On a scale of one to 10, Eve
Nichols figures the United States is about at five when it comes
to furnishing persons with disabilities all they need to equally
compete with the able-bodied.
“We’ve got a lot more to do,” said Nichols, disabilities
services coordinator for Metropolitan State University (MSU) for the
past year. “Individuals with disabilities should have the same
chance of receiving an education, training, employment, and transportation
and other services that enhance quality of life as able-bodied persons.”
Metropolitan State,
she noted, plays an instrumental role in helping those with disabilities
pursue their higher-education goals. The university’s
disabilities services served about 150 students in the past year. That’s
up considerably from the early 1990s, when the office first opened.
For many students, their
disabilities are apparent; perhaps they’re
using a wheelchair or white cane. But for about 60 percent, disabilities
are invisible. Indeed, many who are eligible for MSU services don’t
even seek them, sometimes because of shame or fear. They hide their
disability, said Nichols, because “they don’t want to be
treated differently by students and faculty or anybody else. Some mistakenly
think that if they have a disability or use our services, it will be
entered into their educational record and viewed by future employers.
That’s definitely not true.”
One of the most common
MSU services is interpreting for the deaf. About 30 contract interpreters
provided this service during the past year. The number of deaf
students is going up, said Nichols, because “word
has gotten around that we offer good service here.”
John Lee Clark, a blind
and deaf student pursuing an individualized bachelor’s degree in deaf/blind studies, uses disabilities services
for transcription of course materials into Braille. The office also
provides American Sign Language interpreters so Clark can “hear” classroom
instructors.
“It is impossible to overstate the office’s value, because
it would be impossible for me to study at the university at all without
its services,” said Clark, who has attended Gallaudet University. “MSU
is my best educational experience, and more than anything else, disability
services is to be thanked for that.”
MSU disability services also provides a wide range of supports, from
note-takers for those who have difficulty jotting down notes in class,
to lecture notes in an alternative print format, to audio assistance
devices, to distraction-free environments for those who need quiet
space and/or extended time to take tests, to job searching.
Adding to MSU’s conducive environment, Nichols often conducts
workshops educating faculty and staff on the makeup of the university’s
disabled students, their rights under federal law and the services
her office offers.
Even with the many services and technologies available, Nichols wants
to be clear; higher education is a difficult journey for many disabled
students.
She added, “We
can provide accommodations so they can get equal access to information,
but there is always an extra step, some extra work, that students
with disabilities have to take.”
“Students with
disabilities enhance the university because they bring the value
of their experiences and perspectives to the classroom,” said
Nichols. “When they’re in class, they help break down
stereotypes about people and they also help prepare students for
the diverse employees they will meet in the workplace.” ![]()
Harvey Meyer is a writer
for Metropolitan State University’s
office of publication and news services.
