The Seibert Administration Building houses disability services.
Western Herald file photo
July 1st marked the start of Disability Pride Month, which aims to educate and raise awareness about both mental and physical disabilities. At WMU, Disability Support Services (DSS) works to recognize and address disabilities year-round.
Located in Room 2080 of the Seibert Administration Building, DSS has trained professionals who can discuss and implement different types of supports for students with disabilities.
“DSS typically implements a variety of measures and accommodations to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to all aspects of college life,” said Grace Foster, DSS accommodations specialist. “DSS strives to promote inclusion, acceptance, respect and empowerment by providing facilities, resources and education.”
DSS offices provide accommodations for a variety of disabilities, including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, mental health and medical conditions, hearing loss, blindness, visual impairments and mobility challenges.
While the most common accommodations are academic, DSS also offers residence hall accommodations based on a student’s disability needs.
The process for receiving assistance through DSS involves submitting a request through GoWMU’s DSS Accommodate, which requires students to provide information about their disability and medical documentation.
Once the review is complete, the DSS coordinator will set up a meeting with the student to discuss what type of accommodation would be most beneficial.
“DSS engages students in the process through an interactive process,” Foster said. “During meetings with the DSS coordinator, barriers and strategies, such as reasonable accommodations, modifications and adjustments, are discussed and requirements are determined to provide the student with access to learning.”
The DSS office wants students to know that they also accommodate temporary disabilities such as injuries or illnesses.
“If you get sick or injured on campus, DSS will provide temporary accommodations so you don’t have to drop out of classes,” Foster said.
To submit an accommodation request, please visit DSS Accommodate on GoWMU. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact DSS at 269-387-2116.