence and self-advocacy.

Accessibility Services strives to provide a supportive, accessible, non-discriminatory learning and working environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities. The vision of Accessibility Services is that individuals with disabilities have full access to education, services, events, and activities Otero College has to offer.

Steps to Requesting Accomodation:

Students with disabilities that wish to request accommodations for their courses/testing need to follow the steps listed below:

Set up an intake appointment with the Accessibility Services Coordinator located in the Learning Commons Room 118.
Complete and submit the online forms for Student Information and Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Once you have met with the Accessibility Services Coordinator you will work together to create your Letter of Accommodations (LOA) which will list the appropriate and reasonable accommodations for your courses.
The Accessibility Services Coordinator will email the LOAs to each of your instructors to ensure they are notified about your accommodation needs.
Make sure to contact the office to sign up for accommodations each semester if needed.

Accessibility Services Forms

Types of Accommodations:

Accessibility Services will work with students to ensure they are receiving the appropriate accommodations. Below is a list of some of the most common accommodations.

Classroom Accommodations:

Audio recorded lectures
Volunteer Note Taker

Alternative Text Formats:

Books available in word or PDF format with screen reader option
Enlarge handout or tests

Accommodations for Test Taking:

Extended time on tests
Distraction free testing environment
Test is read to student
Test is enlarged

Accessibility Services Accommodated Testing Policies

Initiating testing accommodations is the responsibility of the student. Accessibility Services located in the Learning Commons offers accommodated testing for students who are officially registered with Accessibility Services. Students that have Low distraction testing environment, reader, or scribe as their accommodations listed on their Letter of Accommodations will take their test in the Learning Commons.

The procedures to scheduling an exam are as follows:

Exams taken with Accessibility Services in the Learning Commons must be scheduled ONE WEEK (7 days prior to the exam.
Forms that are sent after 7 days will not be guaranteed a room in the Learning Commons.
The students must fill out and submit the Accommodated Testing Form a week (7 days) prior to exam or quiz, and the instructor must fill out and submit the Accommodated Testing Form, 48 hours prior to exam or quiz. Exceptions to this policy on the part of the student or instructor will be taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis.
Forms that are submitted less than 48 hours prior to exam, will result in the exam not being able to be proctored in the Learning Commons or will need to be rescheduled..
Accommodated Exams will be scheduled to be taken at the same time as the regular classroom exams. Exceptions, such as evening exams or when time accommodation extends into another class period, must be arranged with your instructor and the Accessibility Coordinator on a case-by-case basis.
Students are expected to be at the Learning Commons at the time stated on the Accommodated Testing Form. If a student arrives 15 minutes late for the exam, this time will be deducted from their extended time.
If a student arrives more than 15 minutes late, they will not be allowed to take the exam at the Learning Commons at that time. If makeup exams are allowed by the instructor, the student will be required to complete a new Accommodated Testing Form.
If a student is unable to take a test due to illness or an emergency, the student will need to contact their instructor as well as the Accessibility Coordinator immediately. Makeup exams will be left to the discretion of the instructor. A new “Accommodated Testing Form” will need to be filled out for makeup exams.
If a student does not show up for a scheduled exam, Accessibility Services will contact the instructor to let them know about the student’s absence. If a makeup exam is allowed by the instructor, the student will be required to re-submit a new Accommodated Testing Form.
If a student has submitted their Accommodated Testing Form, but then decides to not take their exam at the Learning Commons, they are responsible for notifying Accessibility Services.
If the instructor changes the date or time of an exam, it is up to the student to contact Accessibility Services to change the date and or time of the test on the Accommodated Testing Form.

Report a physical or technological barrier

To report a physical or technological barrier that you or another individual may encounter on campus, please follow the link below.

Barriers can include but are not limited to:

Blocked paths
Door opener functionality
Damaged curbs
Elevator malfunctions