Services for Students with Disabilities
Strategic Plan
Mission Statement | Departmental Highlights | Departmental Challenges | Departmental Goals
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) is to assist students with disabilities in accessing/participating in SMU classes, programs, and services so they will have the same opportunities as non-disabled students.
2008-09 DEPARTMENTAL HIGHLIGHTS
- The number of students made eligible for services through this office rose significantly since last year. In the past, we’ve averaged between 325-375 students/semester, whereas this spring, we reached 391 students. Students are coming to SMU more educated and assertive about their need for accommodations.
- A new staff person, the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities, joined SSD in January 2009. Having her on staff has enabled SSD to do more outreach to continuing students with disabilities, some of whom were at risk academically and needed support.
- Students for New Learning, a student organization for students with learning differences chartered by Student Senate, held a program that dealt with workplace issues, e.g., whether to disclose one’s disability and when, what kinds of accommodations may be appropriate and how to request them, etc. This program was conducted in collaboration with the Hegi Family Career Development Center.
- The numbers of students testing at the Health Center rose again compared to last year. While it stayed pretty steady overall in fall and spring 2009 compared to the statistics of 2008, the number of students taking finals jumped from 88 to 105 and 79 to 113.
- Attended audio conference on “Congressional Reset of the ADA: How will the ADA Amendments Affect our Policy and Practice?” in October 2008.
- Attended virtual seminar on “New FERPA Regulations: Compliance for Colleges and Universities” in January 2009.
- Attended conference on “Recent GI Bill Changes” in March 2009.
- Attended “ADA Update: Developments Under the ADA Amendments Act” at the 2009 Higher Education Symposium in March 2009.
DEPARTMENTAL CHALLENGES
The logistics of providing testing accommodations at the Health Center is increasingly challenging since a growing number of students need special accommodations with only limited space available at the Health Center in which to do so. In particular, it is getting difficult to provide isolated testing rooms to meet individual students’ needs to type on computers, dictate their answers using voice-activated software, take tests posted on Blackboard, etc. without disturbing others. SSD has met the need thus far by having students use staff computers in their offices. But with the growing number of students requiring this as an accommodation and only limited office space and computers to be used, it has been difficult to meet the demand when more than 2-3 students need special accommodations of this nature at the same time. SSD looks forward to the time when it will have more space to use, in which case sound-proof cubicles would be created and additional computers or laptops would need to be purchased.
DEPARTMENTAL GOALS
Student Success
- Increase outreach to students with documented disabilities, and intervene early to get them help when needed
Student Learning
- Offer programs to faculty to educate them about the learning style of students with disabilities
- Provide training to students on the use of assistive technology as needed. This will be coordinated with Fondren Library staff.
Exemplary Division of Student Affairs
- Work with Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) and professionals in Dallas to develop programming to educate and sensitize the SMU community about issues of concern to students with disabilities
- Develop a chat room on line for SMU students with disabilities to communicate with each other. This will be coordinated with the office of Information Technology Services.