Accommodations

The coordination of support services offered by the Office of Diagnostic Testing and Disability Services with the academic departments, the book store, the campus clinic and other auxiliary service providers makes it possible for students with a wide range of disabilities to have program access and a level playing field as they compete and achieve at Prairie View A&M University.

• Learning Disabled
• Hearing Impaired
• Mobility
• Other Health Impairments
• Additional Services
  • Tutoring
    
  • Student Computer Lab
    
  • Adaptive Equipment
    
  • Psycho-education Evaluations

Learning Disabled:

Students with learning disabilities are expected to provide acceptable documentation of their disability when they register with the Office of Diagnostic Testing and Disability Services. If documentation is not available, students can obtain evaluations on campus in the Diagnostic Testing Center or seek services from outside agencies. After eligibility of a learning disability has been established, students will be interviewed and appropriate services will be made available. A letter of professional notification will be given to the student to communicate with faculty and staff regarding the individualized, free and appropriate accommodations being recommended based on the disability. Learning disabled students vary widely in their deficit area and the extent of their disability. The kinds of cognitive deficits found in students with learning disabilities involve skills that represent the essence of what higher education is all about: absorbing information through attention and focus, listening and observing, remembering, processing, organizing, analyzing, synthesizing and applying information, critical thinking, reading comprehension, adequate writing and computational skills. However, in spite of these deficits, thousands of students with learning disabilities graduate from college and lead very productive lives. Most students who enter college have already developed various compensatory skills to help them capitalize on their strengths and circumvent some of their deficits.

Common accommodations for learning disabled students based on functional limitations include: extended time to complete class assignments, extended testing time, note-taker assistance, use of tape recorder, use of calculator and organizational support.

Hearing Impaired:

Students with hearing impairments are encouraged to register with the Office of Diagnostic Testing and Disability Services as early as possible. Documentation for this disability must be obtained by an audiologist or related medical professional. After eligibility is established, an interview is held with the student to discuss individual communication needs and interagency agreements. Requests for interpreter services should be made no less than three weeks before the beginning of a semester or 72 hours before a qualifying class-related event. Interpreting service is provided by skilled interpreters who are hired as needed by the University on an hourly basis. Interpreter services are expensive, so it is important that you notify the Office of Diagnostic Testing and Disability Services of class cancellations or changes as early as possible. There is no charge to the student for interpreter services.

Mobility:

Students with mobility impairments may use a wheelchair, cane, braces or crutches. Prairie View A&M University is an accessible campus. Most facilities are wheelchair accessible and include automatic door openers, ramps, adapted restrooms and elevators. If necessary, the Office of Diagnostic Testing and Disability Services can arrange to have a class moved from one location to another to ensure accessibility. Students with mobility impairments also have access to on-campus transportation through coordination with the Department of Community Life. Parking permits, for a fee, are available to students with mobility deficits who have medical documentation and/or vehicle plates or mirror tags identifying the need. Handicapped parking spaces are located in all parking lots on campus however; these spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Students with dexterity concerns may be granted extended time for testing and completion of assignments, large tables in lieu of desks, seating near an entry or door and note taker assistance. Adapted housing or first-floor placement in our residential facilities can be secured by directly calling the University College or University Village complex. Also, the Office of Diagnostic Testing and Disability Services can assist in identifying off-campus accessible housing. Personal Care Attendants may be requested through external agencies such as DARS by calling 281.644.3920.

Other Health Impairments:

Students with emotional disorders, psychiatric disorders, and other medical or health impairments seeking assistance at Prairie View A&M University are strongly encouraged to register early with the Office of Diagnostic Testing and Disability Services as well as the University Health Center. Services will be coordinated to meet individual needs.
Common accommodations include flexibility in scheduling examinations, homework and attendance, note taker assistance, use of tape recorders, and ability to consume a snack or take breaks during class hours. It is very important that explicit documentation and corresponding course expectations about homework, class attendance and participation be established at the very beginning of the course.

The student and faculty person are expected to communicate early and frequently about the limitations of the disability without compromising the essential teaching elements of the class or learning outcomes of the student. Positive communication is the most important key to working with persons with medical and psychiatric impairments.

Additional Services

The Office of Diagnostic Testing and Disability Services at Prairie View A&M makes every effort to meet each student at their point of need. In that regard the office operates several additional services to promote access and success for students with disabilities.

Tutoring – Qualified tutors are available in math, english and several other academic areas. Students who are unable to access tutoring services offered by the Center for Academic Support in the John B. Coleman Library may arrange tutoring services on a short-term basis with Disability Services office staff.
Student Computer Lab – Computers with the with updated software are available to students with deficits in written expression. The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art workstations. Typing assistance is available with a three-day request timeline.
Adaptive Equipment - is also available to students with disabilities at Prairie View. Adaptive equipment stored in the office include: talking calculator, noise cancellation headphones, colored overlays for dyslexic readers, Inspiration software to help students visualize, think, organize and communicate information, and Keys to Access, reading software utilizing MP3 technology.
Psycho-education Evaluations -- Prairie View A&M University has an on-campus Diagnostic Testing Center that administers psycho-educational evaluations at no cost to the student.