DSPS SERVICES
Support services are specialized services available to students with disabilities. The services enable students to participate in regular activities, programs and classes. Services may include but are not limited to:
ADVISING/COUNSELING
We provide academic advising/counseling, educational planning, and career counseling. It is considered discriminatory to counsel students with disabilities, unless such counsel is based on strict licensing or certification requirements in a profession. We coordinate necessary support services and act as a resource to help students obtain appropriate services beyond those provided at CR.
PRIORITY REGISTRATION
It is sometimes critical that students with disabilities enroll in a particular section of a class (to coordinate interpreter schedules, for example). In addition, the actual process of registration can be especially difficult and stressful for persons with disabilities. To alleviate these problems, DSPS offers priority registration to qualified students.
LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Individualized assessments to determine eligibility for learning disabilities services is available. Students are either referred by instructors, rehabilitation counselors, or self-referred. The process for referring students from your classes is described in the sectionHow to Refer a Student for Support Services (page 8).
INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT
By enrollment in DSPS special classes, students may receive small group instruction, memory and/or study skills classes, stress and anger management strategies and individual instructional assistance. Instructional Support Services available for students with disabilities vary by campus location.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Training in the use of assistive technologies is available at most campus locations. Assistive technologies include but are not limited to: screen readers, scanners, tactical graphics, computer screen magnifiers, word prediction software, speech input software, special keyboards, height adjustable tables, reading and study skills software, visual diagramming software and memory and critical thinking software. Assistive technologies and adaptive computer stations are available through the districts’ labs and library locations.
ALTERNATE MEDIA PRODUCTION
Alternative media refers to text or other materials produced in a specialized format intended for use by persons with disabilities. Types include, but are not limited to: Braille, large print, audio material and certain types of electronic files. Alternative Media Production is coordinated through staff in the High Tech Center at Eureka and through a district annual membership with Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic. While some electronic and alternate text formats are produced within the district, other requests are sent to the Alternate Text production Center for the California Community Colleges.
TESTING ACCOMODATIONS
Test accommodations may include but are not limited to provision of extended time to take a test/quiz; distraction reduced environment, breaks, scribes, readers and assistive technologies. Most test proctoring for students with disabilities on the Eureka campus is coordinated in the Academic Support Center of the LRC. Test proctoring services are coordinated by DSPS staff on both the Del Norte and Mendocino campuses. In coordination with Eureka DSPS, other college staff facilitates testing accommodations at Klamath –Trinity, Arcata Instructional Site and Eureka Downtown Center.
LIAISON TO CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY
Students are encouraged to advise instructors of their disability and work together to provide necessary accommodations. We also help students access appropriate resources in the community over and above what is available at CR.
NOTETAKERS
We rely as much as possible on a student in the class to provide notetaking services for qualified students.
A copy of the student’s Support Services Agreement will be provided to each instructor. The instructor will be asked to make an announcement in class that a notetaker is needed. Interested students should be directed to DSPS office to fill out paperwork for payment.
If the student prefers to name a specific student in the class to provide notes, they are asked to discuss it with that student and make arrangements with DSPS before the instructor makes an announcement to the class.
A small stipend is available for the notetaker. Special notetaking paper (no-carbon-required) is also available in the DSPS Office, free to the students with the need for this service, and could be provided to the notetaker or the instructor.
BOOKS ON TAPE
Taped textbooks can be obtained through Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D) Students order their books through DSPS’ instructional membership. Students may also purchase their own membership. To supplement RFB&D tapes we rely on the Department of Rehabilitation to provide readers. We occasionally utilize student or community volunteers as readers.
SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS
Interpreters are professionals who are hired by DSPS to provide sign language interpretation in the classroom, for students who are deaf /hard of hearing.
REAL-TIME CAPTIONING
Real time captioning services may be provided to a student who is hard of hearing. Real time captioning has been provided through College of the Redwoods Court Reporting Program. The court reporter will sit next to the student in class. The student is viewing a lap top computer. The court reporter is transcribing the lecture through the use of a stenograph. A software program is translating the dictation into English for the student to read on the lap top. In addition to using students in the Court Reporting Program, DSPS has also hired other area professionals to provide this service. A printed copy may be available for the students use in place of a notetaker.
Temporary Medical Parking
Medical parking is issued for very limited periods on the campus and usually covers the expected period of recovery for a disabling condition or, should the condition be chronic or permanent, the length of time necessary to process the state disabled parking application. DSPS offices district wide have state disabled parking applications available for students.
Audio/Visual Equipment
DSPS provides equipment for student’s to check out such as tape recorders, Alpha Smarts for notetaking; 4 track recorders for books on tape, two types of Daisy Players which are portable CD players to listen to e-text, or allow the use of EZ Reader software to provide audio and visual of electronic text via MP3 players. Software programs include Read Please a software program which scans and reads much like Kurzweil, and JAWS a screen reader for students who are blind.
Adapted Physical Education Program
Adapted Physical Education provides courses designed to promote physical activity and lifestyle fitness for the students with disabilities whose educational and functional limitations preclude them from fully participating in non-adapted physical education. Adapted Physical Education is specifically designed to address a student’s educational and functional limitations which are directly related to the students’ verified disability.
List of DSPS Services | How to Refer a student for Support Services | Tips for a Successful Student Interaction | Responsibilities | Acquired Brain Impairment | Communication Disabilities | Developmentally Delayed | Learning Disabilities | Physical Disabilities | Visual Impairments | Psychological Disabilities | Other Disabilities | Alternate Media | Appendix A Section 504/American Disability Act ( ADA) | Appendix B Assistive Computer Technology | Appendix C Procedure for Testing Accommodations | Appendix D Support Services Agreement (SSA) | Resources