Student Services

Disability Resource Center Awareness 

According to the National Organization on Disabilities the total of people with disabilities that are employed is 16, 064, 000.  Of those 1,301, 000 are employed as executives or managers. 

WEB-BASED ELECTRONIC AND VIDEO PRESENTATIONS

SURFING THE WEB-This 20 minute video web presentation portrays the difficulties a blind potential student encounters in attempting to obtain information from "Accessible Universities" website.  It demonstrates the access technology a blind individual would utilize to access the web and the difficulties he/she would encounter if the webpages do not conform to accessibility guidelines.  Accessible solutions are presented and implemented which allow the blind individual to easily and effectively navigate the site. ( click here and navigate to the bottom of the page).

ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION-This 12 minute video web presentation portrays students discussing and demonstrating the importance of accessible information technology and providing them with the ability to fully particpate in their college experience. ( click here for video at the bottom of the page).

ADDRESSING LEARNING DISABILITIES IN THE COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT-The number of students with learning disabilities in colleges is on the rise.  This 30 minute workshop, offered in two parts, is presented by Deborah Brodbeck, President of Beacon College, Leesburg, Florida.  The workshop provides an overview of the various categories of learning disabilities found in students in the college environment.  You will learn to recognize learning disabilities by looking for patterns in classroom discussions, written assignments and test performance.  Instructional strategies that you can easily incorporate in your classes by making just a slight shift in your approach will be presented.  These strategies, while designed to benefit students with learning disabilities will also benefit all your students. (click here for St. Petersburg College's Disability Awareness Workshop).

UNDERSTANDING HIDDEN DISABILITIES-A large percentage of disabled individuals have "hidden disabilities"-disabilities that are not obvious to college faculty and staff or other students.  Acknowledging and accommodating these cognitive, mental and medical disorders, is the topic of this comprehensive workshop by Dr. Linda Giar, Counselor/Learning Specialist from St. Petersburg College's Seminole and E-Campuses.  This one hour workshop is broken into four 15 minute sessions and can be viewed in its entirety or over a period of time.  It provides invaluable information about the nature of hidden disabilities, behaviors that you many notice in your classrooms, accommodations provided, and instructional techniques that are effective for these populations.  (click here for St. Petersburg College's Disability Awareness Workshop).

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DISABILITIES-This self-paced, 20 minute workshop, narrated by St. Petersburg College faculty member Jimmy Chang, provides basic information about the laws impacting the College's work with students with disabilities, offers strategies on working with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities on each campus, and presents insights into the students themselves. (click here for St. Petersburg College's Disability Awareness Workshop).

WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL DISABILITIES-Significant strides have been made in accommodating higher education students having disabilities, but those students having a psychiatric condition-regardless if it is controlled by medication or resolved-can face undue discrimination.  This workshop, presented at the Narrowing the Gulf Conference in March 2007, looks at the stigmatization of mental illness within higher education, what college advisors/counselors can do to accommodate such disabilities and best practices for professors working with such students in the classroom.

Presenters for this workshop are three members of the St. Petersburg College faculty and Faculty Disability Champions: Cheryl Kerr, Ed.D., LMHC, Program Director of the Human Services Department; Bonnie Kessler, M.A., End's., Professor of Psychology at the St. Petersburg Gibbs Campus; and David T. Liberty, Ed. D., professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Science. (click here for St. Petersburg College's Disability Awareness Workshop).

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS-This 20 minute workshop focuses on the importance of maintaining high ethical standards in the classroom.  You will hear from students about the impact you, as a faculty member have on their learning.  This workshop will provide you with a clear understanding of the spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how the law can be lived in your daily work. (click here for St. Petersburg College's Disability Awareness Workshop).

THE FACULTY ROOM-DO IT UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON-The Faculty Room is a space for faculty and administrators at postsecondary instituions to learn how to create classroom environments and academic activities that maximize the learning of all students, including those with disabilities.  It includes six primary areas that address issues faced by postsecondary educators: accommodations and universal design, rights and responsibilities, faculty resources, faculty presentations, resources for trainers, staff and administrators and a searchable knowledge base. (click here for the University of Washington Faculty Room).

FACULTY INITIATIVES-Individual faculty members are engcouraged to infuse disability awareness activities into their class curriculum whenever it is appropriate and relevant.  The DRC is available for support and assistance (ideas, information, materials and resources) in implementing any awareness activities the faculty wish to infuse.  The following are some potential observances:

  • 1.  Incorporate into your lesson plans information on disability history, issues or concerns related to their course.
  • 2.  Give students assignments or extra credit projects related to the course and disability history and awareness.
  • 3.  Post information on famous disabled individuals who have made significant contributions to your discipline.
  • 4.  Post disability-related awareness or information in office display cases.
  • 5.  Encourage students to view and attend disability awareness activities posted on the college's website.
  • 6.  Be creative (think outside of the box) to increase student awareness of disabilities. 

For additional information please contact the Disability Resource Center 941-752-5295

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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