DISABILITY SERVICES: what every advisor needs to know

1. DISABILITY SERVICES:what every advisor needs to know Paul Harwell, Accommodations Counselor paulh@disability.tamu.edu Stephanie Bullick, Accommodations Counselor stephanieb@disability.tamu.edu

2. Mission • Disability Services promotes an inclusive environment at Texas A&M University by facilitating appropriate accommodations, empowering students to be self-advocates, and educating the campus community. • Disability Services staff members interact and collaborate with students, faculty and staff, and provide appropriate referrals to achieve equal access for students with disabilities. 

3. Examples of Disabilities • Orthopedic Impairments • Traumatic Brain Injury • Speech Impairments • Autism Spectrum Disorders • Learning Disabilities • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder • Psychiatric Disorders • Health Impairments • Visual Impairments/Blind

4. Students Registered With DS Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 637628 Learning Disabilities 523496 Psychiatric Disorders 318327 Health Impairments 228232 Orthopedic Impairments 60 53 Visual Impairments/Blind 4658 Hearing Impairments/Deaf 5341 Traumatic Brain Injury 2929 Temporary Disabling Conditions 1933 Autism 2022 Speech Impairments 2220 Total Students with Disabilities *1244*1262 (* Note some students have more than one diagnosis)

5. Students We Serve • Students from every college including Health Science Center • Every facet of student life is represented: Corps of Cadets, Student-Athletes, Greeks, International Students, Honor Students, and Undergraduates and Graduates • Students with lifelong disabilities, acquired disabilities, and temporary disabilities

6. Services • Testing Accommodations • Extended time • Reduced distraction testing environment • Readers • Scribes • Use of a computer and/or specialized hardware/software • Classroom Accommodations • Note-taking assistance • Recording lectures • FM System (assistive listening system) • Preferential seating (at the front or back of classroom)

7. Services • Sign Language Interpreting/Transcription • Classroom interpreting/transcription • Interpreting/transcription also provided for S.I. sessions, field trips, internships, study abroad • Consultation for other entities needing an interpreter/transcriptionist (e.g., Student Health Services, academic conferences & workshops, employee, etc.) • Adaptive Technology Services (ATS) • Adaptive hardware and software in DS • Adaptive Technology (AT) assessments • Alternative format production and scanning • Ensuring access in campus computer labs (Open Access labs and department labs) • Consulting on website accessibility

8. Services • Physical Accessibility • Housing (consult with Residence Life) • Consultation on accessibility of classrooms, offices, programs, etc. • Braille signage for buildings • ADA Compliance Committee (represent student needs)

9. Tips for Advising Students with disabilities • Disability information is strictly confidential • It is okay to ask general questions if the student discloses their disability to you. • Are they working with DS? (If not, make a referral and follow-up.) • Understand course load for students with difficulty in reading, writing, or math • Serious psychiatric issues should be referred to Student Counseling Services • Returning Veterans may be more reluctant to register with Disability Services • Refer to Veteran Resource and Support Center

10. Tips for Advising Students with disabilities • Become familiar with the difficulties imposed by a particular disability: • If the student is taking medication, are there certain times of the day when the student is less alert? This could have important implications when developing a class schedule. • Be aware of the campus: • Awareness of the campus could prevent enrolling a student who uses a wheelchair in a class that can only be accessed by a stairway. • Depending upon the amount of time allowed to pass from one class to another, any student with a mobility issue might have difficulty with classes scheduled back to back in different buildings.

11. Tips for Advising Students with disabilities • Know the rules and regulations of Texas A&M University: • Financial aid and course substitutions are two examples of areas that can be used to a student's advantage. As well as early registration. • A student with a disability can receive some forms of financial aid even though the student is enrolled in less than twelve hours, if their disability warrants it. • Other students may qualify for a course substitution. Advisors need to know the procedures on their campus for such things as obtaining a course substitution if they hope to assist students who qualify. • Develop a collaborative relationship with the Department of Disability Services (DS): • DS is responsible for establishing eligibility for accommodations, determining the nature of the accommodations needed by a particular student and helping to insure that the student receives the accommodations for which they are eligible.

12. QUESTIONS?