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Disabled Student
Services lends a hand
By Holli Kolkey
Special to the On-line Forty-Niner
Jennifer Shipley,
a senior fine arts major at Cal State Long Beach, is looking
forward to graduating this spring. Although she works on campus,
Shipley knows little about any other of the many specialized
services available at CSULB.
"I know about
the Career Development Center only because I work there,"
Shipley said. "I know there is a Disabled Student Services,
because the Career Development Center works with them to find
jobs.
Though Shipley
knew the DSS existed on campus, like many other CSULB students,
she had no further knowledge of the assistance that the DSS
offers.
The DSS is a government
aided program that has existed on campus for nearly thirty
years and gives aid to approximately 1,300-1,500 disabled
students at any given time, said Coordinator of DSS, Peter
Perbix.
A disabled individual
is someone who has one or more life function impairments,
according to Perbix. This includes physically and mentally
handicapped, people who suffer from learning disabilities,
narcolepsy, or HIV, Perbix said.
Individuals suffering
from drug and alcohol abuse are also eligible for aid from
the DSS if they have been diagnosed as an addict and are receiving
professional counseling, Perbix added.
Students who qualify
for DSS services can receive help reading; the DSS can assist
a student in obtaining textbooks on tape, placing interpreters
who know sign language in a deaf student's class, tutoring,
and note taking, Perbix explained.
"All the kids
who broke their leg or wrist snow-boarding over winter break
may not be able to take notes or walk across campus, come
to us," Perbix said.
Though DSS aids
any disability, learning disabilities are most commonly served,
said Perbix. There are 250 learning disabilities diagnosable,
Perbix explained.
If a student believes
he or she may have learning disability, the DSS can test the
student for free. A series of three sit-down tests that total
seven to ten hours will be conducted on the student over five
sessions, Perbix said.
"Get in as
soon as possible," Perbix urged.
The waiting list
to be tested that could be as long as a few months, Perbix
said.
If a disabled student,
participating in DSS offers many aids like priority registration,
extended time for test taking in a private room and if necessary
a handicap parking permit.
Perbix said that
250 handicap parking passes have been given out in the last
week alone.
Disabled Student
Services also hosts seminars to teach professors and tutors
to be aware of disabilities. A commissioner who sits on the
student body represents the DSS. This commissioner has say
in every construction change that takes place on campus, Perbix
said.
Disabled students
boast a 70-75 percent graduation rate in comparison to CSULB's
30-35 percent graduation rate, Perbix boasted.
All DSS services
are completely confidential and free to the student, Perbix
said.
"That's pretty
cool," said student Jennifer Shipley.
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