Transcript Disabled student service office

Access and
Excellence:
Working Together: Faculty, Staff
And Students
With Disabilities
Neelam Agarwal, Assistant Director, The
Disabled Student Services Office
Presentation
Outline…
• Legal Responsibilities
• Providing Services: It’s Everyone’s Responsibility
-DSSO’s Responsibilities
-Student Responsibilities
-Faculty Responsibilities
• Examples of Disabilities
• Accommodations
• Services Offered
• Important Points to Remember
• Where can I get more information or refer students who
have disability questions?
Legal Responsibilities
• Federal law and State and University policies
require the University to provide students with
disabilities academic adjustments to permit them full
access to their academic program.
• The American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are key
laws that protect the rights of students with
disabilities.
According to Section 504 of the 1973
Rehabilitation Act & 1990 Americans with
Disabilities Act 504
“No otherwise qualified individual with disabilities in
the United States... Shall, solely by reason of his/her
disability, be excluded from the participation in, be
denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity
receiving Federal Financial Assistance”
Students with Disabilities
• Are expected to meet the requirements of course/
program/university with or without an accommodation.
• Are entitled to equal access and/or an equal opportunity.
-Participate, freely and actively, in all facets of
university life.
-Participate in the most integrated setting feasible.
• This is where our department comes in; we provide
accommodations for our students and ensure accessibility
for all students with disabilities who are attending UTEP.
Examples of Disabilities
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Spinal Cord Injuries •
Loss of limbs
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Speech Impairments •
Specific Learning
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Disabilities
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Head Injuries
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Psychiatric Disorders
Diabetes
Cancer
AIDS
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscular Dystrophy
Cerebral Palsy
Hearing Impairments
Visual Impairments
What are
Accommodations?
• Accommodations are modifications to conditions that would
otherwise cause a student, because of a disability, to be at a
disadvantage relative to non-disabled students in their access
to a university’s programs.
• Reasonable accommodations provide equitable access to
programs or facilities and do not fundamentally alter the
essential nature of a course or academic program.
• Some examples of accommodations provided: books on CD,
allowing use of tape recorders, testing in low distraction
environments, assistive technology, sign language
interpreters, note-taking services, text conversion to
alternative, accessible formats.
• Professors are notified by the student of their approved
accommodations though letters provided by DSSO.
Services Offered
• Accommodations are not one size fits all.
Accommodations are determined after
meeting with each student individually.
• More common accommodations
– Classroom Accommodations:
• Sign Language Interpreter
• Note taker
– Test Accommodations:
• Additional time (not unlimited time)
• Alternative testing environment
• Assistive Technology on exams
Services Offered
(Continued)…
– Print Accommodations:
• Materials in Alternative Format (Braille, Electronic,
Large Print)
– Services:
• Classroom Access
• Priority Registration
Recommended Techniques for
Addressing a Variety of Needs:
• Visual, aural, and tactile demonstrations
incorporated into instruction
• Course and lecture outlines
• Alternative testing arrangements
• Addressing behavioral concerns in a
non-judgmental way
• Repeat questions and statements from other
students
• Group assignments and labs
• Flexible attendance requirements
• Stay consistent with your guidelines
Providing Services: It’s Everyone’s
Responsibility
DSSO’s Responsibilities:
• Approve academic accommodations for
those students who provide adequate
medical documentation.
• Assist in facilitating any special
arrangements needed in the classroom
(i.e. “wheel chair appropriate” tables etc.).
• Training faculty, staff, and all necessary
parties of policies and procedures.
DSSO Responsibilities
(Continued)…
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Assist with any adaptive equipment or resources
we have:
-Software, Books on CD etc.
• Advocate as necessary for active, documented
disability students.
Student’s Responsibilities
• By law, every student must self-identify as having a
disability or request services by speaking directly to
DSSO in order to receive accommodations.
• Provide the appropriate medical documentation in order
to receive classroom accommodations.
• Meet with DSSO staff each semester to “set appropriate
accommodations” as needed.
• Complete all necessary academic requirements for each
class as outlined in their instructor’s syllabus.
Student’s Responsibilities
(Continued)…
• Provide copies of accommodation letters to professors
and set up an office meeting to discuss their
accommodations with their professors (we recommend
student’s do this during the first week of classes).
• Notify DSSO staff immediately with any problems
pertaining to their accommodations.
• Comply with all DSSO policies and procedures.
Faculty Responsibilities
• Provide reasonable accommodations to students as
recommended by DSSO.
• Meet with the student, preferably during office hours, to
discuss the accommodations (usually during the first week of
classes).
• Sign a copy of the accommodation letter and send it back to
DSSO.
• Consult with DSSO if you have any concern or question.
• Hold the student receiving accommodations accountable to
their academic program and standards.
Faculty Responsibilities
(Continued)
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Refer any student who requests “accommodations” without an
official accommodation letter to DSSO.
• Consult with DSSO regarding any inappropriate or questionable
behavior regarding the students requesting accommodations.
• Provide equal treatment to students with disabilities (again, the
same standard for all).
• We recommend adding a statement to your syllabus referring
them to DSSO if they suspect they may have a disability.
General Suggestions
• Syllabus statement
• Talk with student (Let the student know they are
not obligated to use services if they contact us.
All information is confidential, and services are
free of charge).
• Select materials early
• Materials in electronic formats
• Alternative testing arrangements
• Use campus services
Why should I include a syllabus
statement?
• Students are the best source of information regarding
their special needs. They are responsible for
disclosing their disabilities and requesting
accommodations.
• It creates a welcome environment for the student,
allowing them to be more comfortable in disclosing
any potential disability they may have.
• Example: “If you have or suspect a disability and
need an accommodation, you should contact the
Disabled Student Services Office (DSSO) at 7475148, [email protected], or go to Room 106 Union East
Building.”
Important Points to Remember
• The ADA and FERPA require us to maintain strict
confidentiality; therefore, we are not able to discuss
or disclose personal information including the
student’s disability.
• Often a student has what is called a “hidden”
disability. In other words, it’s not obvious. (Another
reason confidentiality is so important)
• If the student has official accommodations, he/she
has met all documentation requirements.
The Language of Disabilities
“Positive language empowers. When writing
or speaking about people with disabilities it
is important to put the person first.”
Where can I get more information or
refer students who have questions?
• The DSSO encourages faculty and staff to refer
students to our office. We serve students with
both permanent disabilities and some temporary
medical conditions (e.g. a broken arm). If you
see a student who would benefit from services
due to a disability or a suspected disability, refer
the student to our office and our website:
Room 106 Union East Building
Voice/TTY: (915) 747-5148
Fax: (915) 747-8712
Video Phone: (915) 503-1071
www.utep.edu/dss
[email protected]
Thank you for your time!
We look forward to working with you this
year and welcome to UTEP!