Reasonable Accommodations in Extension

View reasonable accommodation for extension definitions, guidance for extension employees, guidance for participants in programs and services, disability accommodations for faculty and staff, disability accommodations for students, ADA and Access Barriers and accessibility policies and tools resources.

ADA

Extension is committed to creating an accessible, inclusive, and equitable experience for all program participants. Any formal request is coordinated through the OSU Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO). OEO evaluates and responds to requests for disability accommodation(s) by following an interactive, confidential, and individualized process, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

LEP

Individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, speak, write, or understand English are limited English proficient, or LEP. These individuals may be entitled to language assistance with respect to Extension services or benefits.

Accessibility

Federal law provides that programs and facilities must be accessible (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act). The federal regulations state: "shall provide auxiliary aids to persons with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills, where necessary to afford such persons an equal opportunity to benefit from the services." This is interpreted to include educational services and programs, and applies to clientele, students, and staff who may be impaired.

Public Notification

To communicate to the public our commitment to accommodate special needs, we are required to include on all program and event announcements a statement offering reasonable accommodation, including information about whom to contact for assistance and a deadline by when such requests are to be made.

The program is expected to bear the cost of reasonable accommodations that are requested by the advertised deadline. This may be difficult and costly in some rural areas. In such a case, the county director should contact the district director who may need to consult further with the OSU Office of Equal Opportunity and DASNR Human Resources.

Guidance for Extension Employees

Civil Rights Documentation

If you are an Extension employee that has received and provided informal accommodations for a participant, you must maintain documentation within the county civil rights file to have record of the accommodation request date, nature of the request, the requestor name and what accommodation was provided and who approved of the request.

If you have a question about disability, disability accommodations, or inclusive practices please reach out to the appropriate district director, departmental supervisor, DASNR Human Resources or Office of Equal Opportunity.

Required Statement

If you are hosting an event or providing programming, it is a requirement to utilize a tag line on advertisements and communications to let participants know disability accommodations can be requested. The ADA Accommodation Statement is required for any programmatic materials. These statements are not required for business cards, announcements, letters, memoranda, invitations or other personally signed communications.

A sample tagline,“Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication or program information or reasonable accommodation need to contact (name, event host/coordinator) at (phone number/email) at least two weeks prior to the event.”

Resources

ADA Making Events Accessible Planning Guide
Effective Communication Guidance and Resource
Service Animal FAQ
Accessible Meetings
Oklahoma Sign Language Interpreter Directory
Language Line Solutions
ABLE Tech
OSU Ag Human Resources Page
OSU Ag Language Access Team (contact OSU Ag HR)

For Participants in Programs and Services

A participant in any program, event or activity hosted by Extension that has a need to request a formal disability accommodation for the participant themselves or a child for whom they are the parent or guardian, please follow the steps below:

After submitting a request to an Extension representative, if the request cannot be satisfied and resolved at the local level by an Extension supervisor and/or District Director, the Extension representative will notify DASNR Human Resources or the Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) to have an ADA packet provided to the public requestor to begin a formal request.
The public requestor will complete the ADA Accommodation Packet
Return the form to the Office of Equal Opportunity at eeo@okstate.edu or 419-A General Academic Building, Stillwater, OK 74078. You will then be contacted for a brief meeting to discuss your request.
Participate in the interactive process through a conversation with OEO. There may be a need to obtain documentation from a clinician or medical provider.
Once an accommodation is determined to be reasonable or unreasonable, the OEO specialist will communicate with both, the requestor, the Extension supervisor and the District Director.

Disability Accommodations for Faculty and Staff

If you are a qualified OSU faculty member or staff employee with a disability, you may request reasonable accommodation from your supervisor, chair, dean, or the Office of Equal Opportunity by completing the ADA Accommodation Packet.

If you have questions about your rights under the ADA, whether you are a qualified individual with a disability, or the documentation required to establish that status, you should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity. Individuals, supervisors, or individuals with their supervisors may schedule an appointment to determine eligibility and the reasonable, effective accommodation(s) that would best enable the individuals to successfully do the essential functions of their positions.

Individuals requesting accommodation may be required to provide medical documentation regarding the disability and requested accommodation. Medical information provided will be maintained in the Office of Equal Opportunity, separate from personnel files, and is strictly confidential. Only information related to the provision of reasonable accommodation or information necessary to address safety issues in the work setting will be released to supervisors.

Applicants for Employment

If you are interested in employment opportunities at OSU and require reasonable accommodation during the application process, contact Human Resources at (405) 744-2909.

Students

If you are an OSU student and need reasonable accommodation, you should contact Student Accessibility Services where several staff members are available to answer questions, review medical documentation, and arrange services for all qualified students admitted to OSU.

Student Accessibility Services

ADA and Access Barriers

Our workplaces and facilities used to deliver Extension programs are required by law to be accessible to people in wheelchairs. Wheelchair ramps, elevators, or other means to access facilities are required. A facilities assessment tool is available to determine the accessibility of existing facilities. Where wheelchair access cannot be provided permanently, individuals must be advised on-site about how to gain access (e.g. a placard and telephone located at the entrance to a stairway, providing instructions of how to call for immediate assistance). Strategies for ADA accommodation should be included in the County Civil Rights Plan.

ADA Existing Facilities Checklist

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