Division of Student Affairs
2010-11 Annual Report
Department: Disability Resource Center
Person Completing Report: Cathy Patus
Executive Summary
The Disability Resource Center staff coordinates support services for qualified
students with disabilities, serve as a resource to other units on disability compliance
issues, and advocate for systemic change to enhance the accessibility of our campus.
We continue to collaborate with virtually all units within the University. The DRC is a
strong partner with academic units identifying access barriers for students and
working collaboratively with students and faculty to reduce or eliminate these
barriers. Considerable time and energy was spent this year preparing for and
implementing the relocation of the DRC to Stevenson Hall.
1. Programs and Services
DRC staff coordinates accommodations and support services required by
students with disabilities to gain effective access to University programs and
services. Programs and services include but are not limited to:
 meeting and consulting with prospective students and their
families/advocates regarding eligibility for accommodations
 review of medical documentation to determine eligibility for
accommodations
 notification and consultation with faculty regarding accommodations
 provision and coordination of testing accommodations, notetaker service, sign language interpreters, real time captionists,
lab assistants
 identification of and assistance with barrier removal in collaboration with
ADA
 Coordinator, Legal Counsel, Physical Plant, University Planning, Design
and
 Construction, Housing, Parking, Academic units, and virtually every unit
on campus
In addition, the DRC staff serves as a campus and community resource on
disability issues and provide advocacy for a more accessible campus
environment.
2. Major Accomplishments
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Bob Blake, Program Coordinator Senior and past Coordinator for LD/ADHD
Services, Colleen Gettys, Coordinator for LD/ADHD Services and past GSA/Notetaker Coordinator, and Miranda Thomas, GSA/Note-taker Coordinator,
successfully implemented the first academic year of the service learning
supplemental note taking program. A total of 8,082 service hours were earned by
our supplemental note-takers.
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Molly Smith, Coordinator of Services for Deaf/Hard of Hearing, continued to
play a key role in the development of U of L’s Interpreter Training Program, and
developed and taught a class in Ethics for sign language interpreters.
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Collaboration with University officials and an outside architectural firm addressing
our renovation needs resulted in a very successful relocation to Stevenson Hall in
December 2010 and hosting of campus-wide Open House in March 2011.
3. Staffing Summary
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DRC staff includes four professional staff, two support staff, one graduate
service assistant, and numerous work study students.
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Program Coordinator Senior resigned effective July 30, 2010 and former Program
Coordinator was successful applicant for the position.
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Program Coordinator position became vacant and former GSA was successful
applicant for that position.
4. Activities and Initiatives that Support A cademic U nits
DRC activities impact all academic units through determination of eligibility for
classroom accommodations, notification to faculty of accommodations needed,
provision of accommodated exams, alternate format texts, supplemental note-takers,
sign language interpreters, realtime captionists, and lab assistants as needed. DRC
staff provides regular and on-going consultations with faculty regarding
accommodations needed to achieve effective access to the curriculum.
Specific examples of extensive collaboration and consultation with academic units
this year include:
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DRC Staff (Coordinator for LD/ADHD Services) began an internship with the Delphi
Center for Teaching and Learning benchmarking technology accessibility practices
at other institutions and creating resources for faculty related to accessibility
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Continuation of work with School of Public Health on accommodation needs of
blind graduate student and student with paraplegia.
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Extensive collaboration with Law School faculty/staff to address coordination of
accommodations for increasing numbers of Law School students with
disabilities.
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Working with faculty liaison to Athletics and Athletic Academic Advising staff to
address accommodation needs of student athletes with disabilities.
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Working with University Archives faculty/staff to address access to archives for
blind student.
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Extensive consultations with faculty to address accessibility of their on-line
course materials for students who rely on screen readers for access.
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Working with faculty in numerous academic units to address the role of the
sign language interpreter and classroom strategies to accommodate
students who are deaf.
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Working extensively with faculty in all academic units to address and
resolve accommodated testing issues.
DRC staff provided presentations in the classroom and to faculty meetings as requested:
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ECPY Sub-cultures class which included a panel comprised of students with
disabilities
Nursing School faculty
Medical School faculty
Psychology Department faculty
Kent School of Social Work practicum faculty
Arts and Sciences faculty Diversity Discussion group
Graduate Teaching Assistants
English composition faculty
Continued faculty attendance at DRC cookouts provided a great opportunity for
faculty to interact with students with disabilities and Student Affairs staff on an
informal basis.
Noteworthy again this year is the continued collaboration between the DRC
Coordinator of Services for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students with the ASL/Interpreter
Training Program faculty and staff including scheduling observations by interpreting
students of U of L interpreters and teaching a core class. These collaborations are
mutually beneficial as they assist an academic unit in meeting their curricular goals,
contribute positively to the on-going shortage of qualified professional sign language
interpreters, and bring added awareness to access issues experienced by the deaf
and hard of hearing population.
5. Activities and Services that Support D iversity
Students with disabilities contribute significantly to the diversity of our campus. All
DRC direct services and coordination of accommodations impact retention and
support the University's diversity initiatives.
DRC staff work with other University units to address the accessibility of all University
programs and services. In addition to our work with academic units, we also work
with other support and administrative units. Examples include:
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Recruitment of one student to assist Information Technology (IT) in establishing
accessibility for Groupwise upgrade.
Recruitment of one student to assist IT in establishing accessibility for university
conversion to Outlook e-mail platform.
Presentation (with student with disability) to residents of University Tower
Apartments
Collaboration with SGA representative to support fundraiser activity
Participation and support for Deaf Awareness Day
Attendance at Career Center’s webinar on serving student with psychological
disabilities
Support for and referrals to the Student Support Services program
Participation in NCAA Athletics Certification 2010-2012: Sub-Committee on
Student-Athlete Well-Being.
Participation on Veteran Services Task Force and Advisory Group.
Participation in Freshman, Family, Graduate, Transfer and Veterans Orientation
Fairs, numerous Welcome Weekend and Week activities, Campus Preview Day.
Presentation for Student Orientation Staff training.
Presentation for REACH tutoring staff and REACH professional staff.
Presentation for Writing Center staff.
Two presentations to Financial Aid staff.
Collaboration with Housing to address needs of resident students with
disabilities.
Participation on Parking Advisory Committee.
On-going and regular consultation with staff from University Planning, Design
and Construction, Physical Plant, Department of Public Safety, Environmental
Health and Safety, ADA Coordinator, Legal Counsel to identify, address and
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resolve access issues.
Hosting DRC semester cookouts.
6. Activities and Services that Support C ommunity S ervice and/or Civic E ngagement
DRC staff work with community and state agencies and associations in numerous
ways to enhance opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Examples include:
Addressing the transition to college for high school and transfer students with
disabilities by participation in:
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Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative's Regional Interagency Transition Team
Jefferson County Public Schools' Regional Interagency Transition Team
Archdiocese of Louisville's annual college fair
Clark County, Indiana Transition Fair
Bullitt County Resource Fair
Kentucky School for the Deaf College Day
Consultations with Kentucky School for the Blind counselors and hosting
prospective student campus visits.
Collaboration with deaf/hard of hearing staff from Kentucky Community and
Technical College regarding programs and services.
Collaboration with staff from Kentucky Autism Training Center.
Participation in PEPNET survey
Other examples of community engagement:
 Service on ADA state task force.
 Regular and on-going consultations with staff from Office for the Blind, Office
of Vocational Rehabilitation, Veterans Affairs, Learning Ally, Kentucky
School for the Blind, Kentucky School for the Deaf, Transit Authority River City,
American Printing House for the Blind, Center for Accessible Living regarding
access issues.·
 Serve as liaison to Jefferson County Public Schools' PACT program.
 Provision of a service opportunity (and attainment of service hours) for students
on the University of Louisville campus to serve as supplemental note-takers for
students with disabilities.
7. Staff Professional Development Activities and Programs
DRC staff are members of the following national professional
associations:
 AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability)
 LDA (Learning Disabilities Association)
 NASPA (National Assoc. of Student Personnel
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Administrators
RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf)
And the following state professional associations:
 C-PAK (College Personnel Association of Kentucky)
 KY-AHEAD (Kentucky Association on Higher Education and
Disability)
 KY-RID (Kentucky Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf)
Attendance at professional association meetings/conferences:
 AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) national conference
 KY-AHEAD state conference
 RITT (Regional Interagency Transition Team) annual state conference
Attendance at professional development workshops:
 Human Resources Customer Service Leadership and Train the Trainer
workshops
 Blackboard training
 Veterans Symposium
 Sorenson trainings
 Student Affairs Summer Academy
 Director’s Retreat
 Graduate Association for Professionals in Student Affairs workshops.
 Equal Access to Software and Information Webinars
 Supervisory training
seminar.
Leadership positions include:
 Immediate Past President of Kentucky AHEAD
 Committee Chair and Co-coordinator for Deaf Awareness Day
 Webmaster of Graduate Association for Professionals in Student Affairs
Professional association/meeting presentations:
 Director provided keynote presentation for “Great Expectations” transition
conference
 Director presented at Transfer Student Articulation Retreat
 See Diversity section for additional staff involvement on campus committees.
8. Assessment Initiatives
On-going assessment activities include:
 Extensive assessment of DRC web page resulted in extensive changes to format
and inclusion of additional information
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Survey of blind, visually impaired, and physically disabled students to identify
facilities access barriers and sharing of results with Vice President for Business
Affairs and his direct reports
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Evaluation of accommodated exam services from faculty perspective.
Evaluation of note-taker services from disabled student perspective and from
note-taker perspective.
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Evaluation of interpreter services from student perspective.
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Evaluation of interpreter services from Coordinator of Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Services perspective.
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DRC staff participated in Student Affairs' workshops addressing assessment
and Ideas
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to Action initiatives and participated in model program to develop Student
Learning
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Outcomes for student workers.
DRC staff continues to address results and recommendations of the external Program
Review conducted in 2008. Response to corrective actions suggested in review
includes:
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Enhancements (total re-organization) of DRC web pages to improve provision
of general information and enhance overall communication with students and
other constituents.
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Modifications to faculty letters regarding students’ eligibility for classroom
accommodations.
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Advocacy for adequate facilities in new DRC location.
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Advocacy for clarification of process used by employees requesting
accommodations and link to Human resources information now included on
DRC web page.
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Training of supplemental note-takers developed and delivered on-line.
Assessment of Goals and Objectives 2010-11
Goal 1.
Assist with recruitment of qualified students with disabilities and provide
services and information to ease the transition into postsecondary education.
Objectives met by inclusion of transition materials on DRC web page, participation
in transition fairs, providing keynote address at regional transition conference,
continued outreach to area high school and state agency personnel, addition of DRC
Facebook page.
Goal 2.
Provide and coordinate support services for enrolled students with disabilities.
Objectives met through efficient provision of accommodations for
identified students with disabilities. The Service Request form required
for each student each semester is now available on our web page
increasing efficiency of submission.
Goal 3.
Develop and administer assessment instruments/activities with emphasis on
continued modification and improvement of services for students.
Objectives met through continual and on-going assessment of exam
accommodation services, note-taker services, interpreting services. Phone survey
conducted targeting students with visual impairments and physical disabilities to
identify physical access barriers at request of Vice President for Business Affairs.
Summary of survey results presented at VPBA staff meeting resulted in
commitment from VPBA to conduct campus–wide access audit in near future.
Goal 4.
Facilitate development of leadership, self-advocacy and independent living
skills of students with disabilities.
Objectives met by inviting students with disabilities to participate in panel discussions
in classroom, identification of students with disabilities to participate in accessibility
testing for new products in collaboration with IT, continual encouragement and
modeling by DRC staff of acquisition of self-advocacy skills for students with disabilities,
support for newly formed RSO (Cards United for Disability Awareness) .
Goal 5.
Assist with University-wide efforts to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Objectives partially met. DRC staff continue to address overall compliance with
federal mandates that prohibit discrimination on basis of disability. Lack of a strong,
institutional compliance presence continues to hinder efforts.
Goal 6.
Serve as a disability resource for students, staff, faculty, and administrators
within the University and for individuals and agencies within the community on
access and advocacy issues.
Objectives met by active participation and presentations to academic unit meetings,
service unit presentations, and individual consultations with members of University
and general community.
Goal 7.
Assist in the successful transition of students with disabilities from
postsecondary education to career field or graduate school.
Objectives met by assisting students in seeking accommodation on standardized
exams required for graduate programs, collaboration with University Career Center,
collaboration with Center for Accessible Living’s employment projects, participation
in federal Workforce Recruitment Program.
Goal 8.
Pursue internal and external funding sources to enhance services for
students with disabilities.
Objectives met through continued administration of i2a grant for note-taker
services, realization of considerable cost savings by transitioning stipend-based
note-taker services to a volunteer service, collaboration with state personnel who
administer deaf/hard of hearing funding, assistance with Heidi King Vaughn and
Soper Memorial scholarships.
Goal 9.
Provide service and support to other units to assist in attaining University goals and
objectives.
Objectives met through participation and support of TRIO grant program, Phi Beta
Kappa visit, Admissions’ activities, collaboration with other Stevenson Hall
departments regarding building security, participation in numerous orientation and
welcome week activities, collaboration with Kentucky Autism Training Center,
service as liaison with PACT Program for JCPS high school student with disabilities.
Goal 10.
Facilitate and support the professional development of DRC
staff.
Objectives met through DRC staff service on KY-AHEAD
Board of Directors, active participation on listservs,
attendance at state and national professional conferences,
participation in numerous University workshops and
trainings. Coordinator of Deaf/hard of hearing services
teaches in American Sign Language/Interpreter Studies
department.
Goal 11.
Continual evaluation and upgrade of internal office procedures to comply with
University requirements and improve internal operations.
Objectives met through re-structuring of DRC web page, Administrative Assistant’s
completion of UBT, EFMI and UBM trainings, acquisition of additional video
cameras/recording/monitoring screens for supervision of accommodated testing,
networking of copier, and continued research into a viable and cost-effective
database.
9. Top Goals for the Department
1. Assist with recruitment of qualified students with disabilities and provide services
and information to ease the transition into postsecondary education.
Objectives:
 Continue development of transition materials for inclusion on DRC web page
and for dissemination at transition fairs and orientation activities.
 Request and establish link on Parent Association web page.
 Work with transition consultants from Kentucky Special Education
Cooperatives (JCPS and OVEC) to address transition issues.
 Continue development of network of veterans affairs staff and seek ways
to address successful transition of student veterans to U of L.
 Work collaboratively with Admissions, Orientation and Housing staffs to
identify students with disabilities in advance of enrollment to address
accommodation needs.
 Participate in Admissions Office-sponsored activities such as Freshman and
Family Orientation Programs, Campus Preview Day, Jefferson County Open
House, and Think College Now.
 Maintain contact with counselors at Kentucky School for the Blind,
Kentucky School for the Deaf, Jefferson County and surrounding high
schools, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Kentucky Office for the
Blind to address transition issues for individual students.
 Participate in transition program for deaf/hard of hearing students
sponsored by the Post-Secondary Education Consortium for the Deaf and
Kentucky post-secondary institutions.
 Attend transition fairs for high school students including those sponsored
by Archdiocese of Louisville.
 Attend individual transition planning meetings as requested by local high
school personnel.
 Conduct pre-admissions visits with prospective students and their families.
2. Provide and coordinate support services for enrolled students with disabilities.
Objectives:
 Pursue purchase of assistive technology required for access to math and
science exams by students with visual impairments.
 Pursue purchase of data tracking software to track student contacts and
utilization of specific support services.
 Provide video phone for deaf/hard of hearing students to utilize video relay
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service. Investigate ways to enhance University's captioning capabilities including
in-house captioning of videos through purchase of equipment and software and
training of deaf/hard of hearing student services staff or student workers and/or
collaboration with Delphi Center staff.
Identify and recruit pool of qualified, freelance interpreters to meet service needs
of deaf students.
Identify and recruit local court reporters to provide real-time captioning for
students when appropriate.
Assist students with disabilities with admissions, ACT, placement testing, advising
and registration procedures.
Review documentation of disability for each student and determine
appropriate accommodations.
Provide and coordinate individualized support services as appropriate for each
student using DRC services.
Provide accommodation in testing for qualified students.
Collaborate with other campus units to assure access by students with
disabilities to tutoring, housing, parking and other University programs and
services.
Contact publishers for electronic textbooks and continue in-house production of etext for students requiring conversion of printed text into alternate format.
Continue to build collaborations with staff from Learning Ally (formerly
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic) to secure materials in alternate format.
Produce large print material as needed to meet accommodation needs of blind
students.
Locate and place furniture in classrooms as needed by students with
disabilities. Continue development of Disability Resource Center web page to
improve communication with enrolled students with disabilities.
3. Develop and administer assessment instruments/activities with emphasis on continued
modification and improvement of services for students.
Objectives:
 Administer Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) Program
Evaluation Survey to students with disabilities, select staff, faculty and
administrators in November 2011.
 Assess Student Learning Outcomes with emphasis on students’ acquisition of
critical thinking skills, continual enhancement of student learning and
program effectiveness. Administer on-line faculty evaluation of test
accommodations.
 Develop and administer assessment of exam accommodation services from
perspective of students with disabilities who use exam services.
 Administer assessment of note taker services from perspective of students with
disabilities who use note taker services and from perspective of students providing
note-taker services.
 Evaluate interpreting staff through observation and student
feedback. Modify policies and services as appropriate based on
assessment results.
4. Facilitate development of leadership, self-advocacy and independent living
skills of students with disabilities.
Objectives:
 Assist Chair of SGA Diversity Committee in planning and delivering two awareness
activities (one in Fall and one in Spring).
 Involve students with disabilities in the production of a video on the
supplemental note-taker service and the opportunity to earn service hours.
 Involve students with disabilities in the production of a disability awareness video
produced in conjunction with the Office of Communications and Marketing.
 Support the formation and development of recognized student organization for
students with disabilities.
 Develop and deliver workshops specific to deaf/hard of hearing students with
emphasis on self-advocacy skills.
 Provide training to students with disabilities in procedures to access support
services including exam accommodation, note taking, supplemental tutoring,
textbook conversion, effective use of interpreter services.
 Provide opportunities for students with disabilities to participate on panel
discussions for classroom presentations and awareness activities.
 Provide training for students with disabilities in communicating support needs
to faculty and other members of the University community.
 Provide training for students with disabilities in use of assistive technology.
 Refer students to group and individual training in academic skill building offered
by REACH.
5. Assist with University-wide efforts to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Objectives:
 Continue discussion and collaboration with faculty and staff from Delphi Center
and Information Technology to address access to math and science by students
with print disabilities.
 Collaborate with faculty, Delphi Center and Information Technology staff to address
need for an academic assistive technology coordinator.
 Collaborate with state ADA Task Force, KY-AHEAD and campus representatives to
design and deliver a disability symposium with focus on role of the ADA Coordinator.
 Work with University ADA Coordinator to define a collaborative relationship.
 Work with Planning, Design and Construction and VPBA on campus wide
accessibility survey to identify and address removal of physical access
barriers.
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Work with staff from Delphi Center, Information Technology, and Marketing
and Communication to address accessibility of distance education classes and
general web content.
Assist Planning, Design, and Construction staff with renovations and new
construction through participation in Technical Advisory Group meetings to
address access issues.
Present training/in-service sessions for academic and service units on disability.
Provide advocacy for access to all University programs and services for
students with disabilities.
6. Serve as a disability resource for students, staff, faculty, and administrators within
the University and for individuals and agencies within the community on access
and advocacy issues.
Objectives:
 Develop and implement disability awareness activities.
 Develop interpreter service option for units requiring interpreters outside
responsibility.
 Monitor ASKDRC service account to provide on-line access to information
about disability services.
 Develop additional on-line information and provide links to existing information
regarding effective teaching strategies for students with disabilities. Refer faculty
to these resources appropriately.
 Represent University on State ADA Task Force for Post-secondary Education.
 Provide continued leadership to Kentucky Association on Higher Education and
Disability through general membership, Board membership, and participation in
listserv discussions.
 Provide information on request to individuals and agencies inside and outside the
 University on disability issues.
 Provide in-service and classroom presentations on disability services as
requested. Continue to support New Faculty Orientation.
 Serve as University contact for Jefferson County Public School's classroom for JCPS
students ages 18-21 housed on our campus.
7. Assist in the successful transition of students with disabilities from
postsecondary education to career field or graduate school.
Objectives:
 Continue to host Workforce Recruitment Program federal interviews.
 Provide assistance to students requiring accommodation on GRE, GMAT, LSAT,
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and other standardized exams.
Collaborate with University Career Center, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation,
Office for the Blind, Center for Accessible Living’s employment initiatives, and
other career-related community agencies to enhance job readiness of students
with disabilities.
Continue development and maintenance of job and career development
information and links for students with disabilities on DRC Web page.
8. Pursue internal and external funding sources to enhance services for students
with disabilities.
Objectives:
 Continue collaboration with staff designated to administer deaf/hard of hearing
funds to secure maximum financial assistance possible.
 Seek funding from Diversity Programming Committee (CODRE) for
purchase of assistive technology.
 Administer i2a grant with 100% financial accountability.
 Collaborate with development office staff to identify applicants for Heidi King
Vaughn scholarship for students with learning disabilities.
 Continue collaboration with Vocational Rehabilitation (Kentucky and other states)
and Office for the Blind to secure additional funding for individual
students/clients. Administer Jennifer Soper Memorial Scholarship for students
with cystic fibrosis. Develop and maintain scholarship information for students
with disabilities on DRC Web page.
9. Provide service and support to other units to assist in attaining University goals
and objectives.
Objectives:
 Maintain Graduate Service Assistantship with emphasis on filling position with
College Student Personnel or Higher Education Administration student.
 Maintain membership on various University committees including Parking
Advisory, CODRE, Athletic Accreditation, Veteran Services Advisory Group.
10. Facilitate and support the professional development of staff.
Objectives:
 Involve all DRC staff in planning and delivery of disability symposium with focus
on the role of the ADA Coordinator.
 Serve as local access coordinator for ACPA Convention in March 2010.
 Serve on Kentucky Association on Higher Education and Disability (KYAHEAD) Board of Directors.
 Serve as chair of KY-AHEAD Scholarship Committee.
 Provide opportunities for diversity training for DRC staff.
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Provide opportunities for and encourage staff to take University classes and
participate in other University-sponsored professional development workshops.
Encourage staff to participate in professional development workshops,
conferences, and associations to the extent possible.
11. Continual evaluation and upgrade of internal office procedures to comply with
University requirements and improve internal operations.
Objectives:
 Support Administrative Assistant’s continued training on University
policies and procedures.
 Continue enhancements on DRC web pages.
 Continue review and improvements of all DRC
internal policies and procedures.
 Investigate collaboration with Counseling Center for possible access to Titanium data
base.
 Attend various Microsoft Office, GroupWise, and other workshops offered by the
University and VPSA office.
10. Issues and Challenges for the Department During 2010-2011 and Beyond
The biggest challenge for the DRC for this time period was preparing for and
implementing the relocation of our facilities and maintaining overall efficiency in the
interim.
In addition, providing effective services for students with disabilities and assisting the
University in meeting general compliance mandates continues to be difficult in the
absence of a strong and effective plan for overall disability compliance.
Service Metrics
# of students with disabilities served: 500
Accommodated exam services:
Number of exams scheduled/administered- 2,477
Number of exams utilizing assistive technology or personal assistant -1040 (42% of
total administered)
Conversion of texts to alternate format:
Number of texts obtained from Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic - 15
Number of texts obtained from publisher- 35
Number of texts scanned and converted in-house - 80
Number of texts converted in-house requiring extensive editing - 10
Note-taker services:
Number of classes note-taker service requested - 720
(class rosters solicited and/or student provided with
note-taker announcements)
Number of classes note-taker service provided - 479
(after withdrawals from classes or withdrawals of
request for service)
Number of student note-takers placed - 277
Number of service hours earned by student note-takers - 8082
Deaf/hard of hearing services:
Number of hours sign language interpreters provided - 933 hours
Number of hours real-time captionists provided - 95 hours