Disability & Deaf Services
The Office for Students with Disabilities & Deaf Services (OSDDS) is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities and Deaf/Hard of Hearing students have equal access to the full range of programs and services offered by HCC.
Request Accommodations and Services
To receive accommodations and services, you must register with the Office for Students with Disabilities & Deaf Services. Please:
- Complete a Student Inquiry Form. Once your completed form is submitted, you will be assigned to a member of the OSDDS staff who will contact you directly via email.
Office for Students with Disabilities & Deaf Services/Documentation
Holyoke Community College
303 Homestead Avenue
Holyoke, MA
01040
Fax: 413.552.2058
Documentation of Disability
Students seeking academic accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities and Deaf Services (OSDDS) are asked to submit documentation to verify their eligibility. Appropriate documentation will help OSDDS to predict access barriers in the college environment and determine access solutions.
Documentation serves three purposes:
- To establish that the student can be considered a person with a disability, and is thus eligible for protection against discrimination on the basis of disability.
- To supplement information from the student interview with OSDDS regarding the impact of the disability.
- To assist in the development of an accommodation agreement designed to facilitate equal access to HCC programs and services.
Documentation will vary from student to student; however, the OSDDS Disability Documentation Guidelines should be followed when determining appropriate documentation. If your documentation does not meet these guidelines, we will work with you to get the information we need.
Staff
- Juan Dixon, Administrative Assistant, jdixon@hcc.edu
- Heidi Elmer, Learning Specialist, helmer@hcc.edu
- Andrea Hojnacki, Director, ahojnacki@hcc.edu
- Rebecca Leporati, MAIHE Coordinator, rleporati@hcc.edu
- Kelsey Brousseau, MAIHE Coordinator, kbrousseau@hcc.edu
- Sheyla Martinez, Learning Specialist, smartinez@hcc.edu
- Milagros Miranda, Administrative Assistant, mmiranda@hcc.edu
- Erin O'Brien, Learning Specialist, eobrien@hcc.edu
- Denise Roy, Learning Specialist, droy@hcc.edu
- Carol-Ann Smalley, Coordinator, Deaf Services, csmalley@hcc.edu
If you prefer to leave a voice message, please call the OSDDS main office at 413.552.2417. The department email is osd@hcc.edu. Deaf Services are available via video phone at 413.650.5502 or at csmalley@hcc.edu. A staff person will return your call within 24 hours or during the next business day.
HCC does not require that you accept disability and Deaf services, nor will we impose an accommodation on you. Self-identifying as Deaf/Hard of Hearing or a person with a disability and asking for supportive services are personal decisions. If you choose to request one or more accommodations, you must register with OSDDS and provide documentation of your disability and/or status as a Deaf/Hard of Hearing person.
For more information, please contact the OSDDS main office (DON 147) at 413.552.2417 to schedule and attend an information session. If you have concerns about this process, our staff is glad to meet with you for a confidential review of the options available to you. Online students who wish to access services through OSDDS may contact the main office by emailing osd@hcc.edu or by calling 413.552.2417.
To contact Deaf Services directly, call 413.650.5502 (VP) or 413.552.2317 (voice).
We will work with you on identifying strategies and accommodations that allow you to participate fully in class, and offer advice on other campus resources. We will engage with you in an interactive process, and determine the accommodations for which you are eligible. Our staff is always available to answer your questions and assist in any way we can!
We understand that families of students with disabilities and Deaf/Hard of Hearing students play an important role in their student's successful transition to higher education. We can help you access the information and resources you need to support your student during this exciting time.
We engage in the interactive process with HCC students, staff, and faculty to find innovative solutions and promote greater inclusion in college programs and services. OSDDS staff is available to answer questions and address potential concerns regarding accessible design and program access.
HCC respects each student's dignity, capacity to contribute, and desire for personal growth and accomplishment. The College fosters intellectual and physical independence to the greatest extent possible in all of its students, and offers reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities and Deaf/Hard of Hearing students. We believe you will find HCC to be a friendly community of supportive and caring staff, faculty, and administrators, working in partnership with students.
HCC's ADA Compliance Coordinator is responsible for assuring that the College complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in all HCC programs and services. If you have a concern related to an access issue that is not resolved by the Office for Students with Disabilities & Deaf Services, please contact the College's ADA Compliance Coordinator, Olivia Kynard, President's Office, at 413.552.2173 or okynard@hcc.edu.
Holyoke Community College adheres to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 which states that "no qualified individual with a disability shall, solely on the basis of their disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity in higher education."
LOOKING FOR ACCOMMODATION AGREEMENT INSTRUCTIONS?
If you already have your accommodation agreement and either you or your instructor(s) are looking to review the instruction pages for specific accommodation(s), please click on the (+) below:
Accessible Furniture
Accessible Text
Captioning
Notetaking Services
Testing Accommodations & Procedures (For students, staff/faculty instructors & online)
Fall 2018 RegisterBlast Instructions (For staff/faculty instructors)
HCC Testing Scheduling Instructions (For staff/faculty to include in syllabi)
Contact the OSDDS main office in DON147 at 413.552.2417 or osd@hcc.edu with any questions or concerns!
Assistive Technology Center
The Assistive Technology Center offers assessment, training, and access to a variety of academic computing programs.
Request Your Services
To receive accommodations and services, you must register with our office.
MAICEI Program
Massachusetts Inclusive Higher Ed provides dual enrollment opportunities for transition-aged students, 18–21, with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder.
Resources
Following are resources, both on campus and in the community, that may be of use.
Policies, Guidelines & Forms
Want to request services from OSDDS? Begin by scheduling a meeting at 413.552.2417 or come into the office in Donahue 147.
Include Me
What makes an inclusive, accessible environment? The answers are in the questions presented in "Include Me."
