Disability Services Workshop Video & Handout

Ellie Hood 

Disability Services Handout for Workshop 

• Introduce yourself (name, year, major)
  • Ellie 
  • Junior 
  • Strategic and Corporate Communication Major & Psychology minor 
• Today I’m going to tell you a little bit about the Disability Services department. I will tell you what it is, how it works, tell you about some services they offer, provide examples of accommodations, and tell you how Disability Services helps me.  

• Disability Services (proposed Diverse Ability Services) 
  • What is it?
    • Disability Services provides accommodations and support to students who have diagnosed learning and/or physical ‘disabilities’.  
  • How does it work? 
    • 1st: Evaluation:
      • Disability Services receives and evaluates documentation provided by students to verify disabilities
    • 2nd: Consultation:
      • Consults with students about appropriate individualized accommodations based upon documentation
  • Services: 
    • Serves as an advocate for students with faculty or administrators
    • Arranges for and/or refers students to auxiliary aids such as interpreters, readers for exams, assistive technology, textbooks in an alternate format, etc. 
    • Training for assistive technology
    • Conducts informational and training programs regarding services to persons with disabilities for the faculty and staff
    • Maintains access to multiple databases to provide textbooks in an alternate format
  • Examples of Accommodations 
    • Coordination of special arrangements to meet individual test-taking needs 
      • Extra time, Distraction-reduced testing environment, etc. 
    • Volunteer peer notetakers
    • Permission to use a voice recorder in lecture classes
    • Sign language interpretation
    • Real-Time Captioning Services
    • Alternative tables and chairs in the classroom
      • Front row, wheelchair accessible, etc.
    • Facilitation of obtaining books in alternate formats
      • Audiobooks, brail, etc.
  • How it helped me in a number of ways 
    • Taught me to self-advocate 
      • Accommodations 
        • Meeting with Head of Disability Services 
      • Communicate with professors 
        • Send accommodation letter at the beginning of the semester 
        • In-person explanation of why I have my accommodations 
    • Taught me how to manage my time  
      • Schedule quizzes and tests in testing rooms
    • Taught me to build confidence 
      • Advocate on campus for students with learning differences