Eastern Oregon University > Disability Services > Learn More About Accommodations

Learn More About Accommodations

What can EOU’s Disability Services Office do for me?

We provide reasonable accommodations on an individual basis each term according to the courses in which the student is enrolled.  The student seeking accommodations will need to contact the DSO each term and inform the office on what accommodations the student will need in that concurrent term. This can be done by contacting Taylor Smith at 541-962-3081 or tksmith@eou.edu . Appointments can also be created through contacting the Accommodations Specialist at 541-962-3235 or disabsvc@eou.edu.

Alternative Texts

Our office provides audio text through a text-to-speech program called Kurzweil 3000. Kurzweil 3000 reads PDF files aloud and provides other useful tools such as bookmarking, highlighting and note-taking.  If a student qualifies to receive audio text (E-Text), our office will email the student a username and password to access Kurzweil 3000 along with instructions on how to upload PDF’s into the website. If the student has any issues navigating the website, they are encouraged to call the Accommodations Specialist at 541-962-3235.

Our office also provides a speech-to-text program called Dragon NaturallySpeaking. All computers located in the Disability Services Office are equipped with this program. All EOU students also have access to the voice typing tool located in Google Docs.

Please Note: Students who qualify to receive Alternative Text, will need to sign a new Alternative Text Agreement Form each term. (A new form will be emailed to the student at the beginning of each term).

 Example of Alternative Text Agreement Form.

Assistive Technology Software Programs

The Assistive Technology Lab is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and is located in the Disability Services Office, Loso Hall 236.  After-hours appointments are available upon request.

A staff member of the Disability Services Office will assist you with mastering the software listed below.  You can use or be trained on this technology by setting up an appointment with the Accommodations Specialist.

  • Dragon Naturally Speaking is a voice-recognition program that transcribes words spoken into a microphone into a Word Document.
  • Kurzweil 3000 will scan a textbook and read it out loud.  The reading speed can be adjusted to adapt to the needs of each student.

There are also larger monitors on several of the PC’s, and an FM loop for hearing impaired students.

Extended Testing/Assignment Time

Instructors will receive an e-mail stating the eligibility for extended testing, assignment times, or any accommodation that could affect the classroom. For online students, this includes Canvas assignments.  Students need to notify their instructor that they would like to utilize their extended test time accommodation. Instructors have the capability to extend the testing time on Canvas delivered tests. The DSO has a distraction-free testing space available.  If a student would like to take a test in the Disability Services Office they need to schedule it at least two days in advance. Tests proctored in the Disability Services Office are administered at the same time the student would be taking it in class. If an alternate time is needed due to class conflict, the student needs to get approval from their instructor.

Note-Taking

Students who qualify for this accommodation will be provided notes through a personalized Google Drive Folder. The Google Folder will include the student’s name and term. (i.e. Samuel Smith- Spring 2020 Notes). On-campus student can also receive physical copies of notes upon request. If a student is interested in becoming a Note Taker for the Disability Services Office, they should apply on Handshake.

Tutors/Study Partners

Tutors and Study Partners are students that work individually with you to help keep you on track in class, up-to-date on homework, and to study for exams.  Tutors are students who have previously taken the class and received a “B” or better in it.  Study Partners are students who are currently in the class and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  Once a Tutor or Study Partner has been hired to work with you, the DSO will send you an e-mail with their contact information so that you can schedule a time to work with them in the Learning Center or over (Zoom, Google Hangout).

To learn how to schedule a tutoring appointment please click the following link Schedule a Tutoring Appointment.