Disability Support Services

 

Services consist of, but are not limited to, notification to professors regarding recommended accommodations for courses, extended time on tests, note takers, scribes and readers, taped texts, alternative testing, consultation with professors, physicians, psychologists and other specialists and vocational rehabilitation referrals.

This office also seeks to educate faculty, staff, and administrators regarding disabilities in an effort to create greater sensitivity towards individuals who have a disability. Moreover, we attempt to provide the necessary support systems and skills for effective communication throughout the campus community.

Additionally, DDS houses the ADA Resource Center (adaptive technology lab), located in the Thurgood Marshall Library, Room 079. The Adaptive Technology Lab provides a supportive and accessible environment, with the latest technology and software for students with disabilities to study and meet a range of different academic needs. DSS restates the rights and responsibilities of the university and of individuals with disabilities, in an effort to reach equitable resolutions to problems that are free of contempt and opposition for concerned parties.

Philosophy

Students with disabilities are held to the same academic standards as all other students. Professors are not expected to lower their expectations or evaluation standards. The various services and accommodations provided by Disability Support Services are designed to give students every opportunity to be full participants in the academic process. Accordingly, DSS seeks to minimize or eliminate the need for faculty to provide accommodations for students with disabilities. This approach emphasizes the students' responsibility and independence, and enables the faculty to devote its attention to instruction. DSS also provides an appropriate level of counseling regarding accommodation services. For information on requesting accommodations, please view the Policy on Reasonable Accommodations.

Rights and Responsibilities of Students with Disabilities

An individual with a disability has a right to an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs offered at Bowie State University. An individual with a disability has the same obligation as any other student to meet and maintain the institution's academic and technical standards.

Individuals transitioning from K-12 institutions will notice a change in student responsibility as it relates to receiving accommodations. Self-advocacy is very important to successfully navigate programs and services at the university. There are significant differences between IDEA IEP’s, 504 Plans and college accommodations. In addition to rights and responsibilities listed below, here is a quick reference sheet to guide your transition to accommodations in college:

• Differences between IDEA IEP’s, 504 Plans and College Accommodations (pdf)
  
• Service and Emotional Support Animal Policy (pdf)

Rights & Responsibilities

1. Individuals with disabilities have a responsibility to identify themselves as needing accommodations in a timely fashion. When the disability is not obvious, students must provide documentation from an appropriate professional.
2. Individuals with disabilities have the right to an equal opportunity to learn. They have a right to reasonable accommodation in aspects of their educational experiences such as location, delivery system, or instructional methodologies that limit access, participation, or their ability to benefit.
3. An individual with a disability has the right to an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the academic community. This includes access to services, benefits, activities, housing, and transportation. These services must be comparable to those provided to any student.
4. Individuals with disabilities have the responsibility to advocate for their own needs and to seek information and assistance as is necessary for them to be effective.
5. Individuals with disabilities must provide documentation not older than three years from an appropriate professional. (If the disability is not obvious, but the individual is regarded as being disabled, it is the responsibility of the individual to demonstrate or document how the disability limits the ability the benefit from a particular instructional method or evaluation criteria when a request is made for accommodations).
6. Individuals with disabilities have the right of confidentiality of all information and can choose to whom information pertaining to their disabilities should be disclosed.
7. Individuals with disabilities have the right to information regarding the availability of auxiliary aids, and other possible accommodations, as well as the procedure for making a request for either.
8. Individuals with disabilities have the responsibility to follow published procedures for making such requests and must do so in a timely fashion. Information on the procedure can be obtained in the Disability Support Services office.
9. Individual with disabilities have the right to appeal a decision by the institution regarding auxiliary aids or modifications, and must be informed of procedures for initiating an appeal. Information on the appeals process can be obtained in the Disability Support Services office.
10. Individuals with disabilities have a responsibility to demonstrate or document how their disabilities affect a particular delivery system, instructional method, or evaluation criteria when requesting accommodations.
11. Individuals with disabilities have a responsibility to actively participate in the search for accommodations and auxiliary aids. This responsibility extends to working with the institution to seek financial assistance from government agencies and private sources.

Non-discrimination Policy

Bowie State University maintains a policy of equal opportunity for all persons. No person shall be subject to discrimination under any program or activity of the university on the basis of gender, sexual preference, race, age, color, religion, national origin, or disability.

NOTE: Intake forms and supporting medical documentation must be completed, scanned, and emailed to the DSS email address: DSS@bowiestate.edu. DSS does not accept hard copies of intake forms or supporting documentation. To protect the sensitive nature of the information included in student applications and supplemental documents, forms that are received by the DSS office in a non-electronic form will be rejected and/or destroyed.

DSS will only accept reasonable accommodation request for students currently enrolled at the university who provide DSS with a student ID number (received after payment of an enrollment fee).