Running head: DISABILITY SERVICES PROGRAM

Disability Services Program

Tyler Sanders
Western Michigan University
EDLD 6890-College Students with Disabilities in Higher Education

DISABILITY SERVICES PROGRAM

Disability Service Program

As stated in Rentzs Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education, The number of
disabled students entering postsecondary education is rising and according to Weeks (2001) this
number could be a nine percent population increase (p. 384). With these increases due to civil
rights movements and changes in public policies including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, universities and colleges had to be
able to provide services for this population. In 1990, the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act was amended to state that transitional services must be provided to lead them (students with
disabilities) to life beyond secondary school including higher education, independent living, and
employment (Wolanin & Steele, 2004, p. xiii). Today, each institution provides resources to
students with disabilities in different ways and through different services.
This will be an analysis of the disability services at Ball State University located in
Muncie, Indiana. Ball State is a four year research institution that specializes in immersive
learning and experiential education for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral student
populations. Coming off decades of its education redefined motto and campaign, new
President Paul Ferguson has laid new ground on what campus and the culture will look like in
the future. Ball States current mission is to aspire to be the model of the most student-centered
and community-engaged of the 21st century public research universities, transforming
entrepreneurial learners into impactful leaderscommitted to improving the quality of life for
all (Disability Services). The mission is not only something that is seen within the academic
setting of the college, but was also driven in the office that I observed.
At Ball State University the office that serves students with disabilities is currently called
Disability Services after undergoing a name change in the past couple years. The office is found

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on the main floor of the Student Center in an accessible part of campus. The Disability Service
office at Ball State University is recognized as an office who provides comprehensive services
for the student population with multiple staff members with different areas of expertise (Scott,
1996). This is seen as the office provides the following services: testing accommodations and
classroom adaptations, letters for teachers, a computer lab devoted to disability services, access
to different forms of classroom text including audio and Braille, note takers for classes, priority
scheduling, sign language interpreters, a Faculty Mentorship Program, accessible parking and
transportation, adapted accessible housing, adapted physical education and recreational
programs, and information for attendant care and about Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation
Services. This wide variety of services has assisted in making the campus well known as a
university in which students with disabilities visit and attend.
Approximately six hundred students take advantage of the various services provided by
the office at Ball State University. With a commitment to helping students have the opportunity
to achieve their fullest potential, the Ball State Disability Services office has created a strategy
to work with their students to help them be the most successful in the college environment. I was
impressed by the efforts that are taken by the office outside of the resources provided. This
included creating scholarship opportunities through alumni and other relationships, supporting
students through their organizations including the advisement of the power soccer team, and also
serving on a bevy of campus committees as an advocates for accessibility. The staffs dedication
to this population begins in the early stages of working with each individual student upon
admission.
Becoming registered with the Disability Services office on any campus begins with selfawareness and advocacy. For these students to be able to discuss their accommodations with

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professional staff, they must be self-aware of their own disability and have knowledge of what
services they may require as a student (Getzel & Thoma, 2008). The process of becoming
registered to the office begins when the student first arrives on campus and is able meet with one
of the five staff members to discuss what their needs will be for the upcoming school year. For
these students, college is the first time where they do not have an individual education plan
(IEP). Thus, the office must be an advocate to assist the student in the classroom without
modifying the curriculum that changes the class in a fundamental or substantial way (Wolanin
& Steele, 2004). Meetings occur annually to see if the student has any additional needs. From
there the office is available to support the student when interacting with other departments,
professors, and other campus administrators.
Students will also periodically stop by the office throughout the year for the following
reasons and more: If the student is in need of a note taker, needs testing accommodations, or is
having accessibility issues. The relationships that the office maintains with their students was
very apparent from my observations when talking to the staff. When students would stop by the
office, each professional staff member was able to recognize the students by name and appeared
to have developed at least working relationships with the students they serve. The office reports
to the Dean of Students whom also has a stake in several accounts and awards allotted to student
with specific disabilities. One of the things that the office takes pride in is the fact that it was
name one of seventy-five colleges that go above the guidelines of the Americans with
Disabilities Act by disabilityfriendlycolleges.com in 2010 (Disability Services).
In meeting with the staff at Ball State University it was clear to see that they were
committed to this student population. One of the staff members recognized the importance of
assisting versus giving tools to the students to work with on their own. This is one of many

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observations that were special about this office. Because of the offices approach to students
having to self-identify their needs, Disability Services are able to better serve the students with
resources and also with a learning and growth opportunity. With a wide range of resources as
listed above, students are able to engage with faculty and staff in many diverse environments
while being fully supported by Disability Services. The main difference that I recognize from
this office is their support of student retention and future. The office is dedicated to creating
scholarships to students that identify with specific disabilities allowed them to not have to deal
with one of the more oppressive pieces of attending college. Upon graduation this office is also
able to support networking opportunities and preparation to entering the job market and their
careers.
In my experience talking to students of Ball State University with disabilities, I found a
very positive perspective to the resources that were being provided by Disability Services. While
one of my students have attended the University for five years they continue to feel the support
not only in scholarship, but also with the resources being provided as the office had become
more aware and dedicated to the individual student success. A student on the four-year track
recognized the amount of empowerment that was given to them in making decisions on the needs
and resources that they needed to be successful within the classroom and on campus. Both of the
students that I interviewed, praised the office and it's director in the efforts that have been taken
to provide a great transition and also advocacy in situations that may have been more difficult for
the student to handle.
According to Hadley (2009), students with disabilities had new expectations of
independence while facing the anxieties of self-advocacy. In talking to both of these students
they expressed the difficult transition that they had encountered when coming to campus, but by

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networking with students like them and with the support of a faculty mentor, these students were
better able to face the challenges associated with the college transition. Both students expressed
that their first year at the university was the most challenging, but that over time college became
simpler. One of the most difficult challenges they faced, was continuing to self-identify after
meeting with disabilities services whether this was with other students or faculty members.
After gaining more insight to the Ball State University disability services office I became
more aware of things that I didn't realize when I was attending the university as an
undergraduate. While I did understand that there were numerous students that attended Ball State
with disabilities, I didn't have full insight on the variety of resources and the amount of effort that
is put into this population to make them feel as comfortable as they do on this campus. The
special connection between professionals and students created a team bond that was all about
college completion and success.
Often times I think the disability service offices are thought of as a minor office on
campus to provide a few services for a few students, but has we look at the scale of this
population we recognize how important this office can be on a college campus. Without the
dedication of professional staff members approaching our faculty and other members of the
campus community, students with disabilities may not be as successful as they are with those
advocates support. Talking to both professional staff and students at Ball State University, it is
apparent that this strategy is one that should be observed by more colleges and universities as
they come up with plans to provide services for students with disabilities.
Perhaps Barnard-Brak, Lechtenberger, and Lan (2010) said it best when they noted that
student affairs professionals must utilize strategies to facilitate their learning experiences with
respect to their unique academic needs in higher education (p. 426). While this is only one

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population of students, student affairs professionals must be able to look at offices who are
aligning perspectives to help students succeed and follow these departments plans to spread
success for these marginalized populations across the nation and globe.

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8
References

Barnard-Brak, L., Lechtenberger, D., & Lan, W. Y. (2010). Accommodation strategies of college
students with disabilities. The Qualitative Report, 15(2), 411-429.
Disability Services: A Guide for Students Preparing to Attend Ball State [Brochure]. (n.d.)
Muncie, IN: Office of Disabled Student Development
Getzel, E. E. & Thoma, C. E. (2008). Experiences of college students with disabilities and the
importance of self-determination in higher education settings. Career Development and
Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 31 (2), 77-84.
Hadley, W. M. (2009). The transition and adjustment of first-year students with specific learning
disabilities: A longitudinal study. Journal of College Orientation and Transition, 17(1),
31-44.
Rentz. (2011). Student affairs practice in higher education. (4th ed.). Springfield, Illinois:
Charles C Thomas Publisher, LTD.
Scott, S. (1996). Understanding colleges: An overview of college support services and programs
available to clients from transition planning through graduation. Journal of Vocational
Rehabilitation, 6, 217-230.
Wolanin, T. R. & Steel, P. E. (2004). Higher education opportunities for students with
disabilities: A primer for policymakers. Washington: Institute for Higher Education
Policy.