Students currently registered with OSA will use the Student Accommodate portal to request accommodation letters, receive and verify their accommodation letters, request alternative text and schedule proctored quizzes/exams. This section contains information that can help students who are currently registered with OSA learn more about, and make the most of their approved accommodations. The OSA Handbook and Procedural Manual is available via request by emailing osa@nku.edu.
Steps to access Accommodate, our online student portal.
1. Go to the Office for Student Accessibility website.
2. Select the “Registered” tab.
3. Next select the “Student Accommodate Portal” button.
4. You will select “Student” and then log in with your NKU user name and password.
You are now logged in to the student Accommodate portal. You may also view a video that walks you through the above instructions.
OSA communicates a student’s approved accommodations via letters that are requested and delivered by the student to their instructors. The letters include all of the classroom accommodations that are approved for an individual student.
Process for requesting an accommodation letter:
1. Log in to the Student Accommodate Portal
2. Under "Accommodation" on the left navigation pane, select "Semester Request"
3. Once the semester request comes up, select "Add New"
4. Select the semester you want the letter for
5. You can then submit the request for all accommodations, which means all of your accommodations will appear for all courses
6. If you want to choose which accommodations will appear, select "Review the Renewal" and then you may delete accommodations that you don't want to utilize
7. Within 3 to 5 business days, you will be able to log back in to the Student Accommodate Portal and on the left navigation pane, under "Accommodation" select "Accommodation Letters"
8. From there you will be able to print your accommodation letter or generate it as a pdf and email it to your instructors
OSA recommends that students meet with instructors during office hours or by private appointment to discuss any necessary accommodations or essential elements of the course. If you are in an online course, you may be able to set up accommodations via an email dialogue or you can request to have a phone or video conversation instead.
Students must repeat steps 1-8 each semester.
A video walking you through the above instructions is also available.
Office for Student Accessibility staff are available to support students through each of these steps. Students who have questions or concerns about receiving accommodations after meeting with their instructor should contact OSA as soon as possible.
Instructors are under no obligation to provide accommodations for a student who does not identify as a student with a disability via an Accommodation Letter.
The student is responsible for requesting new letters at the beginning of each semester.
OSA will not be able to process forms with incomplete information.
If a student needs to request a modification of accommodations, the student should meet with the Office for Student Accessibility to discuss the change.
Accommodations go into effect once the Accommodation Letter has been delivered and discussed with instructors; accommodations are not retroactive.
1. Log in to the Accommodate student portal with your NKU username and password.
2. Click the “Testing Room” tab located on the left side of the screen.
3. This “Alternative Testing Rooms” page shows your future testing appointment requests. To make a new request, click “New Booking Request” at the bottom of the page.
4. Select the course that you have an exam in from the course drop down menu. Limit the date range for your desired testing appointment to the day in question. Select “Check Availability” at the bottom of the page.
5. Available times will populate on the right side of the screen. Click the “UC 101” link next to the appropriate time.
Important: Whenever possible, students are expected to take their exams at the same time and date as the rest of the class. If you encounter a scheduling issue, or if the exam’s time is outside of Testing Services’ business hours (8:00AM start – 4:30PM offices close and exams must be turned in), you must work with your professors to develop an alternative plan. If you are in need of late testing (testing that runs past 4:30 pm), please keep in mind the following information:
6. A pop-up box will appear. Fill in the necessary fields, including any notes about what you might need while testing, such as computer access for online exams.
7. Review the information you have provided. Once you’re sure it is accurate, click “Submit Request” at the bottom of the form.
8. You will see your newest booking in the “Pending” section. Your request will automatically be sent to your professor for approval. You will receive an email notification when it is approved or denied. If you do not receive email confirmation, please follow up with your professor regarding exam planning as needed. Once approved, your request will show in the “Approved” section.
You can always come back to the Testing Room page to check the status of your appointments, as well as cancel or schedule new exams.
A video walking you through the above instructions is also available.
For questions, please contact Testing Services at 859-572-6373 or via email at testing@nku.edu.
If you have been approved for alternative textbooks by OSA, you may only request books for courses which you are enrolled in. You will need to submit the request as soon as possible, so there is no delay in obtaining the needed format. You may contact the bookstore, department, or professor to find out the information (title, author, edition, copyright date, publisher and ISBN number) for your required textbooks. You must purchase or rent a copy of the textbook or course pack for which electronic formats or alternative text is requested and provide the receipt to OSA. This is a copyright requirement.
In order to meet the immediate needs of as many students as possible, alternate text may be produced at the OSA and provided in stages based on course syllabus and direction from the requesting student. The student should be prepared to provide the text book for a short period of time on request from OSA in order to reproduce part of the textbook as required when the publication is not available from Access Text, BookShare, other organizations or the publisher.
Note: Some textbooks are unavailable in an electronic format. In some cases, these texts may need to be altered for scanning purposes, which may affect your ability to sell these texts upon completion of the course.
Process for requesting alternative text:
1. Log in to the Student Accommodate Portal
2. Under "Accommodation" on the left navigation pane, select "Alternative Format"
3. Once alternative format comes up, select "Student Entered"
4. Next, select "Upload Document for Alternative Format Request"
5. Fill in the information requested for each book, upload your receipt as requested, and then click "Submit"
6. OSA will initiate the request of the alternative format within three (3) working days after the request is received, along with attached receipt(s) for the request. When your alternative text has arrived, you will be notified via your NKU email account on how to download the materials.
A video walking you through the above instructions is also available.
The Office for Student Accessibility is a voter registration site.
You can also register online to vote in the Commonwealth of Kentucky or nationally.
Please contact the Office for Student Accessibility if any assistance is needed to register to vote.
The campus map is designed to indicate the most accessible routes and entrances to buildings on NKU’s campus.
The Northern Kentucky University shuttle and TANK buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts. The shuttle schedule is available on Housing's website. TANK schedules are available on the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky website.
For information on disability-related parking needs, please visit Parking Services.
