Guide to Services for People with Disabilities
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J. Scott and Susan MacDonald Miller Center for Student Disability Services, Miami University. Guide to Services for People with Disabilities GUIDE TO SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES i On behalf of the entire staff of the Division of Student Life, welcome to Miami University and the community of Oxford, Ohio. We are thrilled that you have joined our community, and we are happy to partner with you to make your time at Miami University as rewarding and productive as possible. The J. Scott and Susan MacDonald Miller Center for Student Disability Services is an essential element of the work of our division, which is dedicated to helping students find their place at Miami, engage with the community, and identify and utilize the array of support services you’ll need to succeed and reach your goals. We hope that you find the information contained in this guide helpful, and we encourage you to carefully review and utilize these resources. Beyond these printed pages, however, please know that the staff of the Miller Center – as well as our entire division – are eager and equipped to be partners in your success. We look forward to working with you. Best regards, Jayne Brownell, Vice President for Student Life Miami University • The Millers are pleased to establish an endowment to Miami University to inaugurate the J. Scott and Susan MacDonald Miller Center for Student Disability Services so that students with disabilities can have the support they need to receive their Miami degree. Scott and Susan are proud to have their name associated with such an important Center on campus. • J. Scott and Susan Miller • • “The“Th egenerous generous giftgift that tha tthe the Millers Millers are are makingmaking toto MiamiMiami UniversityUniversity willwil lleave leave a llegacyegacy for generationsfor generat ioofn currents of cur randent futureand fu tRedhawksure Redhaw thatks t supportshat supp oourrts oinstitutionalur institutio missionnal mis sofio n of inclusive excellence while enhancing our ongoing cultural engagement of students inclusive excellence while enhancing our ongoing cultural engagement of students with with disabilities at Miami.” disabilities at Miami.” - J. Andrew Zeisler (‘88, ‘00), Director, J. Scott and Susan • - J. Andrew Zeisler (‘88, ‘00), Director, MacDonald MillerJ. Sc Centerott and forSus Studentan MacD Disabilityonald Mil lServiceser Center for Student Disability Services Confidentiality: Information and records received by Student Disability Services are held in strict confidence, and the Miller Center Confidentiality: Information and records received by Student Disability Services are held in strict confidence, and staffth efollows Miller theCe nguidelinester staff fosetllo wforths th bye g theuid eFamilylines s Educationalet forth by tRightshe Fam andily EPrivacyducati oActna lof R i1974ghts a(FERPA).nd Priva cUndery Act FERPAof 1974 students have(FE theRP Aright). U tond control,er FER Pinspect,A stude andnts reviewhave th theire rig educationalht to contro records.l, inspec Accesst, and r emayview be th grantedeir edu ctoa tothersional r ebyco therds student. Acces sthrough may the be granted to others by the student through the MyMiami portal at MiamiOH.edu/mymiami. When requesting letters MyMiami portal at MiamiOH.edu/mymiami. When requesting letters of accommodation students are asked if parents have been of accommodation students are asked if parents have been granted FERPA permissions, and if the Miller Center staff grantedhave pFERPAermiss ipermissions,on to discus sand ge nife theral Millereduca Centertion ne staffeds whaveith p permissionarents/gua tord discussians, as generalwell as weducationith their ineedsnstruc withtors . ii MIAMI UNIVERSITY parents/guardians, as well as with their instructors. Student Services The J. Scott and Susan MacDonald Miller Center for Student Disability Services facilitates equal opportunities for students with disabilities and, as such, is proactive in its efforts to comply with federal laws such as Section 504 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the ADA Amendments of 2009. The Miller Center follows best practices for students with disabilities in higher education by providing support services, reasonable accommodations, and adaptive technology resources to ensure equal access to education, student employment, and university life. Furthermore, it is the mission of the Miller Center to advance and sustain an environment of internal equity, diversity and inclusiveness for all members of the university community, and the Miller Center staff will fulfill this commitment with compassion, understanding and fairness to all parties involved and act as a resource for all university offices. ACCOMMODATIONS Accommodations available through the Miller Center include, but are not limited to, extended time on exams, distraction-reduced testing, advanced registration, housing accommodations, sign language interpreters and CART services, note- taking resources, learning software, adaptive technology and print materials in alternative formats, to name a few. TECHNOLOGY Currently available hardware: LiveScribe pens, large monitors, scanners, CCTVs, tactile image enhancers, Roger Pens, speaking or talking calculators, and Braille printers. Currently available software: Dragon NaturallySpeaking, Duxbury Braille, JAWS, ZoomText, Read & Write, and Kurzweil. ANIMALS ON CAMPUS A service animal, defined by the ADA, is an animal that is trained to provide a service for an individual with a disability, and they are welcome on Miami’s campus. Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), animals that are not trained to perform a service other than emotional support, may be considered as a reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act. For more information about the ESA accommodation process, please contact the Miller Center. GUIDE TO SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES 1 ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY POLICY Miami University is committed to providing equal opportunity for qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in, and benefit from, Miami’s services, programs and activities. The purpose of the Accessible Technology Policy is to acknowledge Miami’s commitment to equal opportunity for qualified individuals with disabilities including services, programs, and activities that Miami delivers through web-based, digital, and emerging technologies. A link to the AT policy can be found at MiamiOH.edu/accessmu. ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES Accessible Technology Services (ATS) was created to support accessibility fundamentals across the University infrastructure, providing information and services to enhance equal access for students with and without disabilities. Responsibilities include the review and testing of applications, websites, and documents; accessibility training; and captioning support services. For more information about ATS, please visit MiamiOH.edu/accessmu. Faculty Notification Letters Voter Registration Once approved for services, In accordance with the National students with disabilities Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of are eligible for a faculty 1993, the Miller Center is a voter notification letter to be shared registration site. Individuals may with instructors that outlines register to vote, change their accommodation strategies for address, or request assistance the semester. Letters must be from the Miller Center staff in requested through the Students completing the voter registration Accessing Miami (SAM) portal process by visiting the Miller (MiamiOH.edu/SAM) by the Center. For more information student each semester, and it is about the NVRA and other voter expected that students will meet registration information, with their professors to discuss please visit: sos.state.oh.us. each accommodation and/or service listed in the letter. 2 MIAMI UNIVERSITY Prospective Students Prospective students with disabilities are encouraged to contact or visit the Miller Center in their junior or senior years in high school during campus visits to Miami University. If you are visiting during a campus tour through the Office of Admission, feel free to let their staff know that you would like to meet with a Miller Center staff member and they will make a referral. “I am forever grateful to the SDS team for paving my path to higher education and for ensuring my comfort and equal access every step of the way.” — Megan Zahneis, Class of 2019 Applying for Disability Services The Miller Center provides accommodations and/or services for a variety of disabilities such as physical, psychiatric, medical, neurological, autism spectrum disorders, and learning disabilities. Students must self-disclose their need for accommodation and submit verifying documentation according to current Miller Center documentation guidelines. Guidelines can be found at the Miller Center website. SAM (Students Accessing Miami) is an online system that students use to apply for accommodations and manage services while attending Miami. Students may apply for accommodations and/or services by completing a New Student Application in SAM at MiamiOH.edu/SAM.MiamiOH.edu/SAM. Select “New Student Application,” complete the brief questionnaire, and upload documentation. If necessary, documentation may be uploaded at a later time. Upon receipt and review of a student’s application and documentation, the student will be notified of their eligibility status via their Miami email account. This process can take up to 10 business days . Any questions about the application process