Main Campus
R. Joe Dennis Learning Center Building
Rooms 538 and 548
Accessible entrance on south side of the building
Parking located in lot immediately west of building
Office Hours: 8:00 - 5:00 PM
“Refers to broad-spectrum architectural planning ideas meant to produce buildings, products and environments that are inherently accessible to both the able-bodied and the physically disabled”. Disability Services’ mission and purpose is driven by principles of Universal Design and the socio-political model of disability. Through ongoing exploration and consultation provided to faculty, administration and departments within the university, Disability Services strives to promote this systematic change. This ideology is best explained by the information below, produced by the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD).
In the past, many disability service providers built their service and philosophical constructs on the tenants of the medical and rehabilitation model. Although this has been effective in most cases in providing programmatic access and accommodations for individuals, one person at a time, it reinforces a “separate but equal” system rather than a full inclusion within the community of peers. It does not provide an avenue for the development of self determination or disability pride for the person receiving services. This model does not take into account that the environment and the curriculum design often limit the full participation of people with disabilities.
