Disability Services as a Teaching and Learning Resource

by Betty Benson

About Disability Services

Disability Services is a catalyst for ensuring equal learning and working opportunities for students, faculty, staff and guests with disabilities by increasing the capacity of the University of Minnesota to eliminate physical, programmatic/policy, informational, and attitudinal barriers.

Disability Services promotes barrier-free environments that facilitate equal opportunities for people with disabilities and that assist the University in meeting its obligations under federal and state statutes. We work to ensure access to University employment, courses, programs, facilities, services, and activities by providing or arranging reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids and services, training, consultation, and technical assistance.

Rights and Responsibilities of Students with Disabilities

Rights:

• an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from employment, courses, programs, services, and activities offered through the University;

• an equal opportunity to work and learn, to receive reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services;

• appropriate confidentiality of all information regarding their disability and to choose to whom, outside of the University, information about their disability will be disclosed, except as disclosures are required/permitted by law;

• information, reasonably available in accessible formats.

Responsibilities:

• meet qualifications and maintain institutional standards for employment, courses, services, and activities;

• self-identify as a individual with a disability, when accommodation is needed, and to seek information, counsel, and assistance as necessary;

The full article is available as a Google Doc.

Tags: accessibility, learning, multicultural

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