DS Support Services

Advocacy/Support
Disability specialists offer advocacy and support to any student with a documented disability. Advocacy and/or support may include problem-solving, referral to other departments/units on campus, community referrals, or providing information concerning rights and responsibilities. DS encourages students to be proactive in their communication with faculty regarding classroom attendance and participation.

Although our primary client is the student, we offer support to faculty and staff on matters related to accommodation in the classroom and on exams. We are also available to assist faculty and staff when communicating with students with disabilities.

Alternate Print Access
DS works directly with students, staff, and faculty to facilitate print and media access for individuals who are blind, have visual impairments, or have reading disabilities.

DS Provides:

• Assistance in the production of alternate print formats when appropriate. Materials (textbooks, reading list, handouts, and/or syllabi) should be given to DS one month before the alternate print is needed.
• Information about resources for audiotaped materials, including Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D), Colorado Talking Books Library, and Colorado Text Exchange.
• Assistance in accessing web sites via a "screen reader" and voice synthesizer.
• Conversion of graphics, maps, and drawings into a tactile format. (A two-week turnaround time is needed.)
• Setting up adaptive stations for students unable to access course material.
• Consultation with the university community regarding the selection of adaptive equipment for access to print and media.

Assistive Technology Lab
The Assistive Technology Lab (AT Lab) is available to students, faculty, and staff who need adaptive computer or workstation access. The lab is also open as a resource for faculty and other individuals who want to learn more about assistive technology products, applications, and general information. It consists of five adaptive workstations, including four PCs and one Macintosh, and a satellite station in Norlin Library. The lab offers open houses, workshops, and the coordinator is available for on-site visits.

The AT Lab can place computer adaptations in campus labs to meet specific student needs or provide consultation regarding access needs in the classroom. The AT Lab can also provide technical assistance in creating accessible print and media materials such as web pages, course handouts, WebCT, etc.

Adaptations Include:

• Speech controlled computers
• Screen readers (voice output) and screen enlargement
• Alternate and ergonomic keyboards
• Adaptive and ergonomic pointing devices
• Scanning and Optical Character Recognition systems with voice output for access to hard-copy items
• Closed circuit TV for enlarging hard-copy material
• Ergonomic furniture and workstation accessories
• Braille printers
• Tactile printer

Contact the AT Lab coordinator at 303-492-8672, to set up an appointment or for more information regarding lab hours and/or assistance. AT Lab time can be reserved by calling DS at 303-492-8671 or the lab coordinator.

Campus Accessibility
DS works cooperatively with the Chancellor’s Program Accessibility Committee (PAC) and the campus ADA Coordinator towards providing physical or program access. Specific situations involving barriers to physical or program access should be brought to the immediate attention of DS, PAC, or the ADA Coordinator.

DS works cooperatively with Facilities Management (Service Desk, 303-492-8656) to facilitate accessible paths of travel, such as snow and barrier removal.

DS is a resource for visitors to the campus who need access. Visitors can call Disability Services at 303-492-8671, for more information.

Campus Outreach
DS is available to provide training and outreach to the campus community. Training topics include disability awareness, identifying the needs of DS students, instructional and accommodation strategies, and an overview of DS. To schedule workshops, presentations, or consultations, contact DS at 303-492-8671.

Career Program for Students with Disabilities
The Career Program for Students with Disabilities (CPSD) offers career consultation and internship opportunities for students who are enrolled in the program. The goals of CPSD are:

• To assist students in developing an understanding how their disability may impact them in the employment setting.
• To provide work experience that builds self-confidence and helps students learn lifelong job skills.
• To raise awareness of disability issues in the workplace, particularly as it effects employees.
• To provide consultation to employers regarding job accommodations and workforce diversity.

Students who participate meet individually with CPSD staff to learn about disability issues related to career planning. After completing individual sessions, students locate internships. Students receive a stipend provided by CPSD. Any student with a disability can participate in the CPSD program. For specific information, contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or Career Services at 303-492-4131.

Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Services
Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Services provides support to students with varying degrees of hearing loss. To qualify for services, students are required to submit a current audiogram and a letter from a qualified diagnostician. Support services must be requested by the student for each semester and are not retroactive. A letter will be provided by the student from DS to notify faculty of the support services for which the student is eligible.

Support Services Include:

• Real-time captioning
• Sign language/oral interpreting
• Assistive listening devices
• Notetaking
• Preferential seating
• Advocacy

Real-time captioning:
Real-time captioning is a computerized speech-to-text transcription typed by a captionist. The captionist and student using captioning service sit next to each other in the classroom and in front of the faculty member. Lectures are read by the student on the captionist’s laptop monitor. Real-time captioning serves as communication facilitator between the student and others in class. The captionist does not participate in class or interject his/her opinion, and keeps assignment related information confidential. The student receives a transcript from the captionist through email within 24 hours of the conclusion of the class and the transcript is not to be provided to others. If someone other than student wants a copy of transcript, contact DHHS specialist.

Sign language/oral interpreting:
The interpreter translates from spoken English to sign language and from sign language to spoken English to ensure effective communication between the student, faculty, and others in class. The interpreter sits next to the faculty member facing the student using interpreting services. The student using interpreting services sits in the classroom with his or her peers. Interpreters are professionally trained and certified with the national Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Interpreters adhere to standards of confidential communication and abide to a code of professional conduct. Interpreters do not participate in classroom activities such as group discussion, exercises, presentation or pass out handouts, quizzes, exams, or any other materials. See Interpreting Services for more information on sign language/oral interpreting.

Assistive listening devices:
Assistive listening devices are electronic products that amplify a desired sound without increasing background noise. There are several different devices and some are used with or without a hearing aid or cochlear implant. Assistive listening device have two components: a transmitter with a microphone to transmit sound to a receiver, and a receiver that sends the desired sound to a hearing aid, cochlear implant, or ear. When an assistive listening device is being used by a student, the faculty member will be asked to use the transmitter throughout the semester. The transmitter is returned to the student at the end of each class.

Notetaking: See Notetaking Support.

Preferential seating
Faculty members will be asked to allow the student to sit where the student will be able to hear in the classroom. A student usually needs to sit near the speaker so s/he can hear.

Individual Strategy Sessions
Every student who has submitted documentation of a disability to DS may meet individually with a disability specialist on a regular weekly or on an "as needed" basis. Working from the diagnostic information, the disability specialist helps the student develop compensatory strategies. Strategy development may include: notetaking, test preparation/test taking, time management/organization, goal setting, paper writing, reading, or memorization, etc.

Notetaking Support
In an educational setting, notetaking services may be deemed a reasonable accommodation. There are many different reasons why a student might receive notetaking accommodations. Examples include,

• Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and who must focus on a sign language interpreter or, if lip reading, need to focus on the instructor;
• Students who are blind or have visual, cognitive, or physical impairments (Note: If taking notes for students who are blind or have visual impairments, notes must be taken on a laptop or computer so they can later use a screen reader to listen to the lecture);
• Students who have physical disabilities which impact their ability to take notes.

Requests for notetaking must be supported by documentation that meets DS requirements.
Students eligible for notetaking will provide faculty with an accommodation letter from DS. The letter asks faculty to recruit a notetaker. A brief script to announce in class is provided in the letter. While making notetaker recruitment announcements, faculty members should not reveal the name of any student who will receive class notes. Faculty will ask students interested in becoming notetakers to provide a sample of class notes after class. The faculty member will then evaluate interested students’ class notes and select one qualified notetaker. Faculty do not give student accommodation letters to notetakers, but should refer new notetakers to a mandatory orientation with DS. Notetakers will be compensated as determined by the notetaker coordinator. The compensation is based on the type of class notes, level of course, length of academic support, special needs, etc. If you have any questions regarding notetaking support, email DSInfo@colorado.edu.

Screener/Psycho-Educational Evaluation
Disability Services provides two ways to assist students in investigating concerns with learning. Each of these methods is confidential. Faculty are welcome to refer students to DS for free screening interviews.

Screener
A screener is an opportunity for students who are experiencing academic difficulty to meet individually with a disability specialist to gather information about their learning process. Screeners are provided at no cost to the student. After the screener is completed, recommendations are made (e.g., referral to campus and community resources, suggestions for improving academic effectiveness, or completion of psycho-educational testing). Students can schedule a screener by calling the DS office at 303-492-8671.

Disability specialists conducting a screener may recommend that a student seek further evaluation for psychological, neurological, medical and/or attentional concerns, but DS staff do not make medical and/or psychological diagnoses. Students with concerns in this area are to be referred by the specialist to Wardenburg Psychiatric Clinic or a private physician qualified to diagnose ADD/ADHD.

Updated 12/2007