The services provided in the Disabled Students Resource Center by Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) are designed to minimize the effect a disability may have on a student's academic, social and cultural performance while attending the college. Services include specialized counseling, priority registration, assessment, parking elevator keys, special accommodations provided by interpreters, tutors, test proctoring readers and note takers, materials in alternate media format, liaison with instructional staff and with the State Department of Rehabilitation, and basic classes for the hearing impaired and learning disabled. In recent years the DSP&S population has doubled, with more referrals to the college from outside agencies, and the program now serves approximately 1,130 students. The two populations who have seen the most increase are the Psychological and Learning Disabled (LD), and the State has mandated new testing batteries for LD students that have increased the assessment process time to ten hours per student. New laws have required the college to purchase and use new equipment to produce materials in alternate media and to provide on-campus real-time captioning. The compressed calendar, Winter Session, and additional weekend hours have required additional staffing, services and accommodations.

Personnel - At this time the department employs one full-time administrator, one full-time faculty, three full-time classified interpreters, seven part-time classified interpreters, five short-term classified employees, one substitute and relief interpreter and eight student employees.

Equipment - The department's copy machine is in need of repair, and two TV/VCRs with encoded captioning, six staff computers and printers and two lab computers need to be replaced. An additional CCTV (enlarged type reader) is needed immediately.

Facilities - DSP&S is centrally located, providing easy access for mobility impaired students and for the interpreters who need to check on assignments. The condition of the space, however, is poor. The building is old and not all areas of the Center are air conditioned. When the computer system goes down it takes a large amount of time for it to come back up. The front door is automated, but is barely large enough to provide access for an electric wheelchair and frequently breaks down. The department is short on space for confidential counseling and on sound proof testing cubicles. The current office, lab and testing areas are inadequate.

Future Program

DSP&S will be required to stay current with State regulations and as new technologies are introduced. It is expected that the program will increase in size at the same rate as the overall college enrollment in the next five to ten years. Additional counselors, LD specialists, interpreters, an alternate media specialist and classified support staff will be needed. As laws and disabling conditions change, students will need additional accommodations and will require more use of technology. More psychological and visually impaired students are expected, and these populations traditionally require more time and assistance than other populations.

Personnel - See Projected Faculty and Staff Needs.

Equipment - In the mid term (five years) office and lab computers, software programs, printers, a copy machine and a fax machine will require replacement. An additional CCTV is needed as well.

Facilities -DSP&S requires a facility with an accessible reception counter, a large electronic front door, more sound proof areas for testing and counseling, a large accessible area for a computer lab, wall space for visually posting classes needing interpreters, an office for securing and posting testing accommodations, and offices for the administrator, LD specialists, the interpreter coordinator and additional counselors and specialists.

Staff Development - More in-service training on dealing with difficult students would be helpful.