The purpose of the Office of Student Accessibility is to provide assistance and accommodations to students with disabilities. West Texas A&M University is committed to providing all students with equal access to a quality education. In addition to serving as an advocate for students with disabilities, the office also works very closely with faculty and staff members in order to monitor students' progress and encourage a positive educational experience.
Documentation Criteria
How to Apply
Services Provided
Student Grievance Procedure
Syllabus ADA Statement
Documentation Criteria
In order to be provided accommodations through the OSA office, students must provide documentation of their particular disability. The documentation should include the following:
- A specific diagnosis
- The recommended academic accommodations
- For learning disabilities, the documentation should include the diagnostician’s assessment of aptitude test scores, information processing test scores, and diagnosis. The report should also include learning accommodation recommendations from a licensed diagnostician, educational psychologist or psychiatrist.
How to Apply
- In order to initially register with our office, contact OSA and provide documentation of a disability (learning, physical, psychological, or chronic disease)
- If the student is online or at a satellite campus, the process can be done over the phone, fax, or email
- With proper documentation, accommodations are discussed and approved
- Take Accommodation Request Form to professors for signatures or email online professors
- Return Accommodation Request Form to OSA
- OSA and faculty provide accommodations
- After the initial registration, contact OSA EACH SEMESTER, in order to receive accommodations (this includes on-campus, online, or Amarillo-campus students)
Services Provided
Accommodations are provided based on each individual’s disability.Services/accommodations for students with learning disabilities may include:
- Extended time on tests
- Distraction-reduced environment for testing
- Note-taking assistance
- Oral testing
- Audio textbooks
- Physical arrangements to ensure classroom accessibility
- Alternate testing site
- Extended time on tests with oral testing and scribe services
- Note-taking assistance
- Access to enhanced computer software programs
- Audio/digital format textbooks
- Sign language interpreters
- Alternate testing site
- Extended time on tests
- Note-taking assistance
Student Grievance Procedure
Students with disabilities needing accommodations must request them through the Director of Office of Student Accessibility (OSA). Any approved accommodations will be based on documentation demonstrating eligibility under state and federal regulations.
If a student disagrees with accommodation decisions made by OSA, he/she may discuss the concern with the Director of OSA. Students must demonstrate that they have made a good-faith effort to resolve the complaint with the parties involved. If the complaint is still not resolved satisfactorily, the student may visit with the Assistance Vice President of Student Affairs. The Assistance Vice President may take up to five (5) working days to determine an appropriate resolution. During this process, informal discussions will take place with all parties involved in an attempt to resolve the complaint.
If no informal satisfactory resolution is determined within five (5) working days, the student may request the complaint be referred to the Disabilities Accommodations Appeals Committee. This request must be in writing to the Vice President for Student Affairs and must contain all reasons for the appeal. This committee will consist of the following or designated replacements.
Vice President for Student Affairs, Chairperson
Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost
Associate Vice President for Physical Facilities
Director of Student Medical Services
Faculty (from special education or other discipline with expertise in disability issues)
President of Faculty Senate
Student (representative of special populations)
Student (at large)
Recommendations of the Accommodations Appeals Committee will be forwarded to the President for final approval and implementation.
Syllabus ADA Statement
The following statement can be used on any WTAMU syllabus:
West Texas A&M University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University will adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student's responsibility to register with Office of Student Accessibility (OSA) and to contact faculty members in a timely fashion to arrange for suitable accommodations. The OSA Office is located in the Student Success Center, CC 106 and their phone number is 806-651-2335.
Testing Accommodation Form