Services

Services Available:

Information and referral, campus accessibility tours, personal orientation to campus, recruitment of aides, note takers, interpreters, readers, tapers, scholarship and award referrals, advocacy with campus and community agencies, accessible housing information, test taking accommodations, training about disability and related issues, information about adaptive equipment, liason with local, state and federal disability agencies, assistance with advisement and registration, peer counseling, employment assistance and a host of other individualized services.

Scholarship Application:

If you wish to fill out a scholarship application for the Disabled Student Scholarship Fund, click here.

DRC Video Inventory:

To browse our video collection, click here.

DRC Book Inventory:

To browse our book collection, click here.

Alternative Testing Service program available for all students with disabilities with appropriate documentation on file. This includes, but is not limited to, additional time on exams and a quiet environment in which to take exams.

One-on-One appointments with the Professional Staff Member will primarily focus on: 1) monitoring progress in classes, 2) developing independent study skill, 3) developing time management skills, 4) developing test taking and test analysis skills, 5) developing self advocacy skills, 6) creating "reality" checks. These meetings can be scheduled on a regular or an as-needed basis.

Letters of notification to faculty regarding an individual student’s disability and need for appropriate accommodations. These letters provide an opportunity for the student to engage in a dialogue with the faculty member regarding accommodations that may be necessary to adequately demonstrate mastery of course content and the meeting of course objectives.

Consultation with the faculty member and student, when requested, to develop an appropriate accommodation to help the student demonstrate mastery of course content while maintaining the integrity of the course.

Self-advocacy skill development for the student to develop the skills to receive the accommodations that are appropriate and reasonable based on the documentation of his/her disability.

Study Skills Workshops presented by request throughout the semester with emphasis towards students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorder. Topics to include, but not limited to: 1) Goal setting and its importance, 2) Time management and Task management, 3) Long term project planning, 4) Study skills including note taking, text book comprehension, 5) Memory improvement techniques, and 6) Test preparation and Test taking skills.

Campus awareness would include: 1) meetings with members of appropriate campus offices and acting as a consultant for issues relating to students with learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorder, 2) presentations to professional staff and faculty to discuss myths and realities of learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, psychiatric and other disabilities, and 3) use of films available from the office of Disabled Student Services for discussion and increased awareness.

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Programs

Abilities Awareness Month:

The month of April is celebrated at the University with programs designed to highlight the talents and abilities of persons with disabilities. Workshops, seminars, luncheons, speakers, films and other events raise campus awareness about persons with disabilities.

Academic Assistance:

Disabled Student Services participates in an early monitoring system whereby students are asked to identify if they feel they are in academic jeopardy. Students with a GPA below 2.5 are encouraged to work with a tutor and/or to attend study skills workshops held on campus.

Awards Luncheon:

This widely attended luncheon celebrates outstanding contributions made by faculty, staff and students to persons with disabilities. Students with a GPA of 2.5 or greater may apply for small scholarships to assist with unexpected expenses. Other scholarships are awarded annually based on scholastic and extracurricular merit.

Click here for pictures of the 2005 DRC Awards Luncheon.

Click here for pictures of the 2004 DRC Awards Luncheon.

Precollege Summer Orientation Program:

This program is run in conjunction with the New York State Commission for the Blind and the Visually Handicapped (CBVH) and Vocational Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), and Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC). High school juniors or seniors who are residents of NYS and who are blind or visually handicapped can come for this seven day intensive orientation program to college life for students with disabilities. (note: Participants attend colleges all over New York State and not just the University at Albany.)

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