The Disability Resource Services (DRS) has been working to improve the lives of students with disabilities. The goal of DSR is to create inclusion for students with disabilities by eliminating barriers while working to help students have access to their courses and classrooms.
After the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act passed in 1990, all schools were required to have something in place for students with disabilities. Marvin Williams, the director of DRS for the past year, explains the services and goals of DRS.
“Folks need to understand what their rights are and they are welcome on campus. If there’s things they need they can ask. Also getting the campus to be responsive and proactive. Expanding awareness for the students and the rest of the campus community to make sure that everybody knows that were here but we have students with disabilities here too and they need to be seen and heard,” Williams said.
A graduate student, who prefers to remain anonymous, shares their experience with DRS saying that “I would email them or fill something out each semester saying what classes I was taking and the accommodations I needed like enlarged font on documents and handouts. I also needed double time on my exams. I would have to have the professors sign the form each semester.”
Employees of the DRS emphasized that their common goal is to ensure that those students that need help are helped.
“We have a variety of jobs here. We do clerical work, so we work front desk and greet incoming people, answer phone calls, respond to emails,” Daisy Herrera (junior, Liberal Studies) said. “We provide cart services for people who have disabilities who can’t get around campus as easily. we take them from their car to class. Class to car. We also provide in class assistance for students who have disabilities. We’re their eyes, their ears, their legs, their hands to support them.”
One unique position is the “alt-media assistant” job. According to Robertson Yang, “My position is different because I’m an alt-media person, a student assistant for alt-media, aka alternative media. We convert their books. We request the book as pdf, or word document or the student requests an mp3. If a student requests mp3 we convert the pdf or word document into mp3. We also scan documentaries; like a document they get from class, or if you’re a specific student we have movie audio description.”
Having something available like DRS is vital to not only a campus community, in order to comply with ADA, but also aids in the future success of students with disabilities.
Douglas Vigil, an active member and advocate for the City of Stockton’s Task Force for Persons with Disabilities provided his take on the impact that a program such as DRS can make.
Vigil explains, “When you are disabled you experience a lot of discrimination and barriers in the environment. Sometimes our disabilities block us from being able to communicate with people and our environment is not ADA friendly. It is important to have accommodation for the students with disabilities so that education can be their main priority.”
Yang also shared future plans for the DRS saying, “For the alt media portion of DRS, we are trying to make our books as perfect as possible because there are some books that are very badly formatted. We have to make it very perfect for students online so it can be readable through online. Also we try to get our work done as quick as possible and able to read through math problems also.”
Further, Cristal Perez (sophomore, Pre-Nursing) said “I just want to tell everyone not to be shy to come in. If they feel like they need our assistance or our help or more information on what we do, they should come in. There is a stigma about getting help from places like us. They shouldn’t be shy. They should come in because it’s available, and in order for them to succeed, they must take the first step.”
DRS encourages students who believe they may need assistance to reach out to them. Students can call (209) 667-3159 or drop by the DRS, which is located at inside of the Vasche Library.
For more information about the DRS and updates, follow them on Twitter and Instagram @stanstatedrs.
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DRS student assistants, Cristal Perez and Daisy Herrera, working hard and enjoying assisting students. (Photo Courtesy of Nicole Dunlap)
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The entrance to Disability Resource Services, which can be found in the Vasche Library room 165. Students can drop by any time for assistance. (Photo Courtesy of Nicole Dunlap)
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