Western Oklahoma State College

WOSC is committed to providing services to our students with disabilities. Western's counselor serves as the Student Disability Services coordinator. Our services are guided by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which prohibits discrimination against otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, and mandates that reasonable accommodations be made for such persons. 

Requesting Services

To access these services, students must initiate a formal request for accommodations with the coordinator/counselor. Students must provide documentation from a qualified professional as to the nature of their disability before being approved to receive services.

Each student is encouraged to act as his/her own advocate and has the major responsibility for securing assistance. Early and regular contact with the Counselor will help ensure services and accommodations. It is strongly recommended that all documentation is in place by the second week of classes to ensure that accommodations are met in a timely fashion. 

Each semester, the student should renew their request with the Counseling & Student Disability Services office, as needs may change with the student's course schedule, course format, and other factors. 

When accommodations are approved, the Counselor will notify instructors of the accommodations via an Accommodations form. A sample form can be viewed here. 

Accommodations at the College Level

Accommodations that are considered reasonable for college students differ significantly from accommodations that are routinely available at the high school level. We have provided links below to articles that explain these differences in a manner that is easy to understand.

• US Dept. of Ed. - Preparing for Postsecondary Education
• College Accommodations for Students with Disabilities.
• Information about the differences in accommodations at the high school and college levels

Related Policies & Procedures

Assistance Animal Policy

Western's Assistance Animal Policy outlines the process for requesting an assistance animal, as well as expectations and responsibilities of the owner and the institution. All requests for Assistance Animals (Service and Emotional Support) should be directed to: Office of Student Disability Services, 580-477-7710 or cheryl.orr@wosc.edu

ADA Accommodation Grievance Procedure

If you disagree with the accommodations suggested by the Office for Students with Disabilities, please discuss your concerns with the Counselor. If you are not able to reach an amenable agreement with the Counselor, we encourage you to review Western's ADA Grievance Procedure described below and proceed as directed.  

After receiving the Grievance Report Form, Western's Vice President for Student Affairs, our designated coordinator for ADA compliance efforts will render a decision on your grievance.  You will have the opportunity to visit with this administrator if you still feel your rights as a student with a disability are not being honored.

Western's​​ Grievance Procedure for Americans with Disabilities Accommodations and the Grievance Report form are all available below. 

Accessibility Documentation