Analyzing GCSU’s handicap accessibility

Many students believe that they cannot pursue their dreams if they have handicap disabilities, but at GCSU that is not the case by any means.

Mike Chambers, assistant director of Institutional Equity and Diversity and Disability Services, ensures that handicapped students have just as much capability to achieve academic success as non-handicapped students.

There are over 200 handicapped students on the campus of GCSU according to Chambers. These students have disabilities that vary from physical, sensory or visual. Of the students with disabilities, 80 to 90 percent have learning disorders.

GCSU is an Americans with Disabilities Act compliant school and strives to meet the needs of the students as their first priority according to Chambers.

Of those who enrolled in Spring 2007, 80 percent of handicapped students are still attending GCSU or have already graduated.

“Insuring accessibility is a priority,” Chambers said.

The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity strives to make GCSU accessible and manageable so disabled students can take part in classes and regular student activities.

“I think the handicap access is more than adequate. Almost every building I go in seems to have handicap access,” said Ryan Cheek, a senior computer science major.

For hearing impaired students, interpreters are available for sign language. For visually impaired students, Braille is offered in the classroom setting. In Spring 2010, a totally blind student graduated from GCSU with a 3.0 GPA.

Students with learning disabilities also have many ways to make the classroom more comfortable. Students can take tests in separate areas or be allowed an extended amount of time, if they have that kind of learning need.

According to Chambers, expectations are much different in college. It is the student and families’ responsibility to present their problem or disability to the school.

“A Documentation has to be met, and then steps are taken in order to meet their needs,” Chambers said.

The admission requirements are the same as any other student applying to GCSU.

The Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity coordinates many activities so students can relate more to students with disabilities. The Roll Your Own event is an annual event put on by the office that allows students to see what it’s like to be in a wheelchair on campus.

The office also offers different activities throughout the year geared specifically toward students that do have disabilities.

In addition, a few years ago the office sponsored a game on Front Campus targeted toward visually impaired students called Beep Ball. This game was much like baseball except instead of seeing the ball and bases, you would hear them. This way, students who couldn’t see could play based off sounds.

Posted by Matthew Weaver on Dec 2 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.