Student Services Area: DSPS
Academic Year: 2009-2010
We certify that this program review document represents the plans, goals, and critical analysis of this instructional program. Please enter name(s) and date
Author(s): Christopher Jones, Tamara Severn, Virginia Snodgrass Date: 4/07/10
Faculty Coordinator: Patricia Blair
V. P.: Keith Snow-Flamer
Date: 4/07/10
Validation: 1/ 5/11
The mission of DSPS is to eliminate barriers to success for students with disabilities while fostering partnerships with the college and community to create equal educational access.
DSPS values the diversity and individuality of all students. We are committed to helping students with disabilities pursue their academic goals by offering them appropriate accommodations and services. DSPS believes that all students have the right to equally access programs and services at College of the Redwoods. The philosophy of DSPS is to encourage maximum independence and personal empowerment through a successful educational experience.
-Eureka Campus

DSPS Director- 40/12 Certificated Administration (vacant)

DSPS Counselor- 35/10 Certificated Faculty

Disabled Student Services Specialist- 40/12 Classified

Administrative Office Coordinator- 40/12 Classified


Administrative Office Assistant II- 40/12 Classified

Mobility Assistant- 19/10 Classified (vacant)

DSPS Assistant- 19/12 Classified (vacant)

DSPS Assistant- 19/12 Classified

Lead Learning Disabilities Specialist- 35/10 Certificated Faculty

Instructional Support Specialist II- 30/10 Classified

Instructional Support Specialist II- 30/10 Classified

Instructional Support Specialist II- 20/10 Classified (vacant)

Learning Disabilities Specialist- Associate Faculty Contract

High Tech Center Instructor- Associate Faculty Contract

Adapted Physical Education Instructor- Associate Faculty Contract

DSPS Technology Specialist I- 30/12 Classified

Instructional Support Specialist III- 35/11 Classified
-Mendocino Campus

Disabled Student Services Specialist- 20/10 Classified

Adapted Physical Education Instructor- Associate Faculty Contract

Instructional Support Specialist I- 34/15 (weeks) Classified
-Del Norte Campus

Learning Disabilities Specialist- Associate Faculty Contract

Instructional Support Specialist II- 35/10 Classified

Disabled Students Program Specialist- 35/11 Classified

Interim
Faculty
Coordinator*
Disability Resource
Center
Office
Coordinator
DSPS
Counselor
DSPS
Specialist
Office
Technician
DSPS
Assistant
Mobility
Assistant
LIGHT
Center
Lead LD
Specialist
Associate LD
Specialist
Instructional
Support
Specialist II (2)
DSPS
Assistant
Instructional
Support
Specialist II
High Tech
Center
Alternate
Media
Specialist
Associate
Instructor
Assistive
Technology
Specialist
Adaptive
PE
Instructor
Instructional
Support
Specialist I
Del Norte
Campus
DSPS
Specialist
Associate LD
Specialist
Instructional
Support
Specialist II
Mendocino
Campus
DSPS
Specialist
Adaptive PE
Instructor
Instructional
Support
Specialist I
Italicized titles indicate positions that were vacant as of 12/02/2010
*The Interim Coordinator position is currently being filled by the Lead LD Specialist, in lieu of a Department Director.

Resources for Students with Disabilities
DSPS provides:

Pre-registration advising, registration assistance, academic counseling, liaison with members of the campus community and various community agencies, and on/off campus referrals

Sign language interpreters, note-takers (until Fall 2010), testing accommodations

On campus transportation

Authorization for use of alternate media

Equipment loan

Determination of eligibility for DSPS services
Assistive Technology
DSPS provides:

Adaptive computer stations with a variety of assistive technologies throughout the campus and instructional sites (i.e. software for screen magnifier and screen reader, text-to-speech, and speech-to-text, adaptive input devices)

Instruction in small groups as well as on an individual basis through Guid 379 and
180 to assist students in the use of adaptive hardware, software, and basic computer skills

Introduction to computers and specific software programs (Microsoft Word,
PowerPoint, Excel)

Alternative media services which produces materials in a specialized format
(Braille, large print, e-files, audio books)
Academic Support
DSPS provides:

Assessment to determine eligibility for services based on a specific learning disability through Guid 143

Individual and group instruction in strategy development and academic support in a variety of subject areas through Guidance 145
Adapted Physical Education
DSPS provides:

Instruction in a physical fitness program that focuses on the following concepts: balance and flexibility, cardiovascular endurance, strength and coordination, weight control and nutritional health

Aquatic fitness instruction available at some sites

Progress on Current Goals and Future Objectives
A. Goal 1: Increase awareness of DSPS services by staff and faculty
Type of Contact
Behavior
Accommodations
Tutoring
Testing
Percentage
18%
35%
11%
10%
Other 26%
Efforts have been made to increase staff and faculty awareness of DSPS services through the following activities:

Presence at new faculty orientations

Production of DSPS Faculty Handbook for instructors

Classroom presentations of DSPS services

DSPS representation on committees (see list below)*

Revived DSPS Advisory Committee

Production of weekly Disability Newsletter

Representation in tutor-training workshops
The past academic year has involved collecting baseline data on the types of questions directed to DSPS by staff and faculty. Over this academic year, a total of 345 inquiries were made to
DSPS on a variety of topics including behavior, accommodations, tutoring, testing, and other issues related to services to students. Of these staff and faculty contacts, the following distribution was noted.
As this is baseline data, this data will be used for comparison in the upcoming academic year.
While queries regarding accommodations, tutoring, testing, and services are appropriate to be directed towards DSPS, queries regarding behavior are not. Therefore, over the next academic year, we will continue to collect this data and make efforts to enhance our classroom presentations, contact to staff and faculty through orientations, increase online information regarding tutoring, testing, and accommodations in an effort to not only increase appropriate queries but increase overall visibility of the DSPS office. Also, as the number of contacts falling into the ‘Other’ category is extremely high, DSPS will collect additional information regarding contacts that fall into the ‘Other’ category in order to better understand how to categorize these contacts (see Program Outcomes Chart in following pages).
* List of Committees with DSPS Representation
Multiple Hiring Committees
Secondary Appeals Committee, Financial Aid
Member, Board of Directors, Open Door Community Health Centers

Northwest Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities
Academic Senate
Technology Advisory Committee
Book of the Year Committee
Data Owners Group (DOG)
Enrollment Priorities Committee (AP & BP 5055)
Web Oversight Committee
Advisory Committee, Making Headway, Inc.
Closing the Gaps Together Collaborative, TCILC
Budget Planning Committee
Emergency Preparedness/Safety Committee
Student Services Assessment Committee
Commencement Committee
DSPS Advisory Committee
Integrated Planning Equipment Committee
Distance Education Advisory Committee
Behavior Intervention Team
B. Goal 2: Students will identify appropriate accommodations based on their strengths and weaknesses
DSPS students are involved in the development of their Support Service Agreements which outline services and accommodations that will be provided over the academic year. This is done through negotiation between the student and the DSPS counselor or advisor. The following data indicates the types of accommodations provided to students over the past five years.
Category of
Accommodation
F06 S07 F07 S08 F08 S09 F09 S10
Notetaker
181 183 205 186 187 201 177 162
Interpreter/
Captioning
Mobility
Assistance
Audio/Visual
Equipment
Alternate Media/Audio
Text
Temporary Medical
Parking
Facilities/Special
Equipment
Test/Quiz Taking
Facilitation
Other
1
48
156
135
4
59
731
8
1
38
143
130
2
61
739
17
3
48
116
113
11
61
771
12
2
39
98
3
45
25
115
686
3
42
117
75
4
36
742
10
3
38
132
93
1
25
755
24
4
30
78
4
32
16
121
734
3
34
126
43
4
43
684
10

C. Goal 3: Begin tracking Basic Skills DSPS data
Over the past academic year, DSPS has been collecting data for Basic Skills Initiative students for the past five years. Since the 2004-2005 academic year, the numbers of BSI students enrolled in DSPS special classes have risen significantly, from 33% to 45% in the 2009-2010 year. As evidenced in the “Improvement Areas” section of this document, that increase is not mirrored in the success rates of BSI students. There are a variety of reasons for this, including the fact that
BSI students sometimes require more assistance and accountability than students that are further along in their academic career. In order to determine what can be done to assist our BSI students,
DSPS will continue the goal of tracking this data, as well as begin comparing the success rates of
BSI students enrolled in instructional support classes versus those who are not, to measure the efficacy of DSPS instructional support courses (see PO Chart in following pages).
A. Proportion of Students Receiving Services
College of the Redwoods’ DSPS program has 1,442 registered students, or 13.3% of the total student population receiving accommodations, counseling, or some other DSPS service in the
2008-2009 academic year. By comparison, all other Region 1 schools serve a proportion of students between 3% and 5%, indicating CR’s ability to better serve a larger number of DSPS students. Despite significant budget cuts and inability to fill vacant positions, the numbers of students being provided with services have not declined over the past several years. This suggests that despite a reduced staff to student ratio, students are still being provided with mandated services. This strength is linked directly with the Strategic Goal 5 which ensures access to academic offerings and college activities by all students.
B. Academic Success Upon Completion
College of the Redwoods had a total of 286 degrees and certificates earned by the general population for the 2008-2009 academic year. Of these, 9% (26) were earned by DSPS students.
Other Region 1 schools had proportions of degrees and certificates earned by DSPS students ranging from 3%-6%. CR is the top degree- and certificate-earning school for students with disabilities in Region 1. Again, this suggests that despite significant budget cuts and staff reductions, DSPS students are still successful in their attainment of degrees and certificates.
Strategic Goal 1, the enabling of student attainment of educational goals is directly addressed by this strength.
C. Attitude of Staff
According to a 2009 Student Satisfaction Survey aimed at CR’s DSPS population, 97% of all
DSPS students were “satisfied” with the attitudes of our DSPS staff from various offices, campuses, and labs. This includes the DSPS office on the Eureka campus, the High Tech Center and L.I.G.H.T. Center also on the Eureka campus, the Disability Resource Centers on the Del
Norte and Mendocino campuses. Staff located in these centers includes counselors and advisors, instructional support specialists, clerical and support staff, and faculty. In the qualitative responses, staff was said to “do a great job…. Their services are much needed and appreciated,” as well as to be “wonderfully friendly, accommodating, and eager (if not determined) to help.”
One area DSPS excels at is doing whatever possible to accommodate and assist the disabled

student population of CR. DSPS strives to have a friendly and helpful first point of contact for students and tries to assist the students throughout their academic experience. Value 3 of the district indicates that CR is committed to creating and sustaining a welcoming environment that celebrates the diversity of its students, faculty and staff. The college environment will support behaviors and attitudes that maximize inclusion, personal responsibility, interpersonal respect, and multicultural understanding. It is clear that DSPS has been successful in upholding that value.
D. Academic Counseling and Advising
Based on the same DSPS Student Satisfaction Survey conducted during 2009, 91.3% of CR’s
DSPS population was “satisfied” with the counseling and advising that DSPS provides. One of the services provided to a DSPS student is one-on-one counseling with a DSPS-specific counselor and/or advisor to plot out the student’s educational college path, services and accommodations, referral to other departments and agencies, and assistance with navigating through their College of the Redwoods experience. Interestingly, a recent student satisfaction survey conducted campus-wide found that students were not very satisfied with counseling and advising on the campus as a whole. This suggests that DSPS is providing a superior service in terms of academic counseling and advising to the DSPS population. The district philosophy states that CR as an institution affirm our intention to provide the highest possible level of learning opportunities and counseling to help student realize their personal goals. DSPS strives to uphold the spirit of this statement.
E. Provision of Testing Accommodations
Another significant strength of DSPS is the provision of testing accommodations. One of the many accommodations that DSPS provides is administration of extended testing time for students and, in some cases, a noise-reduced module to give a less distracting environment for test-taking through the Academic Support Center. These students take their exams in the
Academic Support Center, where instructors will drop off exams on the day of the test. In the
2007-2008 academic year, DSPS had 693 students eligible to receive this service (this does not indicate the number of students who actually used the service); in 2008-2009, 728 eligible students; and in 2009-2010, 722 eligible students. The 2009 DSPS Student Satisfaction Survey showed a 90% satisfaction rate with the provision of these accommodations. This data indicates that a high number of students are able to receive this essential service, and that the administration of testing accommodations has been satisfactory for the vast majority of students using the service. The provision of these accommodations ensures access for all students and is in alignment with Strategic Goal 5 of the district.
A. Program Budget
Over the past two years, DSPS has suffered a 45% program budget decrease. With budget cuts this significant, the department has experienced pervasive shortcomings in nearly all areas of student service. In staffing, the full-time Department Director position has been left vacant, leaving the many coordinating duties up to the Lead Learning Disability Specialist. Assistive technology has suffered, as many computers in DSPS spaces and across the campus have not

been updated with the most current adaptive software for lack of funding. There are also no resources to pay note-takers for students who are eligible, which has long been an essential service for many students. Broken or worn out equipment required for certain student accommodations has not been replaced, and many facilities issues have not been addressed, such as mold growing in the L.I.G.H.T. Center and ramps and steps that are slowly rotting away.
These financial limitations in the department have had detrimental effects on our ability to provide student service and enhance student success. An impacted budget limits the ability of the program to contribute to student access and student success.
B. Staffing Levels
DSPS at College of the Redwoods has been severely limited in its ability to assist students due to employee vacancies and/or position eliminations. In addition to 3 vacant part-time positions that are unlikely to be filled, the position of DSPS Director, a full-time certificated position, is currently being filled on an interim basis by our Lead Learning Disability Specialist. Due to these staffing shortfalls, it is reasonable to assume that service to students has also suffered. As the DSPS Student Satisfaction Survey indicates, one of the lowest satisfaction ratings on the survey was DSPS hours of operation, at 62% satisfied and 14% dissatisfied. If these vacant positions were filled, or additional positions created, the hours of operation for DSPS labs and offices could be extended to accommodate more students. The qualitative responses of the survey also showed a large student desire for increased staff:
 “The tutor schedules are constantly full and they seem rushed.”
 “I would like to see more people working in DSPS so they can help more than one person at a time.”
 “DSPS hours should be extended/changed. They should be open… so that students can access help prior to and after classes.”
Most of the areas of DSPS that require improvement can be related in some way, back to the need for increased staff. Again, reduced staffing levels severely impact the ability of the program to provide access for all students and support academic success of students. The following graph shows the drop in staffing hours from the 1999-2000 year to the 2009-2010 year.

C. Success of Basic Skills Initiative Students
In the past five years, DSPS has seen a huge growth in the number of Basic Skills students that are enrolling in DSPS-special classes (Guid 143, 145, and 180). In the 2004-2005 academic year,
DSPS had 33% BSI students and 67% non-BSI students; in the 2009-2010 year, DSPS had 45%
BSI students and 55% non-BSI students. However, though the numbers of BSI students have increased, the success rates for these students have remained poor, for both DSPS and the college as a whole. Only 29% of DSPS BSI students were successful in passing their classes, and 47% of the general population’s BSI students were successful in passing their classes. The majority of other Region 1 schools had much higher success rates for BSI students, ranging from 35% success to 58% success. Because these students require more attention than non-BSI students, this data shows a need for not only more staff, but more instructional support groups, and more rigorous contact with BSI students to ensure that they do not slip through the cracks. It also sends a loud message to the college district as a whole for the need for more developmental level classes. This would be in alignment with Strategic Goal 1.2 which supports the improvement of basic skills as a foundation for student success.
D. Student Persistence Rates
Another improvement area for the department is student persistence. The persistence for the general population at College of the Redwoods ranks high compared to other Region 1 schools.
However, persistence for DSPS students at CR falls sixth out of seven community colleges in the region, with 75% persistence. This is another area where added staff would be helpful in keeping students around for the entire academic year. If students had more instructional support, or more support options, they may be more likely to stay the entire academic year. Additionally, DSPS

could impose a set number of mandatory meetings with a counselor or advisor throughout the semester, as EOPS does, to ensure that students are being provided with yearlong support and not falling between the cracks. This constant contact would give advisors the ability to identify potential problems or reasons to drop out and, hopefully, assist the student in solving them.
Strategic Goal 1.1 addresses this need to reduce barriers to persistence and help student attainment of educational goals.
DSPS serves, and has served, a large number of students district-wide, in a variety of areas.
These students differ greatly on: a) the services or accommodations that they are provided, and; b) their eligibility for enrollment in DSPS (meaning, what form of disability makes them eligible to receive our services)
This table shows the number of students that DSPS has had registered in the program over the last five years.
Academic Year 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010
DSPS
Students
1,254 1,163 1,218 1,320 1,442
NOTE: Data obtained by DSPS staff through Data Mart at the California Community Colleges
Chancellor’s Office website at www.cccco.edu
There are a variety of different reasons that these students have been registered with DSPS and receive services and accommodations to aid them in their academic career. There are 9 categories in which DSPS places students, based on what kind of disability they have. They are:

Acquired Brain Injury

Developmentally Delayed Learner

Hearing Impaired

Learning Impaired

Mobility Impaired

Psychological Disability

Speech/Language Impaired

Visually Impaired

Other Disability
The following graphs show the trends in numbers of students in each disability category.

NOTE: It is worth mentioning that although most of the numbers for the categories have stayed generally consistent over the past five years, from the 2007-2008 academic year to the 2009-2010 year, the number of Psychological disabilities has drastically increased. This is even more notable due to the lack of a student crisis counselor for the district.

Course
Guid
343/143
Guid
345/145
Guid
379
Guid
380/180
PE
90
PE
98
PE
302
NOTE: Because DSPS special classes are open enrollment, we have not included data for number of students enrolled by census day, but only the number of students enrolled at the end of each term.
Table 1: Enrollments
Students enrolled by end of term
2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 Total
193 152 139 147 134 765
742
54
88
52
116
42
792
42
91
43
164
17
791
50
75
58
95
46
785
50
63
77
101
13
723
42
91
75
108
23
3833
238
408
305
584
141

As this data shows, the numbers for student enrollment in DSPS special classes have been decreasing over the past five years. As other portions of this document show, DSPS has also experienced steadily decreasing staffing levels due to budget constraints, impacting the ability of the department to serve as many students as it has in the past. For example, in the years before the 2005-2006 academic year, there were as many as 5 Learning Disability Specialists district wide; the faculty members who administer the disability testing for Guid 343/143. At the present time, there are only 3 LD Specialists, two part-time faculty, and one full-time, who is doubling as the Department Coordinator in lieu of a DSPS Director. This lack of staff has greatly affected the ability of DSPS to serve students. Staffing cuts or, at least, the lack of replacing vacated positions has remained a common pattern, even though, as stated before, DSPS has higher numbers of DSPS-registered students than any other Region 1 school, both in proportion to the general population and in quantity alone.
It is also worth noting, and may be a contributing factor to the decreasing headcount, that DSPS special classes have had to be closed by the department within the first few weeks of the semester for two reasons. Firstly, as mandated by Title 5, the ratio of DSPS students to non-
DSPS students in each of these classes must be at least 51% DSPS students. In order to make sure this mandate is met, DSPS routinely closes the classes at the 70 % mark to any non-DSPS students.
This is to ensure that those DSPS students who are enrolled are still receiving quality academic support given our severely decreased staffing. There are few options for academic

support on campus, thus the special classes in DSPS have become a resource for students with and without disability. Our greatest focus however, remains ensuring the quality of service to students with disabilities. Secondly, the restrictions of the current space provided for DSPS to provide academic support are considerable. There are many times when students will come in and find that there are no chairs in the lab that remain unoccupied.
Table 2: Course Success Rates
NOTE: Again, because DSPS special courses are open enrollment, we have provided end-ofterm data for success only, not success rates for census day.
Fall
Course/Term 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010
Guid 143
Guid 145
Guid 180
Guid 343
Guid 345
Guid 379
77%
72%
56%
88%
77%
76%
82%
77%
63%
56%
57%
72%
79%
58%
63%
63%
PE 90
PE 98
PE 302
78%
71%
81%
100%
85%
75%
87%
96%
67%
88%
78%
100%
96%
89%
100%
Course/Term 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010
Spring Guid 143 65% 80%
Guid 145
Guid 180
Guid 343 74% 79% 67%
64%
67%
65%
52%
Guid 345
Guid 379
PE 90
PE 98
PE 302
81%
72%
85%
93%
87%
77%
67%
80%
81%
100%
59%
47%
78%
87%
90%
79%
89%
96%
67%
50%
85%
82%
83%

Note: n43, n45, n80 refer to Guidance 343, 345, and 380 which changed to 143, 145, 180 in
2009 . Also, data is not available for 2005-2006 for PE 93 and 300.
Guid 343/143
Salient Points:

Training of new LD Specialists

Impacted advising
 Course not offered in Mendocino after Spring ‘08

Class cancellations resulting in students enrolled simply for a 12 th
unit
It is difficult to know exactly why success rates for Guid 143 fell from 2007 to 2009, but it is likely that the cause is multifaceted. One possible factor is that during this time period, there

were many last-minute class cancellations, resulting in students who were below their needed number of units; therefore they may have enrolled merely for the ½ unit. Other possible factors include the fact that during that time, two new LD specialists were being trained, slowing down the process considerably. Students had to wait for appointments that could be supervised by the
Lead LD Specialist for training purposes and possibly became tired of the wait and gave up completing the class. This course is also no longer being offered at the Mendocino campus, as of the spring 2008 semester, which affects success rates. Also, class success depends on completion of the testing process. As advising becomes more and more impacted, there is less time to
“screen” potential students for 143, resulting in a greater number of referrals of students who are not suitable for testing. Often the students who are not suitable for testing fail to drop the class and end up with a ‘No Credit’, instead of withdrawing to receive a ‘W.’
Guid 345/145
Salient Points:

Decreased staff in LIGHT Center

Course not offered in Mendocino after Spring 2008

Class cancellations resulting in students enrolled simply for a 12 th
unit

Budgetary impacts on operating hours
Over the past 5 years there has been a general decrease in the number of students receiving credit in Guid 345/145. There are several possible reasons for this: decreasing support in the LIGHT
Center, losing our Instructional Support Specialist-II for humanities, and decreased overall hours of operation due to decreasing staff. Also, over the past two years the number of last minute course cancellations has increased, resulting in students scrambling at the last minute to find classes to take to fulfill their unit requirements for financial aid. Often they take Guid 345/145 to get a twelfth unit and have no intention of completing any of the course requirements. Also, as with Guid 143, the course is no longer offered at the Mendocino campus, as of spring 2008.
PE Courses
Salient Points:

Closure of the pool

Loss of PE assistants due to budgetary constraints

PE 300 and 93 not offered at Eureka campus after Spring 2008

Frequent equipment breakdowns
When considering the course success rates for the PE classes, there is a good deal of consistency in rates across the years. Small fluctuations in success levels can be attributed to such things as illnesses and injuries to the students. However, there are two more significant fluctuations that occurred in PE 302 in the fall of 07/08 and the spring of 08/09. There are several possible reasons for this drop in success rates at these two points in time. During the spring of 2008, the pool was closed. This was after several months of intermittent closures due to leaks and remodeling. Therefore, students were unable to get the required number of hours needed for

credit in the classes. By spring of 2008, our staffing structure had started to decline and we were down to one adaptive PE assistant. This along with aging equipment and frequent breakdowns of the equipment again limited student access to the facilities to attain there needed hours for credit. Additional factors could include the relocation of the weight room after the pool closure and the reduction in class frequency from a 4 day a week schedule to a two day a week schedule due to reduced staffing, as well as not offering PE 93 and 300 at the main Eureka campus due to the lack of pool facilities.
Guid 380/180
Salient Points:

Class cancellations resulting in students enrolled simply for a 12 th
unit

Students diverting focus to other academic courses

Add/drop policy change resulting in skewed number of drops
As with other courses, there are several reasons for the variation in success for these courses.
There seem to be many students who find themselves needing an additional unit to maintain the requirements for financial aid; these students often do not return to complete the coursework.
This may account for the variation in course success. Other students have been overwhelmed by their course load by mid semester, decided that they need to prioritize their time to complete assignments for those classes and have no time left to attend. Lastly, there was a recent policy change regarding add/drop procedures. In the past, the policy for adding up from a 1 unit course to a 2 unit course did not involve a drop. This policy changed last year and now this type of
“adding up” to the next unit does involve a drop, which would be recorded in the course success statistical analysis.
Guid 379
Salient Points:

Basic Skills level computer skills

Frequent instructor changes

Higher level of under-prepared students
There is considerable variation in the course success for this class. It is difficult to pinpoint one factor as to why that might be the case. This course has gone through several instructor changes in the past five years, which could be a factor in varying success. In some semesters, the students in this class are more challenged than others, which can result in decreased success overall, given that these students come to the class with little or no computer skill and experience.
REGARDING RETENTION RATES
Because DSPS special classes are open-entry and open-exit, students can enroll in the classes up to the 12 th
week of the semester. Typically the headcount in the classes continues to rise up to this point in time. Therefore, census data is not accurate as a headcount for these classes, as it

serves as merely a “snapshot” of one point in time after which the headcount continues to change.
1. Five-Year Program Staffing Profile with Anticipated Needs
Staffing Levels for Each of the Previous
Five Years
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Anticipated total staff needed
2010 -
2011
2011-2012
Position
Administration
Classified Staff FT
Classified Staff PT
Confidential Staff FT
Hourly Staff
Student Workers*
1
3
1
3
1
3
1
3
0
3
1
3
5.567 5.567 5.567 5.567 4.777 6.357
0 0 0 0 0 0
15
2
15
2
12
2
12 Less
2 than
10
2
13
2
1
3
6.357
0
13
Faculty Reassigned
FTE Full time
Faculty Reassigned
FTE Part time
Total Full Time
Equivalent Staff
2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 1.8
13.967 13.967 13.967 13.967 11.577
2.4
14.757
2
2.4
14.757
*NOTE: Work-study students do no factor into DSPS FTE staff, and numbers provided are for actual workers, not percentage of FTE. These are students who are paid for through district and federal work study monies.
Until the 2010-2011 academic year, DSPS has also provided note-takers as an accommodation for students who are eligible for that accommodation. The department paid a per-semester stipend to each student who volunteered to copy their notes for DSPS students. Due to budget constraints, this service is no longer feasible, and had to be cut from the program. Students who utilized note-takers now rely on: taped lectures, lecture notes posted by the instructor, hard copy notes provided by instructors, or volunteers. While this still provides the student with an equivalent accommodation, it is not without its problems. Problems encountered include the fact that some instructors don’t provide notes to the class, some don’t want to be tape recorded, and some students simply prefer the written information rather than auditory information.

Does the staffing structure meet the unit’s needs?
Over the past five years, the number of students registered in DSPS has fluctuated slightly from year to year, but not by much. In the 2005-2006 academic year, DSPS had 1,254 registered students, and in 2009-2010, DSPS had 1,380 students, which is significantly higher than any other region 1 school. Butte College is at a distant second with 841 DSPS students, a
3.8% of the student population. This consistency in students at College of the Redwoods has presented a problem in the staffing levels of the department. Over the past five years, 2.39 FTE staff have been lost and not replaced due to budgetary constraints. On top of that, the number of student workers available to DSPS has also decreased, causing us to rely outside funding sources for student help such as WEX. The decrease of 2.39 FTE staff has been made more problematic given our breadth of location and services provided to students. It has meant that some offices have been reduced to the point at which student contact is impacted, while at other locations, waiting lists and direct assistance to students has been affected. Given the current fiscal climate and trends over the past five years, it is difficult to determine if this situation will be alleviated with improved budget scenarios. At the present time, the statewide outlook is for status quo or further reductions over the next three year prior to any recovery.
Technology has increased our workload in two ways. First, as technology changes, our staff must be current in new programs and software to further assist students. This takes time to become proficient at using them. Secondly, the more technology is worked into the instructional aspect of the program, the more time is needed to maintain the functioning of the technology. An example would be ensuring that all adaptive stations on campus are updated and functioning.
Additional time must be spent to ensure that digital voice recorders, alternate listening devices, etc. are all functioning. Overall, technology, while increasing the educational experience, has created more work for those who maintain and use the technology for training purposes.
There are definite peaks and valleys in our workload during the fiscal year. The beginning of each semester is by far a peak time, with increased student traffic and need for staff involvement. This continues for about the first month of the semester, after which it begins to level out until the final two weeks of the semester, when the demand for staff increases once again. It should also be noted that some of the staff in the programmatic portion of this department are 12 month employees, which is inefficient given that we have no money to run programs over the summer and winter breaks. Therefore that manpower is wasted when it could be better utilized at times when we are serving students.
There comes a point at which reductions become so problematic that it is impossible to ameliorate the negative effects of it. We are at that point. We can no longer do many of the
“extras” that we used to do, merely because of lack of staff and time. It seems that we are being asked to do more and more with less and less, and we are at the point at which we have to say
“no, we can’t do it”. This sadly, has an effect on students, but given the current fiscal climate, we have no other option. Staff morale is definitely low, and will continue to be so until our staffing levels and our ability to serve students to a level that we have done in the past is reinstated.
The following graphs show the correlation between rising student levels in DSPS and decreasing staff levels department-wide.

2009-10 Assessment Plan Findings/Data Analysis & Improvement Recommendations
SLO/PO #1: Increase awareness of DSPS services by faculty and staff.
Findings/Data Analysis
Throughout the 2009-2010 academic year, DSPS tracked contacts made to the program by staff and faculty members regarding student behavior, accommodations, referral to the program, and an “other” category. The purpose was to determine what kinds and number of contacts DSPS was receiving, as well as the appropriateness of the contact. It was evident from the data, that many inquiries came to DSPS regarding issues that more appropriately belong to
Student Conduct, even though it may have been a DSPS student involved. This suggests the need for increased understanding and communication regarding when DSPS should and could be involved in student conduct issues. A complicating factor is that the DSPS Counselor is also serving as the campus crisis counselor, thus blurring the lines between these two functions.
Increased contact with staff and faculty both from a DSPS perspective as well as from a Conduct perspective is warranted. Also, there were a large number of contacts in the “other” category which remained unclear in nature, and need further specificity to be able to use the data effectively. The data collected this year will serve as baseline data for use of comparison in the next academic year.
Improvement Recommendations
DSPS has revised the form for tracking contacts to the program to provide more specificity, especially in the “other” category, as well as to track who exactly is contacting the program (i.e. classified, faculty, administrator, or community agency). DSPS will provide more outreach district-wide, including a revised faculty handbook and yearly trainings for new adjunct faculty, to better inform the college community of their role in this process. Additional activities include DSPS visits to departmental meetings, participation on campus wide committees, and liaison with community agencies.
SLO/PO #2: Students will identify appropriate accommodations based on their strengths and weaknesses.
Findings/Data Analysis
Students in the DSPS program meet with a counselor/advisor each semester to discuss their needs for accommodations based on their functional limitations and class choices. This past academic year 975 Support Service Agreements were generated based on student interactions with counselors (See charts under “Goals and Objectives” above). This data also helps guide
DSPS resources and purchases given the trends in accommodations provided. Students negotiate with their counselor/advisor to secure accommodations that mitigate the effects of their disability and provide increased student success based on their functional limitations. One factor that affects the identification and provision of accommodations is the vagueness of the Verification
Form that is received from professionals, identifying the diagnostic information needed by

DSPS. The form as it currently exists does not clearly identify functional limitations and how those would translate into an academic setting.
Improvement Recommendations
To increase the appropriateness of student accommodations, the physician verification form needs revision to better identify the functional and educational limitations of the students.
This will allow for increased suitability of accommodations for students while assuring that the accommodations address the students’ functional limitations and provide necessary documentation for DSPS.

1.
2.
10. 2010-2011 Program Outcomes for DSPS
3.
Objective
Continue previous objective of assessing contacts and their details
Begin requiring more specific information from medical providers
Program
Outcome (PO)
Improve specificity of the nature of staff and faculty contacts to DSPS, and continue to evaluate the number of these contacts
Linked to Strategic
Plan/Program Goals
Strategic Plan Goal #2, #3
Begin to measure success and effectiveness of
DSPS instructional support
Guidance courses
Compare the success rates of DSPS BSI students enrolled in Guid 145 and/or Guid 180 with
DSPS BSI students not enrolled in those classes
Strategic Plan Goal #1
Objective 1.2, 1.1.1, 1.1.5
Improve the specificity of disability verification information received from medical providers
Strategic Plan Goal #2, #3
DSPS Mission Statement
DSPS Philosophy Statement
(“…offering [students] appropriate accommodations and services…”)
Assessment Criteria
(Specify Target
Performance Level)
Assessment
Measure
DSPS will see increased details regarding contacts previously denoted “Other”; additionally, inappropriate staff contacts regarding behavior should decrease
DSPS will see increased success in those BSI students enrolled in the program’s instructional support courses, indicating the need for expansion and outreach to bring the more unsuccessful BSI students to these courses
DSPS will see more specific information regarding disability verification, and be better equipped to provide students with appropriate accommodations for those disabilities
DSPS will revise the disability verification form provided to physicians to secure clearly stated functional limitations that will dictate their accommodations
As was done during the 2009-
2010 year, DSPS staff will note each contact made to the program, and indicate the type of contact and its content
DSPS staff will work with
Institutional
Research to get success rates for these students to draw conclusions regarding Guidspecial courses’ effectiveness
Completion
(or anticipate completion)/
Findings
September 2011
September 2011
September 2011
Improvement
Recommendatio ns (next step)

NEW OR REPLACEMENT STAFF (Administrative or Classified)
Annual TCP*
List Staff Positions Needed for Academic Year- 2010-2011
Please be as specific and as brief as possible when offering a reason. Place titles on list in order (rank) or importance.
TCP for employee
$37, 527
1. DSPS Assistant (position increased to 30 hours/week)
Reason: LIGHT Center is open 32 hours hours/week, and only has a desk position for 19 hours. This position used to be a 40 hour a week position. Over the past 10 years it has been gradually pared down to be the 19 hour position which is inadequate, requiring students to “self serve” to make appointments, check out equipment etc.
2. ISS- II
Reason: Students numbers at the LIGHT Center are consistent and staff levels are decreasing and therefore inadequate for student success. There are no staff tutors for the Humanities in the LIGHT Center due to a recent retirement that was not filled due to economic constraints.
$40,469
3. DSPS Director
Reason: Title V mandates a director or coordinator and that position is currently being filled on an interim basis by the LD
Specialist.
$101,922
4. ISS-II
Reason: Several ISS-II positions over the past five years have been vacated and remained unfilled due to economic circumstances.
This has left us with only two ISS-II’s which is not enough for student base.
$40,469
5. Van Driver for DSPS Van
Reason: Due to budget constrictions, we have not been able to fill a vacancy since 09/2009. Currently all other staff members in
DSPS are taking turns driving the bus, thus taking away from their primary assignments.
$20,000
6. ISS-I
Reason: High enrollment in Adaptive PE classes, as well as health and safety issues. Many students in Adaptive PE have physical and cognitive disabilities, therefore cannot be left entirely alone in the PE setting.
$20,000
* TCP = “Total Cost of Position” for one year is the cost of an average salary plus benefits for an individual. New positions (not replacement positions) also require space and equipment. Please speak with your campus Business Officer to obtain accurate cost estimates. Please be sure to add related office space, equipment and other needs for new positions to the appropriate form and mention the link to the position.

List Equipment or Equipment Repair Needed for Academic Year 2010-2011
Cost per item
1. Scooter Batteries
Reason: Replacement batteries for scooters used by students with mobility issues; without standby batteries, when existing batteries die, scooters are inoperable until the battery is replaced, leaving the campus inaccessible to students who rely on the scooters.
2. TI-84 Calculators
Reason: Staff and student use in LIGHT Center for instructional support
$70
$100
3. Headphone Sets
Reason: Student use in LIGHT Center; many instructors utilize coursework files with audio that students need to access in the LIGHT Center without disrupting the building. Students using a variety of adaptive software also require headphone sets again to avoid disruption in the educational setting.
4. White Board (Del Norte DRC)
Reason: Current board is broken in Del Norte’s Disability Resource Center. It is needed for use on a daily basis for tutoring and instructional support.
5. Victor Readers
Reason: Plays alternative media sources for students using this accommodation. Without these players, some media remains inaccessible to some students.
6. Assistive Listening Device
Reason: For use for students with hearing disabilities. Without these ALD’s hearing impaired students are unable to access verbal information in the classroom setting.
7. Handheld Magnifiers
Reason: To assist students with vision-impairments/disabilities. Currently the Go-Print stations on campus are inaccessible to students with visual impairments. On a short term basis the magnifiers may mitigate some of these problems.
8. Pencil Sharpeners
Reason: Existing sharpeners are old and dull, breaking student and staff pencils
$23
$439.99
$250
$1000
$12
$23.99
(from
Staples)
Annual TCO*
Number
Requested
Total Cost of Request
10 $700.00
5
5
1
10
1
7
3
$500.00
$115.00
$475.00 (w/ tax)
$2500.00
$1000.00
$84.00
$77.20 (w/ tax)

9. Dehumidifiers
Reason: Decrease detrimental health effects of mold in DSPS buildings. The building has been inspected and found to have considerable levels of mold.
$179.99
(from
Staples)
3 $579.12 (w/ tax)
NOTE: Technology; excludes software, network infrastructure, furniture, and consumables (toner, cartridges, etc)
Priority EQUIPMENT REQUESTED
New (N) or
Replace ment
(R)?
Program:
New (N) or
Continuin g (C) ?
Locatio n (i.e
Office,
Classro om, etc.)
Is there existing
Infrastruc ture?
How many users served?
Has it been repaired frequent ly?
Annual TCO*
Cost per item
$1072
Numb er
Reque sted
7
Total Cost of
Request
$7504.00 1.
Usage /
Justification
2.
Usage /
Justification
3.
Usage/
Justification
4.
Usage/
Justification
Computers sufficient to run GoPrint and JAWS simultaneously, per
ADA compliance, and monitors
ADA compliant computers for
LIGHT Center
ADA compliant computers for student access in DSPS office
ADA compliant computers for High
Tech Center
R
R
N
R
N
C
C
C
Offices,
Labs,
Library Yes
LIGHT
Center Yes
DSPS
Office
High
Yes
Tech
Center Yes
$1072
$1072
$1072
4
1
2
$4288
$1072
$2144
 TCO = “Total Cost of Ownership” for one year is the cost of an average cost for one year. Please speak with your campus Business
Officer to obtain accurate cost estimates. Please be sure to check with your department chair to clarify what you current budget allotment are. If equipment needs are linked to a position please be sure to mention that linkage.
As mandated by the ADA, labs and offices on campus are required to have a percentage of their computers equipped to run assistive software.

Annual TCO*
List Facility Needs for Academic Year- 2010-2011
(Remodels, Renovations or added new facilities) Place items on list in order (rank) or importance.
Total Cost of Request
1. Remove mold in the LIGHT Center
Reason: Report of 2008-2009 revealed excessive mold levels in the lab, which poses a detrimental health effect to both staff and students. Even though the LIGHT Center will be relocated to the new Student Services Building, the move is still more than a year away, leaving staff and students yet another year to be exposed to the detrimental effects of this mold.
2. Repair concrete at thresholds of exterior doors on LIGHT Center
Reason: Concrete is filled with holes and is crumbling, creating a fall danger and a liability risk
Waiting for quote from
Maintenance
$500.00
$950.00
3. Replace carpet in main lab area of LIGHT Center
Reason: Currently, frayed and detached seams are duct taped down to avoid causing falls and a liability risk
$400.00
4. Replace ramp at DSPS Office’s back door
Reason: Current ramp is old and decaying, presenting a falling hazard for students and a liability risk
5. Replace Front door to DSPS office (IN WAREHOUSE)
Reason: Door currently leaks when wet. The replacement door has been in the warehouse for over a year awaiting a window to be placed in it prior to its installation in the DSPS office.
No Cost
Door is already in warehouse, needs to be installed by
Maintenance

List Professional Development Needs for Academic Year 2010-2011. Reasons might include in response to AUO assessment findings or the need to update skills. Please be as specific and as brief as possible. Some items may not have a cost per se, but reflect the need to spend current staff time differently. Place items on list in order (rank) or importance.
Cost per item
Annual TCO*
Number
Requested
Total Cost of Request
1. Funds to allow staff to attend DSPS related webinars
Reason: Keep staff up to date and trained on DSPS related issues, maintain professional certification when necessary, development of new skills enhancing knowledge of persistence, retention, and student success
Variable 10 $2000.00
2. Funds to allow branch campus DSPS staff to attend district meetings, staff development
Reason: Maintain consistency across branch campuses
$160
(Gas+Hotel)
$1000
4
1
$640.00
$1000.00 3. Funds to allow Faculty Coordinator to attend Director’s Training
Reason: Enhance coordinator’s understanding and knowledge of procedures and policies in
DSPS statewide, increase awareness of alternate funding sources, grants, etc.

List Other Needs for Academic Year 2010-2011
Please list/summarize the needs of your unit on your campus below. Please be as specific and as brief as possible. Not all needs will have a cost, but may require a reallocation of current staff time. Place items on list in order (rank) or importance.
Cost per item
$2334 1. Zoomtext License Type Shift
Reason: Shifting the type of license we use for this software would make it more accessible to students from remote sites, as well as make program maintenance easier
2. Kurzweil 1000/3000 Upgrades
Reason: Newer versions of the program are more accessible to students from remote sites, enhancing accommodations for students taking online classes
$5465.62
(upgrades of both
1000 and
3000)
$5832.39 3. JAWS SMA Renewal
Reason: Upgrade of important screen-reading software used by students with alternate media accommodations
4. CoWriter Software Upgrade
Reason: Several upgrades of the program have been released, while our facilities still run the outdated version
$4024
5. Text to Audio
Reason: Upgrade current software to improve audio-book production
6. Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking Professional 11 Upgrade
Reason: Maintain current software, take advantage of improvements in voice recognition program, used by students as an accommodation
$78.90
$249
Annual TCO*
Number
Requested
Total Cost of Request
1 $2334.00
1
1
1 (one license allows entire district to be upgraded)
1
14
$5465.62
$5832.39
$4024.00
$78.90
$3,486.00