Neelam Agarwal, Assistant Director, The Disabled Student Services Office

Access and Excellence:

Working Together: Faculty, StaffAnd Students

With Disabilities

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• Spinal Cord Injuries• Loss of limbs • Speech Impairments• Specific Learning

Disabilities• Head Injuries• 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 747-5148, dss@utep.edu, 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) 747-5148Fax: (915) 747-8712

Video Phone: (915) 503-1071www.utep.edu/dss

dss@utep.edu

Thank you for your time!

We look forward to working with you this year and welcome to UTEP!