Equal Access and Opportunity: Services for Students with Disabilities

WSU ACCESS CENTER

Washington Building 217

Promoting success through access and inclusion

All universities/colleges have offices that provide services to students with documented disabilities.◦ Specific Populations Served: The Access Center

serves students with documented permanent and temporary disabilities, chronic medical conditions or injuries.

◦ Our Mission: The services offered promote equal access to educational opportunities by reducing or eliminating physical and educational barriers to learning.

Who We Are

1. Students submit disability documentation to the Access Center

2. Documentation is reviewed by an Access Advisor.

3. Students schedule an appointment with an Access Advisor.

4. During the appointment, additional information is gathered, and accommodations are determined.

5. The Access Advisor generates an accommodation form and explains the policies and procedures.

Process to Receive Services

Documentation serves two purposes:

◦ to establish that a student has a medical condition or disability that affects one or more major life functions and is entitled to services

◦ to help determine reasonable accommodations 

Documentation must include:

◦ A description of how the disability/medical condition limits the student’s access to the educational environment/learning experience; what we call “functional limitations.”

It’s Helpful if Documentation includes:

◦ A statement identifying the disability, medical condition, or injury◦ A description of the expected progression or stability of the diagnosis◦ Suggested recommendations for accommodations and/or services

 

Documentation Guidelines

Refer students you are concerned about with or w/o documentation. ◦ We will ask in-depth questions about how they learn. We

will talk about the diagnostic process (and refer them to a medical professional) and what accommodations could do for them.

However, before accommodations can be put into place, we must receive some sort of documentation.

An important note about documentation: ◦ It does not have to be a full-blown 20 page psycho-

educational report. ◦ A “prescription pad” note can often put into place

accommodations on a temporary basis, while additional documentation is sought or testing is arranged.

What if Students Don’t have Documentation

The Access Center offers several accommodations and services that give students an equal opportunity to succeed in and out of the classroom.

Accommodations and services include but are not limited to the following:

Services Offered

Testing: extended time; alternate environment Access to class presentation materials (PowerPoints;

recording lectures) Note-taking assistance (volunteer from class) Alternative text formats (audio files; Braille) Assistive Technology: (specialized software;

equipment) Deaf/Hard of Hearing Services Accessible Transportation Individualized accommodations to meet unique needs Note: Accommodations are NOT put in place

retroactively

Accommodations:

Priority Registration◦ Who gets it and Why it’s important

Math and Foreign Language Substitutions◦ Who gets it and why it’s appropriate

Reduced Course load, while being considered a full-time student

Flexible Attendance Flexible Assignment Dates (this is very rarely

authorized)

Accommodations that Academic Advisors need to know about

Access Advisor Meetings—individualized meetings on a regular basis:◦ Academic “coaching;” helping to manage

executive functioning tasks (time; organization, establishing priorities, etc.)

Development of Self-Advocacy Skills Informational Presentations/Workshops

Educational Support Groups/Peer Mentor Program

Advocacy Campus Referral

Academic Support:

All Access Center students are expected to take an active role in their educational success.Students are expected to:

◦ Keep in touch with their Access Advisor, especially if there are issues with accommodations

◦ Complete orientation to approved accommodations◦ Follow all accommodation policies and procedures◦ Meet with faculty each semester to inform them of

accommodations and to discuss academic needs ◦ To renew accommodations each semester

Student Responsibilities

The Access Center will:◦ Treat students with respect and dignity◦ Keep diagnoses and documentation confidential◦ Serve students in a timely manner◦ Work in partnership with students (and

parents/faculty when appropriate) to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations

◦ Provide students support and information as they navigate college expectations and requirements

◦ Advocate for students when appropriate

Access Center Responsibilities

As a result of working with the Access Center, students will: Have a greater understanding of how their

disability impacts their learning Have a greater understanding of

accommodations and how they help to equalize access to learning/employment

Advocate for themselves by learning positive self-advocacy and communication skills

Access Center Learning Goals

What are the major differences with respect to issues of disability and accommodation?

◦“Success vs. Access”

◦Level of Support Available through College Access Centers

◦Self-Advocacy

High School to College Transition

Under IDEA, secondary schools are to provide services necessary to ensure student success: Tutors; different instruction methods; different expectations to

meet standards (ex: reduce number of pages required for a written assignment; reduce number of assignments)

Under Section 504/ADA, universities are to provide equal access to education; success is the responsibility of the student Colleges are to provide accommodations that provide equal

access to the physical environment and to course information; success is up to the student

Faculty are not required to present information in a different way; it’s a student’s responsibility to access information the way it is presented, using accommodations

Course content or course requirements are not altered; all students must meet the same standards as outlined in the syllabus.

Success vs. Access

College Access Center’s are not REQUIRED to provide academic support, such as:

Tutoring services 1:1 guidance with regard to campus navigation/

assignments/scheduling Study groups; learning strategies; mentoring

services Assistance with time management/organization

However, college Access Center’s MAY provide all of the above (and they all refer to programs such as TRIO and tutoring centers);

Student needs to research before they choose a college/university (TBI, Asperger’s/Autism)

Level of Support Available through College Access Centers

Students must request accommodations from the Access Center◦ Until they do, they are not regarded as a student with a

disability Students must put accommodations into place

◦ Student must notify/inform faculty; we highly encourage them to inform academic advisors

◦ Students must often advocate for themselves if accommodations are not provided (we assist with this)

Accommodations are only valid after faculty have been informed◦ Students have a choice to seek accommodations or not◦ They can seek them at any time; but they are NOT

retroactive

Self-Advocacy

Things to think about that will help answer that question:◦ How do my interests intersect with my abilities/aptitudes,

especially as they relate to my disability? Ex: Student wants to pursue civil engineering and has a math

disability; student has a hearing impairment and wants to major in music or a foreign language

◦ How do I learn? Do I memorize? Or do I understand? Am I an abstract thinker? Can I learn new information and apply it to a new situation?

◦ Motivation level; “grit;” Am I willing to do what is necessary:

Study long hours Seek help/use resources; seek a mentor Use time wisely

Is this Major/College the Right Choice?

Senior and they are struggling with a “notorious”course.

Study 1-2 hours per day (or week!) Learning means memorizing and not

understanding When a student is failing lecture tests and

performing well on homework or in labs When a student studies many hours and still gets

C’s or D’s. If a student says “I don’t read and never have.” If a student says they have “test anxiety” (let’s talk

about this….)

Is it Poor Study Skills or a Disability?

Seven permanent staff and several student employees serve students.

  Access Advisors:

◦ Meredyth Goodwin, Director: m.goodwin@wsu.edu◦ Juli Anderson, Access Advisor: juli_anderson

@wsu.edu◦ Sophia Tsai, Access Advisor: hui-ju.tsai@wsu.edu

Several Coordinators for accommodation programs: testing, assistive technology, note-taking, transportation, deaf services

The Staff

Location: Washington Building 217 Telephone: 509-335-3417 FAX: 509-335-8511 Email: Access.Center@wsu.edu Website: http://accesscenter.wsu.edu/ Mail address: P.O. Box 642322, WSU,

Pullman WA 99164-2322 Office Hours: 8:00-5:00

Contact information

Questions?