WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:02.420 --> 00:00:19.420 [music] 00:00:31.180 --> 00:00:32.320 Hi I’m Dan Comden. 00:00:32.330 --> 00:00:35.360 I’m manager of the Access Technology Center. 00:00:35.360 --> 00:00:38.430 And in this space in the basement of Mary Gates Hall, 00:00:38.430 --> 00:00:42.330 we provide consulting services for accessible design 00:00:42.330 --> 00:00:46.640 of web pages and online applications. 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:51.940 We also do accommodations for students, faculty and staff who have disabilities 00:00:51.940 --> 00:00:54.620 who need some help using computing technology. 00:00:54.620 --> 00:00:59.790 We’ve got a showroom behind me that has all kinds of technology 00:00:59.790 --> 00:01:03.700 that can help people with various disabilities have access to computers. 00:01:05.880 --> 00:01:10.740 Also located in the basement is the Disability Resources for Students office. 00:01:10.740 --> 00:01:14.869 They provide academic accommodations for students with disabilities. 00:01:14.869 --> 00:01:19.950 They provide accessible academic materials in alternate digital format, 00:01:19.950 --> 00:01:22.280 they provide for extended exam times 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:25.550 and they actually have a testing center that’s located here as well – 00:01:25.550 --> 00:01:28.180 very active during finals and mid-terms. 00:01:30.289 --> 00:01:33.780 This is the counseling part of Disability Resources for Students 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:36.050 where the counselors who meet with individual students 00:01:36.050 --> 00:01:39.390 to discuss accommodations are located. 00:01:39.390 --> 00:01:41.060 And in here we have Jon McGough, 00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:44.580 who’s the associate director of Disability Resources for Students. 00:01:44.580 --> 00:01:45.080 Hi Jon! 00:01:45.140 --> 00:01:45.880 Hey Dan! 00:01:46.760 --> 00:01:49.520 We work with over 2,000 students a year 00:01:49.530 --> 00:01:55.400 ensuring that they have equal access to university programs and classes. 00:01:55.400 --> 00:02:00.250 In DRS, we work with students in every program across the university. 00:02:00.250 --> 00:02:04.010 That's undergraduate students, graduate students, 00:02:04.010 --> 00:02:07.849 students in professional programs like medicine or law. 00:02:07.849 --> 00:02:12.870 In working with our counseling staff, our counseling staff works to ensure 00:02:12.870 --> 00:02:17.150 that the students can access the classroom. 00:02:17.150 --> 00:02:19.950 That means that lectures are accessible to them. 00:02:19.950 --> 00:02:25.340 This could include sign language interpreters or closed-captioned videos. 00:02:25.340 --> 00:02:28.370 We worked to ensure that their books are accessible to them. 00:02:28.370 --> 00:02:33.980 This could be textbooks in Braille or audio or many other digital formats. 00:02:33.980 --> 00:02:41.380 We work to ensure that clinical experiences and field trips are also accessible. 00:02:42.600 --> 00:02:46.120 These accommodations are designed to level the playing field, 00:02:46.120 --> 00:02:48.900 not to give preferential access. 00:02:48.900 --> 00:02:51.659 Leveling the playing field means that a student with a disability 00:02:51.660 --> 00:02:56.500 has the same right to succeed or fail as any other student. 00:02:57.030 --> 00:03:00.480 One important thing to keep in mind is 00:03:00.489 --> 00:03:05.430 that the term disability is really broad under the law. 00:03:05.430 --> 00:03:08.480 Many people may hear the term disability and think of individuals 00:03:08.480 --> 00:03:12.549 who are blind, low vision, or in a wheelchair. 00:03:12.549 --> 00:03:15.390 That actually makes up probably less than 10% 00:03:15.390 --> 00:03:18.650 of the students our office works with. 00:03:18.650 --> 00:03:22.689 Common diagnoses that students have in working with our office 00:03:22.689 --> 00:03:25.359 can be things like anxiety or depression, 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:29.840 attention deficit disorder, chronic health conditions. 00:03:31.380 --> 00:03:35.160 Here we have the D Center, the disability and deaf culture center. 00:03:35.160 --> 00:03:37.849 This is a student-run organization that provides a space 00:03:37.849 --> 00:03:41.760 for students to hang out, study or meet. 00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:44.440 My name is Lesley Ellis. 00:03:44.440 --> 00:03:46.860 I’m the adviser here at the D Center. 00:03:46.860 --> 00:03:50.170 00:03:51.730 Um, well, good. 00:03:51.730 --> 00:03:55.489 We feel really strongly there should be a center for disabled students 00:03:55.489 --> 00:03:59.909 to come together and be able to share space, 00:03:59.909 --> 00:04:03.909 to maybe unwind from the day, maybe take a break between classes. 00:04:03.909 --> 00:04:07.109 00:04:11.909 The transition from the K-12 system into higher education 00:04:11.909 --> 00:04:15.310 can be a bit of a shock for some students. 00:04:15.310 --> 00:04:22.170 They come from a very supportive environment to an environment that is supportive but 00:04:22.170 --> 00:04:26.840 requires that the student really be their own best advocate. 00:04:26.840 --> 00:04:28.440 They have to seek out the services. 00:04:28.440 --> 00:04:32.340 So it's really nice to have these different units 00:04:32.340 --> 00:04:35.000 co-located in the same building. 00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:36.700 See you soon!