Opportunities! News for University of Washington Students with Disabilities
Are You a Student with a Disability Attending the University of Washington?
This page promotes resources for students with disabilities on University of Washington campuses.
This includes the Career & Internship Center, STEM- and student-focused groups, accessible technology, campus centers, scholarship opportunities, and other resources.
We sincerely wish you a successful and enjoyable college experience.
Note: Some resources may not be available during the pandemic depending on the status of programs, departments, or the University of Washington. All group photos used in this publication were pre-pandemic.
Join Projects for Students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Fields
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the TAPDINTO-STEM and AccessComputing projects are recruiting students in STEM fields such as biology, chemistry, physics, math, computing, engineering, aerospace, astronomy, geology, anthropology, horticulture, conservation, forensics, and other disciplines. TAPDINTO-STEM and AccessComputing team members join an online community to receive a variety of resources and opportunities:
- Internships: Receive assistance finding and applying for great internships.
- Career Building: Learn about careers, resumes, job fairs, and networking.
- Mentoring: Get support from other students, faculty, staff, and professionals.
Students accepted into TAPDINTO-STEM mentoring receive $1,000 per year (space is limited).
For more information about TAPDINTO-STEMand AccessComputing, contact Scott Bellman at swb3@uw.edu.
Fill out the TAPDINTO-STEM student application here.
Find the AccessComputing student application here.
UW Career Resources
The UW Career & Internship Center
The Career & Internship Centers on each UW campus help students learn about majors, careers, and the labor market. Career counselors are available to help with resume development and improving interview skills.
UW Career & Internship Centers utilize the web-based system Handshake to manage job and internship listings. Find out more about featured jobs and internships at careers.washington.edu/jobs.
The Career & Internship Center website has a resources section with information specific to people with disabilities. It can be accessed by visiting their careers site and utilizing the “Students With Disabilities” filter.
The UW Career & Internship Center also offers Career Fairs throughout the spring in general, virtual, and major-specific formats. Visit their website to learn more.
Virtual Offerings
Check the UW Career & Internship Center website to find a variety of resources, including the options below:
- Online resume teview—get resume feedback over email by filling out this form.
- Virtual appointments—connect with one of our coaches via Zoom or phone.
- Webinars—find out more about all the webinars offered this spring.
- Virtual career fairs—learn how to get the most out of a virtual career fair and when they are being offered.
Accessible Technology Resources on Campus
There are many services at the University of Washington to help students with disabilities obtain access to accessible technology.
The Access Technology Center
The Access Technology Center (ATC) on the Seattle campus provides resources to improve access to computing resources for University of Washington students, faculty, and staff. The computers, software, and special equipment in the center and at other locations on UW campuses provide
- access for blind users via speech output or braille;
- screen magnification for people with low vision;
- alternatives to the standard keyboard and mouse;
- speech recognition software as a writing tool;
- tools to make reading and writing easier;
- accessories for comfortable computer use; and
- the capability to produce documents in alternative formats such as e-text, braille, and large print.
For information about assistive technology on your campus, ask your disability services representative. Visit the ATC at the UW Seattle campus in Mary Gates Hall, room 064, or consult their website.
Need an alternative, accessible document? Also check out Disability Resource Services’s document conversion tool.
Center for Technology and Disability Studies
The Center for Technology and Disability Studies (CTDS) is an interdisciplinary program within the Center for Human Development and Disability and the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in the School of Medicine. For a list of CTDS projects and activities, visit uwctds.washington.edu/.
Accessible Technology at the UW
The Accessible Technology website provides resources and tips related to IT accessibility, as well as opportunities for community involvement.
Student Resource Centers
D Center
The UW Disability and d/Deaf Culture Center fosters a climate of social justice and pride, centered on universal design, access, and diversity. It cultivates disability and d/Deaf pride by promoting social justice through an inclusive environment, sharing resources for self-advocacy, developing educational programming, engaging stakeholders with principles of universal design, and promoting a transforming socio-cultural understanding of disability. For more information, email dcenter@uw.edu or visit their website.
The D Center is currently virtual and offering online resources and events. Sign up for their newsletter or follow them on Facebook.
UW Veterans Center
The UW Veterans Center is a place for veterans to connect with other veterans, gain access to university resources specifically designed for veterans, and find and build their community within the university. Find out more on their website.
Q Center
The Q Center builds and facilitates queer academic and social communities through education, advocacy, and support services. Services and resources include a lending library, discussion forums, meet-ups, social space, brief crisis intervention, and referrals.
Student Groups
ASL Club
For more information on the American Sign Language Club, check out their Facebook group.
Mad Campus
Mad Campus is a peer group for students identifying with or experiencing madness, mental illness, and/or neurodiversity. Mad Campus meets throughout the school year on a semi-weekly basis. Check the D Center website for updated times.
ASUW Student Disability Commission
The Associated Students of the University of Washington Student Disability Commission was established to create communities for individuals with disabilities and their allies by providing programming, resources, and a safe accessible space. For more information, send an email to asuwswdc@uw.edu.
Find More Connections Online
There are over 900 Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) at UW. Take a look at all the clubs campus has to offer by browsing the RSO Directory.
More Opportunities for Students
Explore the UW’s Disability Studies Program
Disability studies (DS) at the UW involves a multi-campus interdisciplinary group of faculty, staff, students, and community members, who share an interest in questions relating to society’s understanding of disability. The undergraduate disability studies minor and the individualized studies major in disability studies provide opportunities for students to develop a strong interdisciplinary foundation in the social, legal, and political framing of disability. For more information, visit their website.
Learn About Projects at the Center for Neurotechnology
The Center for Neurotechnology (CNT), located in the Bill & Melinda Gates Center for Computer Science & Engineering, collaborates with partner universities to facilitate advances in neural engineering. The CNT is recruiting UW students with disabilities who are interested in this complex field and brain-computer interface to participate in activities.
For more information, contact Scott Bellman, CNT associate director of diversity, at swb3@uw.edu or visit the CNT website.
Scholarships and College Funding
Check Out DO-IT's Scholarships Website
Learn about scholarships for students with all types of disabilities and interests. Each scholarship includes eligibility, a deadline, and a link to apply. For more information or help applying to scholarships, contact DO-IT to receive editing and support. Learn more by visiting our Scholarships Page.
Explore College Funding for Students with Disabilities
Common forms of financial aid include grants, loans, work study, and scholarships. Many students use a combination of these financial aid resources. To learn more about strategies for funding your education, check out College Funding Strategies for Students with Disabilities.
Resource for Online Learning Strategies for Students with Disabilities
Classes continue to be held online and in hybrid formats. This has caused many students to need to adapt their preferred learning styles to new formats. Last year we reached out to the DO-IT community to let our participants share their experiences and recommendations for other students with disabilities who are taking online courses.
Read Online Learning Strategies for Students with Disabilities on the DO-IT website.
About DO-IT
Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology
DO-IT serves to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. It promotes the use of computing and networking technologies to increase independence, productivity, and participation in education and employment. Based at the UW Seattle campus, DO-IT works with students preparing for college or currently attending any two- or four-year university.
DO-IT, University of Washington
Sheryl Burgstahler, Director
Scott Bellman, Program Manager
4545 15th Avenue NE, Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98105
206-685-DOIT (voice/TTY)
doit@uw.edu
www.uw.edu/doit/
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