PSH Disability
accommodate
Imagine missing class because of a broken elevator. Think about what it is like
not to be able to hear what the professor says and to rely on someone else for help.
What if it took several hours to read a chapter of a textbook that takes most peo
ple half an hour? Students facing these situations can successfully attend Penn
State Harrisburg thanks to Disability Services and the American Disabilities Act.
Students with disabilities must notify Disability Services Coordinator, Lynne
Davies, early in their first semester. They have to provide current documentation
of their disability from a treating/diagnosing psychologist or physician, and the
impact it will have on their ability to function in a college setting. Then Davies
establishes accommodations for the student based on recommendations from the
ADA Review Committee. If a student’s condition changes from semester to
semester, the student can meet with Davies'so that new accommodations can be
made.
“It’s designed to be a fairly fluid process,” Davies said. “It falls on the student
though to say, ‘Here’s my request.’”
According to Davies, the vast majority of disabilities that students face are psy
chological or medical disabilities that affect learning. Students may have a med
ical condition such as
depression, or a learning
disorder, in reading, writing
or arithmetic, that affects
the speed at which they
learn.
that according to a recent
study, extra time does not increase a non-disabled student’s grade, but it will
increase the grade of a student with a disability.
Davies encourages faculty suggestions on ways to help students with disabilities
in the classroom.
Students facing hearing impairments or deafness have the option of using a sign
language interpreter or Type Well, in which a trained transcriber goes to class with
a student and types what the instructor and other students say and the text is
instantly viewed by the student on a laptop. Three students are currently using the
Type Well system at Penn State Harrisburg.
Visually impaired or blind students can purchase textbooks in alternative forms,
such as electronic versions. Text can also be enlarged, or scanned to auditory for
mat where students can choose the voice that reads the text.
“One thing that is real frustrating is getting alternative forms of textbooks,”
Davies said. “The publishers are required to provide K through 12 with them, but
in higher education, it’s not a priority. It can take eight weeks to order one. It’s
important to educate the faculty about how long it takes to get books. Students can
get real behind if they have to wait an extra month for a textbook.”
For mobility-impaired students, the school must meet ADA guidelines when ren
ovating buildings or designing new ones. The ADA requires that public entities
make specific accommodations of accessibility for disabled persons. Some of the
things that must be considered are the height of sinks in bathrooms, the rate an
automatic door opens, flashing fire alarms and insulation under a sink to prevent
hot water from dripping onto the lap of a person in a wheelchair.
Even if these basic standards are met, some individuals may still find everyday
tasks difficult when it comes to things like the height of doorknobs or elevator but
tons.
“Wheelchairs are all different,” Davies said. “They might be three inches higher
or lower.”
Carey Hiestand, applied behavioral science, uses an electric wheelchair. She does
not see herself as handicap until she encounters specific barriers, or notices things
that might cause difficulties for other disabled students.
By DEB MASSIC
Staff Reporter
Services strives
individual needs
There is very little that can
be done to change the
essential nature of the class
itself, but one solution that
can help students is to give
them more time to take a
test.
Some students might find
it unfair that some class
mates are allowed extra
time for a test. Davies said
Things meant to assist Hiestand in everyday mobility can often turn into obsta
cles. For instance, the elevator buttons are too high for her to reach. The curb cuts
that are lowered for wheelchair access are difficult to get over, and when it snows,
it is even harder to get around.
The computer labs can also be a challenge to navigate through and the comput
ers are inaccessible to her, except for two in the library. While these accommo
dations meet ADA guidelines, there is still room for improvement.
“Next time they plan to build or redo something, they should ask one or two peo
ple who deal with a handicap everyday,” Hiestand said. “These things can be fixed
easily.”
Julie Kearney, writing instructor, uses a wheelchair and sees some of the same
problems. Curb cuts and the ramp up to the front of Olmsted are difficult for her
to maneuver. The bookstore aisles also get a little cramped for a wheelchair.
Otherwise, Kearney is satisfied with the school’s accessibility. She teaches in a
computer lab and Toni Moore, who works in Information Technology, set up the
lab before the classes started. Moore made sure Kearney could reach the board
and have access to the students.
“It’s much better than most places,” Kearney said. “The physical aspects of the
building are better than most places I’ve taught. The staff is more aware of dis
ability issues. In the past, I’ve had to make do.”
“I think Kearny gets the respect and consideration that she deserves because she
is in a position of authority,” Hiestand said. “I think it is much different being a
student.”
Having only one elevator in the Olmsted building can pose a problem for mobil
ity impaired students. If the elevator breaks, the class can be rescheduled to the
first floor, but in some cases, the student may have to miss class and get the notes
from a classmate.
In the event of a fire, a person in a wheelchair must wait in a staircase for fire
fighters to come.
The newly renovated student housing and cafeteria followed ADA guidelines dur
ing construction, including counter heights and door widths. The new student
housing has 19 handicap-accessible apartments that can be assigned based on a
student’s needs.
“It’s not something we take lightly,” said Jo Ann Coleman, director of Housing
and Food Services. “We’re small enough that we can meet student’s individual
needs.”
There are eight tables in the cafeteria that a wheelchair can fit underneath. The
tables can end up pushed together though, and it is difficult for a handicap person
to adjust them. Coleman said they reconfigure the tables often, but students move
them around weekly. Aside from putting a sign that designates a table as “handi
cap only”, there is no guarantee any of the handicap accessible tables will be avail
able during the busy lunch and dinner hours. None of the tables in the Biscotti
Coffee Bar or along the corridor are designed for a person in a wheelchair.
An important part of Disability Services is education. According to Davies, a per
son in a wheelchair or walking with a cane has an obvious handicap, but a learn
ing disability or psychological disorder cannot be seen and often effects how a stu
dent functions in a university. For any student with a disability, though, it can be
more difficult for them to get through school. Disability Services strives to make
the necessary accommodations so that students with disabilities can have a posi
tive school experience.