Resources for disabledThe Coordinator for Disabilities Services is Cathleen Cassady. She is currently located at the South Bend campus in room 1213. This room is located in the Learning Lab (room 1210). Ms. Cassady is available between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. She can be reached at: (574) 289-7001 Extension 5340. If you are requesting classroom accommodations, you must have current documentation from a physician and/or a psychiatrist to qualify. Please request accommodations prior to classes starting for that semester.

Procedures for obtaining accommodation for students

Equipment accommodations

1. If the student is incoming to the college and already knows that they have a disability, they should contact the Coordinator to schedule an individualized ASSET test.
2. After the assessment test has been scored, the student registers for classes with an advisor.
3. After registration is completed, students with disabilities who wish to have accommodations again will contact the Coordinator to complete the steps below.

The student and the Coordinator will make arrangements to obtain documentation of the disability. (This testing is not offered on site and arrangements will be made to test at an area agency. This testing can take up to three to six months to be completed. Accommodations will not be given until testing is complete).

After the Coordinator receives documentation, a determination will be made in regards to accommodations. Accommodations will NOT be granted without the proper documentation.

The student is responsible for forwarding these accommodations to their instructors.In order for accommodations to be continued each school term, students must advise the Coordinator of their upcoming classes prior to the beginning of each term. A delay in students reporting their courses to the Coordinator may result in a delay in implementing any accommodations in the classroom.

Back to top

Equipment accommodationEquipment listed below is available at the South Bend campus for use with students with disabilities

• OMNI 3000- Reading machine where the text appears on the screen and is highlighted as it is simultaneously read out loud to the student over earphones. This machine can also magnify text.
• Zoom Tech- This software enlarges print, used with hard copy texts of any sort.
• Dragon Dictate- This is a voice recognition program that enables students to dictate papers without using their hands to type.
• BAT- This is a one handed keyboard for use with computer systems. Right handed and left handed BATs are available.
• Loop- FM remote. It looks like two walkmans. One is for the student where they use T cell of hearing aid to enhance the sound of instructor’s voice. Instructor’s equipment is a walkman device with a small lapel microphone.
• Support Services
  1. Tutoring available through the Learning Lab
  2. Proctored testing situation arranged by the student, Coordinator for Disabilities Services, and the Learning Lab
  3. Access to Recording for the Blind (RFB), national organization, which supplies taped textbooks
  4. Notetaker services, using volunteer student notetakers

Back to top

.