Disability Services Office (DSO) Questions

What questions should I ask a Disability Services Office?

If you are a person with a visual disability who is considering going to college, the relationship you have with the Disability Services Office (DSO) will likely be an important one. The DSO is usually a student’s primary resource for disability accommodations and accessibility concerns. The list of questions below is meant to help you get started in your conversation with the DSO. Please feel free to add any questions of your own. We recommend asking these questions in your first communication with the DSO to determine if the supports they offer are a good fit for you. You can find definitions for key words in this document on Page 2.

Navigating College/University and DSO Websites

• Does the college or university have an accessibility statement or policy on their website?
• Is the DSO website easy to find from the main college website (i.e., can you search by key terms like “disability” or“accommodation”)?
• Does the DSO website clearly explain the process and steps for requesting accommodations?
• Is the DSO website, including any forms on the site, accessible to screen readers or enlarging software?
• Does the DSO website clearly explain the required documentation guidelines related to disability?

Questions to ask a DSO Representative

• What are some examples of accommodations students with visual barriers have received in the past?
• What assistive technology does the DSO offer?
• What orientation and mobility (O&M) support does the DSO offer?
• How does the process for testing accommodations work?
• How does the process for housing accommodations work?
• How far in advance should accommodations be requested? (Some accommodations require more time to prepare, like brailed materials).
• What learning management platforms does the college/university use (e.g., Brightspace, D2L, Canvas, Blackboard, etc.), and how are accessibility issues for these platforms addressed?
• What is the procedure for ensuring access if publisher-provided materials and platforms are not accessible (e.g., McGraw Hill, Pearson, etc.)?
• What steps do I take if I am not receiving accommodations for which I’m approved?
• What is the grievance procedure if I disagree with an accommodation decision?

Additional Questions to Consider

• What other types of academic supports, like tutoring, are available to students?
• What type of social opportunities, like mentoring, student organizations, or disability affinity groups, are available to students?
• What supports related to career advising and employer relations are available to students with disabilities?
• What resources are provided to instructors who have course materials that are not accessible or who need support in ensuring that their courses are universally designed?

Key Word Definitions

Accessibility statement: A statement that communicates a commitment to accessibility for people with disabilities. Often, accessibility statements will explain what accessibility standards are used and who to contact if there are issues.

Accommodations: Adjustments or support that help students with disabilities learn and participate with equal access as peers without disabilities by removing barriers.

Documentation guidelines: This document should guide a student on what type of medical documentation is required for proof of disability, from which type of medical providers (e.g., ophthalmologist), and how old documentation can be to receive accommodations from the DSO.

Grievance procedure: A procedure that ensures equal access by addressing concerns about disability discrimination and denials of reasonable accommodations required by law.

Interactive process: In higher education, the interactive process usually involves the student needing the accommodation, the DSO, and the student’s instructor(s). The student discusses the barriers experienced related to their disability, shares what supports have helped them in the past, and provides information and documentation as needed. The instructor shares information about essential requirements of the college course(s). The DSO staff works with the student and the instructor to recommend reasonable accommodations that will reduce student barriers without altering the essential requirements of the course.