Disability Resources

Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. The Office of Disability Resources (ODR), strives to create an equitable, accessible environment for all students to independently learn, work, and grow.  

If an aspect of the physical, academic, or electronic design impacts a student's ability to take full advantage of the educational environment, we will work to either change the design or create an appropriate accommodation.  

Roles and responsibilities 

Students who would like accommodations for a disability are responsible for reaching out to the ODR. 

• • Provide medical and/or psychological documentation to the ODR.
  • After registering with the ODR, the student is responsible for speaking to faculty about accommodations. As the relationship between student and faculty is a professional one, it is good to reach out to the faculty during office hours or via email to ask if there are any questions about your accommodations. You do not have to disclose your disability to anyone outside of the ODR. 
  • Whether or not accommodations are used, the student is responsible for the mastery of classroom syllabus. No modifications are made, as that would change the integrity of the course. Reduced course work or extra time to do an assignment are examples of a modification. 

ODR responsibilities

ODR staff determine disability eligibility based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Subpart E, interpreted from guidance from the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). ODR does not follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which covers the K–12 environment. 

When a student releases information, ODR is a conduit of information and can facilitate dialogue between the student and faculty, if necessary.  

Faculty responsibilities 

Ensuring equal access to college courses, programs and events is a shared responsibility. At a minimum, faculty and staff need to be responsive to reasonable accommodation requests.

Provide accessible course content. 

Faculty should avoid asking for medical documentation, rather refer students to the ODR. 

Classroom access personnel

At times, it may be necessary for additional personnel to be present in the classroom or lab environment in order to ensure equal access for a student to participate. All personnel, whether hired by ODR or not, have clarity of roles and Delta College expectations. At no time will the personnel complete work or speak on behalf of students. 

Personnel includes ASL interpreters, note takers, or in-class aides. The college does not provide personnel to manage personal care or student behavior. 

The student may contract with an outside agency to provide a personal aid. In this case, the personal aid is a trained professional, not a relation or friend, and would be indicated on a NTI (Notification to Instructor).