Students with documented disabilities are encouraged to contact SLDS early in their college planning. Services and resources are free and determined on an individual basis.
Student Life Disability Services
Student Life Disability Services (SLDS) is a support resource for Ohio State Newark students. SLDS provides academic resources and services to reduce disability-related barriers and ensure students' access to an equitable learning environment.
AIM
Accessible Information Management (or AIM for short) is Disability Services' online portal for students and instructors.
- Students new to Disability Services use AIM to submit their application for registration.
- SLDS-registered students use AIM to generate their course accessibility letters.
To ensure that you do not miss important emails sent via AIM, we encourage you to either:
- Add the domain “post.accessiblelearning.com” to your safe sender list (Outlook 365 instructions).
- Regularly check your junk mail folder.
1 Application and documentation
Complete the new student application and upload supportive documentation.
2 Review
SLDS will review the application and the submitted documentation.
3 Notification
SLDS will notify the student through their OSU email within three business days of receipt to schedule a Welcome Meeting.
4 Welcome meeting
During the welcome meeting (either in person or via Zoom), you will meet with one of the SLDS staff members to discuss your accommodation needs and other relevant information to finalize accommodations.
Students with readily observable permanent disabilities (e.g., wheelchair and cane users) are exempt from submitting documentation. Instead, they can submit their application and contact the office at 740-755-7768 to schedule a welcome meeting.
Students currently registered with SLDS must request accommodation letters every semester. Once requested, the letters will be sent to the student and the instructor. It is recommended that letters be requested before the beginning of every semester.
It is recommended that documentation be submitted in advance of accommodation-related needs. This allows our staff time to review it, request additional materials, and prepare before the welcome meeting.
In cases where obtaining disability-related documentation is difficult, please contact SLDS directly to discuss possible options and additional resources.
Documentation should provide proof of diagnosis and/or prior accommodations. SLDS follows the guidance from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) on documentation review and accommodation approval. Students can submit one of the examples of acceptable disability documentation, including:
- IEP/504 plan
- Medical records/patient portal diagnostic summary
- Letter from the student’s service-providing healthcare professional(s), on letterhead, which includes a signature (digital or handwritten) and confirms a diagnosis
- Disability Services Verification Form (Must be completed by the student’s service-providing healthcare professional(s).)
- Full evaluation/diagnostic report (e.g., ETR, MFE)
While the preference is for documentation to be uploaded into the new student application, documentation can also be scanned and emailed, faxed or hand-delivered to:
Student Life Disability Services
Warner Center 226
1179 University Drive
Newark, OH 43055
Phone: 740-755-7768
Fax: 740-364-9646
Email: NWK-SLDS@mail.cotc.edu
*To discuss the documentation review process, you may speak with a Disability Services staff member to address your questions and concerns.
Contact Disability Services
Email
Phone
Email
Phone
Temporary/Provisional Accommodations
Students with temporary injuries, such as a broken leg or arm, concussion, or surgery recovery, can receive temporary services through SLDS. Students should contact SLDS to register for a temporary injury.
Under Title IX, schools are required to provide pregnant students and students with related conditions such as childbirth or false pregnancy, with at least the same special services as they provide to students with other temporary conditions. The Title IX Coordinator will work in conjunction with SLDS where pregnant students and those with related medical conditions may also be eligible for disability protections and services under the ADA, depending upon their condition. Occasional provisional accommodations may be approved for students who are in the process of registering with SLDS. These provisional accommodations are typically approved for one semester and may be approved permanently upon receipt of appropriate documentation.
Disabilities and Accommodations
This list of general disabilities does not reflect the full range of disabilities students experience, which may pose barriers to access. Disabilities may include, but are not limited to
- Mental health
- ADHD
- Learning disabilities
- Physical disabilities
- Chronic health conditions
- Visual impairment/limitations
- Deaf/hard of hearing
- Temporary conditions
The accommodation process is individualized and determined based on several factors, including formal documentation, students' narratives, previous accommodations, and staff professional knowledge, to create an accessible and equitable learning environment for students. Accommodations may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Exam accommodations
- Note-taking assistance
- Assistive technology
- Sign Language/captioning
- Flex Plan
- Accessible parking
- Priority scheduling
One important note is that while we attempt to work to find accommodations that allow you to complete your education, we cannot provide accommodations that would “fundamentally alter” the educational program or academic requirements that are essential to a program of study or to fulfill licensing requirements.
Confidentiality
All materials regarding a student’s disability received by SLDS are confidential. All disability-related information at OSU Newark is housed in the Disability Services AIM database. Only staff members working at SLDS have access to these files. Registration with SLDS will not appear on transcripts.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) do not allow faculty or others access to disability-related information (e.g., diagnosis, medications). SLDS will not share a student’s medical information with university faculty or staff without the student’s consent. SLDS staff will confirm registration and approve accommodations on a need-to-know basis. SLDS will retain all disability documentation for six years after students leave the college.
Grievance procedure
The University and The Office of Student Life Disability Services (SLDS) support you in your right to file a grievance when you believe you have been denied equal access in the form of appropriate accommodations, modifications, auxiliary aids or effective communication or suffered discriminatory harassment as described in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 or the Ohio Administrative Code 4112-5-09: Discrimination against persons with disabilities in institutions of higher education.
The general grievance procedures, which apply to all students, are available to students with disabilities. The grievance procedures listed below are additional procedures that apply to students with disabilities who feel their rights have been violated under 504 and ADA.
- Students are encouraged to discuss their concerns with their SLDS access specialist as their first step.
- If either the student or the access specialist thinks that a satisfactory resolution to their conflict is still not reached, the student may consult with the SLDS director or designee.
- If a satisfactory resolution is still not reached, the student may notify the Civil Rights Compliance Office (notification form). Their staff will evaluate the complaint and determine an appropriate resolution.
- If the complaint is not resolved at the university level, the student may choose to file a complaint with the Federal Office for Civil Rights, The Ohio Civil Rights Commission or Disability Rights Ohio (formerly the Ohio Legal Rights Service). These entities will take complaints and will investigate when appropriate.
In situations where students allege discrimination by another student, students have the option of filing formal charges under the Code of Student Conduct. Contact the Office of Student Conduct for further information.
Student Life Disability Services
Stephanie Rowland, Manager
Warner 226-Office of Student Life
Phone: 740-364-9578
Email: rowland.245@mail.cotc.edu
ADA Coordinator's Office
1501 Neil Avenue
Columbus, OH 43201
ada-osu@osu.edu
Voice: 614-292-6207
TTY: 614-688-8605
FAX: 614-688-3665
Student Conduct
550 Lincoln Tower
1800 Cannon Dr.
Voice: 614-292-0748
Federal Office for Civil Rights
Voice: 800-368-1019
TDD: 800-537-7697
FAX: 312-886-1807
Ohio Civil Rights Commission
Voice: 614-466-2785
TTY: 614-752-2391
FAX: 614-466-6250
Disability Rights Ohio
Voice: 614-466-7264
TTY: 614-728-2553
FAX: 614-644-1888
Ohio College2Careers
Email: College2Careers@ood.ohio.gov
Ohio College2Careers is a partnership between Ohio State Newark, Central Ohio Technical College and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities which aims for students with disabilities to have the support they need to complete their degree and/or credential, earn higher wages, and meet the demands of tomorrow's labor market.