Disability & Deaf Services
Mission
The Office for Students with Disabilities and Deaf Services (OSDDS) is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities and Deaf/hard of hearing students have equitable access to the full range of programs and services offered by HCC.
What We Do
Our staff will work with students to identify strategies and reasonable accommodations that will allow equal access to the full HCC experience. If you think you may benefit from our services, make us your first stop when you are accepted to HCC.
WHERE TO FIND US
Office for Students with Disabilities & Deaf Services/Documentation
Holyoke Community College
303 Homestead Avenue
Holyoke, MA
01040
Fax: 413.552.2058
Request Accommodations and Services
Register with the Office for Students with Disabilities & Deaf Services.
Documentation of Disability
Students seeking academic accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities and Deaf Services (OSDDS) are asked to submit documentation to predict access barriers in the college environment and determine access solutions.
Documentation will vary from student to student, and we will work with you to get the information we need.
The Office for Students with Disabilities & Deaf Services at HCC is committed to serving students and the community by our values of Kindness, Trust, Inclusion, Collaboration, and Innovation.
Students coming to HCC who identify as Neurodivergent, having a disability, or Deaf/Hard of Hearing have the right to experience college life as Self-Determined Individuals and it is a personal decision to register with OSDDS and request supportive services.
If you choose to request accommodations, you must first register with OSDDS by submitting the Student Inquiry Form.
For more information, please contact the OSDDS main office (DON 147) at 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!
Families and Support Systems 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.
You can support your student in the following ways:
- Prioritize the student’s self-determined choices. Give them space to develop their skills for self-advocacy, collaboration, and choice-making.
- Understand that the College cannot share information with you unless the student has signed a FERPA agreement. Information that can be shared under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) places limitations on what information may be shared. FERPA is not the same thing as signing a Release of Information with OSDDS.
- Appreciate that the primary relationship is between OSDDS and the student, and that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ends when the student completes high school. College students are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Read more about Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education.
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:
We are currently revising this section please get in touch with 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.
MAIHE 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."
