Some accommodations available to students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing include but are not limited to:

  • Interpreting Services

Sign Language interpreters are available to students registered with our office who use Sign Language as their primary mode of communication. The interpreters strive to match your signing style; however, if you have a preferred style (example: more English-like signing or more ASL-like signing), please tell the Coordinator and your interpreter. These services are available for academic classes or meetings with VSU staff and/or offices.

Request for Faculty Letter

  • Access to Audiovisual Materials

The Access Office works with professors to ensure that whenever possible, captioned videos are shown in classes that are attended by students who are deaf or hard of hearing. If a captioned copy of the video is not available, the Access Office will work together with the professor to provide a captioned copy or a script of the video. If a video requires captioning, please submit 10-14 days in advanced.

  • Copies of Powerpoint Slides

Copies of PowerPoint slides used during lectures can be provided for D/HH students.

  • Preferential Seating

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may need to sit closer to the front or on one particular side of the classroom.  These students can speak to their professors individually, or they may be eligible for preferential seating as a formal accommodation through our office.

  • Extended Testing Time

Extending testing time may be appropriate for students who are D/HH if English is not their first language.  The amount of extended time is determined by a consultation with the student and the Coordinator.

  • Reduced Distraction Test Environment

Because students who are D/HH are often more visually sensitive and may be distracted when taking their tests in the classroom, these students may be eligible to take their tests in a reduced-distraction testing environment, such as the Access Office testing lab.

  • Equipment Loan

With supporting documentation, students who are deaf or hard of hearing may borrow FM Systems, microphones, devices, or Alarms/bed shakers (only for students residing on-campus in residence halls that do not have visual alerting systems) from the Access Office.

  • Priority Registration 

In order to facilitate scheduling, students receiving interpreting and/or note-taking services are eligible for priority registration.  After being advised, students are able to register the first day of registration.
  • Video Phone

We value direct communication whenever possible. A Video Phone is located in the Coordinator for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services office. There is also a video phone in the Library Adaptive Technology Lab  for student and public use (library first floor, see information desk for room access).

  • Other
Other accommodations may be appropriate depending on documentation submitted. Please meet with the Coordinator for information on the accommodations for which you are eligible