1. Our legal mandate is Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which requires that reasonable accommodation be
provided for students with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) of 1990 is patterned after Section 504 and prohibits discrimination in
employment, transportation, public accommodations, state and local governments,
and telecommunications.
2. Under Section 504 and the ADA, a disability is defined as any physical or
mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
3. ODS works with students with four major disability categories: mobility,
visual and hearing impairments; and students with invisible disabilities such as
learning disabilities/ADD, chronic medical conditions, psychiatric disabilities,
and substance abuse/recovery.
4. A disability is the physical or mental impairment itself; a handicap is the
combination of attitudinal, architectural or programmatic barriers that limit
access for a person with a disability.
5. Students with both long-term/permanent and temporary disabilities may
register for services with ODS. Registration for support services is strictly
voluntary and students register with ODS on a confidential basis.
6. The single largest disability category at Barnard is invisible or
non-apparent disability. In academic year 2007-08, there were 140 registered
students with disabilities and over 90% were in the invisible disability
category.
7. Make sure that students with disabilities (especially LD) are clear about
Barnard’s academic requirements (e.g. foreign language, lab science,
quantitative reasoning, physical education) and possible modifications, not
exemptions.
8. Although most of our LD and ADD students have previous diagnoses, a small
percentage of our students with learning disabilities are diagnosed while at
Barnard. Students with previously undiagnosed learning disabilities/ADD may come
to ODS for an initial screening interview with LD Coordinator Olga Hrycak and
may then be referred for off-campus diagnostic testing. Please see ODS Referrals
List for LD/ADD Testing.
9. ODS directs an Accommodative Aide Program in which volunteer and paid
students serve in a variety of capacities: mobility and personal aides,
proofreaders, tutors, readers, etc.
10.ODS offers a variety of disability-related programming throughout the year:
co-sponsorship of Project OWL: Options in Writing and Learning, developed by ODS
and the Writing Center; co-sponsorship with SGA of Barnard fall/winter/spring
blood drives; participation in the Barnard Wellness Committee with Well-Woman,
Student Health Services, Physical Education and Human Resources; co-sponsorship
of Celebrate Food for Life in September; Healthy Heart Days in February; SPF
(Summer Pleasures Factors) in April; the BAID Network (Barnard Alumnae Involved
with Disabilities); the 504/ADA Access Committee; the ODS E-Mentors Program;
student panels/workshops…and more.
ODS 08/08
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