Review and evaluate Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) program to encourage student participation in services and to promote efficacy of same.

Provide academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services for purpose of promoting full and equal access on part of students with disabilities to educational programs and activities and student life.

Questionnaire administered at conclusion of Fall, 2014 and Spring, 2015 semesters, respectively, to gauge client satisfaction with various aspects of the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD).

SSD will administer Program Evaluation Surveys to its clients by means of mass e-mailings at the conclusion of the Fall, 2014 and Spring, 2015 semesters, respectively, in an effort to gauge client satisfaction with the quality and efficacy of it services.

SSD anticipates the following results from its Program Evaluation Surveys in 2014-2015:

1) At least 80% of respondents will rate their overall experience with SSD as "Good" or "Excellent;" and

2) At least 80% of respondents utilizing academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services provided by SSD will report that these services contributed to improvements in their academic performance.

The 2014-2015 SSD Program Evaluation Surveys yielded the following, cumulative results:

1) 85.3% of respondents rated their overall experience with SSD as either “excellent” (57.4%) or “good” (27.9%).   96.7% of respondents indicated that they would definitely or probably recommend SSD services to fellow SHSU students with disabilities.     

2) 82.5% of respondents reported that the accommodations provided by SSD contributed to improvements in their academic performance. With regard to auxiliary aids and services, 63.7% and 80.0% of respondents indicating usage of alternative textbook services and captioning/transcription services, respectively, credited these services with improvements in their course grades.  71.4% of respondents endorsing use of the SSD Adaptive Technology Lab characterized the lab computers, adaptive software, and related technologies as adequate for their purposes.

The results of the 2014-2015 SSD Program Evaluation Surveys suggest that students are generally satisfied with the quality of SSD services and would recommend SSD to fellow SHSU students with disabilities.   In an effort to increase the survey response rate, the SSD staff provided students with verbal reminders regarding the surveys and designated a desk-top computer in the Adaptive Technology Lab for use on students’ part in completing the surveys.  In addition, the department continued to utilize pre- and reminder mass e-mailings to students regarding the surveys.  As a likely result of these efforts, the survey response rate increased from 6.7% in 2013-2014 to 9.1% in 2014-2015.   Given the still, relatively limited response rate to the Program Evaluation Surveys, however, SSD will explore additional means of increasing the response rate and, as a consequence, generating a larger and more representative sampling of client satisfaction than has been observed in previous cycles.

The 2014-2015 survey results further suggest that SSD services, including auxiliary aids and services, contribute to improved academic performance on the part of SSD clients.  In particular, respondents utilizing alternative textbook services and captioning/transcription services, respectively, credit these services with improvements in their course grades.  Moreover, the results suggest that students are generally satisfied with the quality of auxiliary aids and services provided by SSD.  In addition, the 2014-2015 surveys reflect increased satisfaction on the part of SSD clients with the Adaptive Technology Lab.  As noted above, 71.4% of the 2014-2015 respondents endorsing use of the Adaptive Technology Lab indicated that the lab was adequate for their purposes, compared with 50.0% of such respondents in the 2013-2014 surveys.  This increase is likely attributable to the relocation and expansion of the lab within the Lee Drain Annex and the upgrading of adaptive software, completed in August-September, 2014.  As was the case with the 2013-2014 results, however, the current findings suggest a limited awareness on the part of SSD clients regarding the adaptive technologies available at the SSD Office and other venues on the SHSU campus.  For instance, only 11.3% of the 2014-2015 survey respondents indicated use of the Adaptive Technology Lab.  Limitations in time and resources precluded the development of outreach programming designed to publicize such technologies in 2014-2015.  In future cycles, the department will explore additional means of publicizing these services and technologies, encouraging the use of such technologies, and collecting data regarding client satisfaction with same.  In pursuing these objectives, SSD will attempt to partner with various departments on campus, such as the Newton-Gresham Library, the Academic Success Center, and the campus bookstore, to facilitate orientations to adaptive technologies and alternative formats of instructional materials.

Promote the acquisition of knowledge and skills essential to the vocational development of students with disabilities.

Present educational programs to students with disabilities to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and skills essential to their vocational development and transition to employment. 

SSD will partner with Career Services and other departments on the SHSU campus to present educational workshops and related training opportunities for students with disabilities, addressing such issues as:  the rights of persons with disabilities in the workplace; disability disclosure; workplace accommodations;  and campus and community resources for persons with disabilities seeking employment.    

Questionnaires administered at conclusion of outreach and educational programs to gauge the extent of knowledge and understanding gleaned by program participants.

As a result of the aforementioned programs, SSD will observe the following in participant surveys:

1) At least 80% of respondents will report increased knowledge of the rights of persons with disabilities in the workplace and the process for requesting workplace accommodations; and

2) At least 80% of respondents will report increased awareness of campus and community resources for persons with disabilities seeking employment.

The following findings were obtained from participant surveys administered at the “No Limits:  Removing Barriers to Your Career Success” workshop jointly presented by SSD and Career Services:

1)  100% of participants reported that, as a result of the workshop, they had a better understanding of the rights of persons with disabilities in the workplace and the process for requesting workplace accommodations.  Additional comments on the surveys further indicated that the participants found the information on disability disclosure and resume preparation quite helpful.; and

2) 100% of participants reported that, as a result of the workshop, they had a greater awareness of campus and community resources that assist students with disabilities with their transition from college to a career.  In addition, 100% of participants reported greater familiarity with the services provided by the Career Services Office.

The participants in the “No Limits:  Removing Barriers to Your Career Success” workshop, jointly presented by SSD and Career Services, indicated that this program enhanced their knowledge and awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities in employment  settings, the process for disclosing one’s disability and requesting accommodations in the workplace, and campus and community resources that assist persons with disabilities in developing their vocational potential and transitioning to employment.  Per the survey findings noted above, this workshop was successful in meeting its learning objectives.  It should be noted, however, that attendance at the workshop was limited, despite concerted efforts on the part of SSD and Career Services to publicize it.  Moreover, limitations in time and staffing precluded additional such programs in the 2014-2015 cycle. 
Given the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the participants in the “No Limits” workshop, SSD will further explore opportunities for student outreach and education in the coming cycle, particularly, with regard to the issues of vocational and career development, disability awareness, and SSD services.  SSD will collaborate with other departments on campus, such as Career Services, in disseminating such programs to a wider audience.

Provide training in disability related topics to SHSU faculty and staff.

Promote awareness and understanding of disability-related issues on part of SHSU faculty members by means of training opportunities, such as outreach presentations, workshops, teleconferences, etc.

SSD will present outreach programs on disability-related topics to additional academic departments in 2014-2015.  These programs will address such topics as:  SSD policies and procedures; responsibilities of faculty members regarding student accommodations; testing procedures for accommodated exams on the Huntsville campus and the satellite campuses; recommended strategies for recruiting volunteer student note-takers; alternative formats of instructional materials; and the limits of client confidentiality regarding disability-related information.

Questionnaires administered at conclusion of training opportunities to gauge extent of disability-related knowledge, insights, and/or skills gleaned by participants.

As a result of the aforementioned programs, SSD expects to observe the following in participant surveys: 

1) At least 80% of respondents participating in faculty outreach programs addressing SSD policies and procedures will report increased knowledge and understanding of said policies and procedures; and

2) At least 80% of respondents will report increased knowledge and  understanding of their responsibilities as faculty members regarding students with disabilities.

The following findings were obtained from participant surveys administered to the College of Health Sciences Leadership Team at the conclusion of the presentation, “SSD Services, Policies, and Procedures:”

1) 100% of participants reported that, as a result of the presentation, they had a fuller knowledge of SSD services, policies, and procedures; and

2) 100% of participants reported that, as a result of the presentation, they had a clearer understanding of faculty responsibilities regarding students with disabilities.

The findings obtained from participant surveys at the faculty outreach presentation noted above indicate that this presentation was successful in meeting its learning objectives, i.e., to promote enhanced knowledge and understanding on the part of faculty members regarding SSD policies and procedures and the responsibilities of faculty vis-à-vis students with disabilities.  It should be noted that this presentation was the only faculty outreach program conducted by the department in the 2014-2015 cycle, despite concerted efforts on the part of SSD to engage the academic colleges and departments in such programming.  At various junctures in the 2014-2015 cycle, SSD contacted the academic deans and department chairs, respectively, by e-mail to offer such presentations at chair and faculty meetings.  Regrettably, these offers resulted in only one firm invitation for SSD to present, i.e., to the College of Health Sciences Leadership Team, as noted above.  In future cycles, SSD will attempt to partner with the Faculty Senate and the Professional and Academic Center for Excellence (PACE) in conducting outreach presentations on disability services to faculty members.