Power Grid Blog
Introducing Wright State University AAPD Higher Education's newest 4.0 Partner
May 22, 2012 | Dana Fink
The AAPD Higher Education team is thrilled to introduce our newest 4.0 Partner, Wright State University. AAPD 4.0 Partners are colleges and universities that help students with disabilities reach their full potential by sharing their best practices and Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio unquestionably achieves that standard. The staff at the Wright State Office of Disability Services (ODS) goes beyond providing required services and instead act toward the goal of successfully transitioning students with disabilities into meaningful employment and independent living.
To ensure the end goal of independent living for their students, Wright State recognizes the need for a variety of services and trainings around personal attendants (PA). Students with disabilities needing attendant services are empowered as employers of PAs and are taught how to hire and fire their employees, beginning with a freshman seminar on managing your personal assistant. One of the most unique features of the on-campus PA system which has been a part of the Wright State environment for 37 years is the PA station located in one of the main campus buildings. This provides students the opportunity to use the restroom or receive other accommodations without having to bring their own personal assistant or head back to their dorm rooms. For off-campus personal assistants, there is also great adaptability at Wrights State; students can even receive any number of extra keys at no cost for their personal assistants. Finally, in keeping with the idea of successful transitions to independent living, Wright State staff put a significant focus on moving students from the dorms into accessible apartments.
Wright State University recognizes the value of careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (known as the STEM fields) for all students and supports students with disabilities to be a part of this movement. To assist in this effort, they have established the Ohio STEM Ability Alliance, a coalition of high schools, universities, community colleges, and employers to increase the number of students with disabilities in STEM fields. To accomplish this goal, they provide mentoring, advising, internship and research experience, and scholarship opportunities for students with disabilities.
Finally, Wright State University has a number of initiatives in place that help to alleviate the biggest barriers faced by disability services offices across the country: funding and staffing shortages. They do this through a focus on integration and universal design. One of these elements is an underground tunnel system, an asset to all students in the wintertime, but particularly to those with mobility disabilities. Another resource saving idea that the university has implemented is having staff members from other departments, such as campus recreation, attend ODS staff meetings. Through this integrated approach, campus rec has become more accessible with little extra cost.
AAPD is grateful to the staff and students at Wright State University for sharing with us some of their best practices in the field of higher education. To read more about these best practices, please read the full report here.
Does your college or university have best practices you want to share? To find out how or to learn more about our 4.0 Partners, visit http://www.aapd.com/what-we-do/education/higher-education/
