AccessSTEM

Some colleges and universities provide tutoring to the general student population. In this case, the tutoring center and its materials should be accessible to students with disabilities. In addition, staff and volunteers should receive training about working with students who have disabilities. If tutoring is not provided to all students on campus, it is unlikely to be required as a "reasonable accommodation" for a student who has a disability. Consult your disabled student services office or legal counsel regarding a specific case on your campus.

Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 requires that telephone manufacturers and telecommunications service providers take steps to make their products accessible to people with disabilities. For further information about Section 255, visit the FCC's Telecommunications Act of 1996.

Background

My name is Angela and I am a sophomore at a small suburban college. I use a wheelchair for mobility. I am planning on changing majors and need to work with an academic counselor to help plan my courses for spring quarter.

Access Issue

I went to a new academic counselor in the business department. I told him that I was seeking advice for my courses and future academic planning, but he said he was unable help me. He immediately referred me to the disabled student services (DSS) office.

There are many vendors who provide a wide range of captioning services. One of the best resources for selecting a vendor is the U.S. Department of Education, which, in collaboration with the Described and Captioned Media Program administered by the National Association of the Deaf, officially approves captioning service vendors. Approved vendors are listed in the document Captioning Service Vendors.

The U.S. Department of Education has funded demonstration projects at postsecondary institutions nationwide to help faculty make their courses accessible to students with disabilities. A list of the postsecondary institutions that received funding to develop these projects, the project descriptions, and contact information can be found under Demonstration Projects to Ensure Quality Higher Education for Students with Disabilities.

The information brief Math, Science, and Technology: Essential Skills for Career Success in the 21st Century (2003), highlights the importance of math, science, and technology coursework in preparing young adults for high-tech, lucrative careers. It provides a quick and easy checklist for youth service practitioners to share with students as they explore careers of interest to them.

Some students have sensitivities to chemicals used in science labs. These sensitivities can range from allergies to one or two specific chemicals to a generalized condition such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity.

A student with chemical sensitivities and their instructor can brainstorm alternatives that allow the student to participate as fully as possible in lab activities. Possible solutions include the following:

The publication Roadmaps & Rampways chronicles the journeys of three dozen students from childhood to higher education in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics and on through their early career decisions. Each had a significant disability. When they were born or acquired a disability, few of their doctors, educators, or neighbors could have imagined that their journeys would be so successful.

Background

My name is Michael and I am about to graduate with a social work degree. I have a spinal cord injury that has resulted in a mobility impairment and several health issues.

If a student does not disclose a disability to you, it is generally not appropriate for you to inquire about a possible disability. If a student requests an accommodation, you may ask the student to present appropriate documentation from the campus disability student services office or other designated entity to verify that he has followed your institution's policy for requesting and receiving approval for accommodations. As a staff or faculty member in a postsecondary institution, you are required to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities who request them.