Behind the staid elegance of the information desk, the Disability Resource Center serves the needs of students attending PSU.
The DRC’s location in room 116 of the Smith Memorial Student Union does not reinforce the traditionally exclusionary and exploitative conceptualization of disability. However, it may do just that if students are unable to utilize the services they are entitled.
Students with different needs get the best possible resources only when they know where to get those services and what those services are. Once they find it, the DRC will practically bend over backwards to assist them.
The DRC houses one of only two federally funded Assistive Technology Centers in the State of Oregon. Phyllis Petteys, one of the ATC’s specialists, said there is a wide range of devices students can rent at a low cost from the ATC for two weeks at a time. New devices like smart pens, talking dictionaries and iPads are available for anyone who needs one.
There is a catch, however. To benefit from the specially designed software, alternative format services and note-taking services the DRC provides, one must be able to present documentation that the student’s disability substantially limits some major life activity, including learning.
The DRC has several computers students can use if they qualify. The computers have specialized software capabilities such as zoom text, screen magnification with speech programs and more. Such computers are also located on the second floor of the library and at the IDSC labs next to the OIT help desk.
Students can also request older versions of software to download to their personal computers. Many students may not realize that such resources are available at the DRC, but one needs only to ask. And even if they do not themselves have the resources, they can usually point you in the right direction.
For example, there are no laptops available at the DRC. However, employees will be quick to tell you that there are laptops available for checkout at the library, even if these are usually taken fairly quickly. They will also inform you that, should you need them, there are desktops available at the computer labs that students with different needs can use for their academic benefit or any other use.
There are other services, such as alternative text formats, that use computer technologies to convert the reading materials for the students into a more accessible format.
Students can use the alternative-format service as well, such as audio books or large-print books instead of normal textbooks. Their policies are fairly strict, but the options are there.
These services are not always free, however, even if a student has legitimate need for them. Many publishers require that students buy a book before it is converted into any alternative format. Sometimes, the publisher can send the file as a PDF, but they still generally require proof of purchase.
As such, students have to show a receipt of the book and the document that shows that they are eligible for the service before they are able to request the special format.
In the interest of offering helpful services for students with diverse needs, the DRC also has a note-sharing program. This program is designed to assist students who require assistance in processing class lectures and information through a written record. Note takers are paid $25 per credit-hour per term to share their notes with the DRC.
Note takers can be recruited by the student who needs services or appointed by the professor of that student’s class. But as the service is dependent on other students, it is not always be perfect.
Sometimes, students who take notes take a lot of time to return the notes they take, and this can cause those relying on them to fall behind in class. A careless mistake by one note-taker can result in a lot of trouble. Stricter policy with note takers might help assuage such issues.
Despite all the good work done by the DRC, there are still students who may not know about the specialized services and the technical devices DRC offers. This is exactly why spreading the word of this resource is so important.