Office of Disability and Accessibility Services
Quinebaug Valley Community College is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for individuals with disabilities. The college makes reasonable academic adjustments for students with disabilities supported by appropriate documentation. If you choose to disclose your disability, or if you wish to request accommodations, please begin by completing the following steps:
Disclosing Disability and Requesting Accommodations
1. Complete the online QVCC Self Disclosure Form for Students with Disabilities. If you have an electronic copy of your disability documentation you may upload this with your initial self-disclosure form. After submitting the completed form, you will receive an email with instructions for next steps in order to request accommodations, including submitting documentation if you have not, and scheduling an intake appointment.
2. Provide documentation of your disability if you did not include it with your Self-Disclosure Form. If you experience any difficulties in providing documentation or have questions regarding documentation, you may still book an appointment and discuss the guidelines during your initial appointment.
3. Schedule an intake appointment. Meetings are available both in person and virtually (by phone or Microsoft Teams). You may email or phone the Office of Disability and Accessibility Services directly and wait for a reply, or you may book your appointment directly through your Accommodate portal using your QVCC username and password once you complete the initial self-disclosure form. Your intake appointment will be your first opportunity to discuss and request accommodations. Communication regarding this appointment and necessary follow up will be sent to your college email address.
3. If you are requesting adjustments for an upcoming semester, it is recommended you meet with ODAS after you have registered for classes to request accommodations. It is strongly encouraged you register with ODAS and complete the intake process prior to the start of the semester. However, accommodations may be requested and intake appointments take place throughout the year.
Implement Accommodations
4. Once the accommodations have been approved, you must submit a semester request through the Accommodate portal each semester. From there, you and your instructors will be provided with a link for the electronic accommodation authorization memo by email. Please follow the link to review the approved accommodations, then make any arrangements that may be necessary with each instructor on a case-by-case basis. This process must be completed at the beginning of each semester in order for accommodations to be applicable.
5. Disability and Accessibility Services remains an available resource throughout your time at QVCC. Students are welcome to reach out throughout the semester to update their Disability Service Provider on their progress or to express questions and concerns. If students are being denied an accommodation, they must reach out to Disability and Accessibility Services to notify them and request support in communicating their accommodation need with their instructors.
Reach out early and often:
It is a student’s responsibility to request accommodations and provide appropriate documentation in a timely manner. Generally, three weeks advance notice is sufficient, although some types of accommodations may require more advance notice. The timeline to submit documentation remains open and at the student and their provider’s timeline to submit appropriate documentation substantiating the student’s diagnoses.
If a request for academic adjustments or accommodations is submitted with less than three weeks advance notice, the college will make a reasonable attempt to meet the request, but cannot guarantee that the request will be met without delay or substitution. We will do our best to respond to mid-semester requests as quickly as possible.