Educational Partners Breakfast - MSJC Michelle Peters, Interim Director Disabled Student Programs & Services (DSPS)

Successful Students DSPS Students at MSJC Samuel is Just One Example of What Students with Disabilities Can Do! Samuel Fall – Interest in Nanoscale Engineering, specializing in Micro-Electromechanical Systems Member, Phi-Theta Kappa (Honors) Member, UCR’s STEM Wind Turbine Competition Presenter, Research Conferences, including UCI Supplemental Instruction Leader for Intermediate Algebra

Ways Students with Disabilities Have an Equal Chance of Success … Begins with Transition Student understanding of: Their educational goals Realistic goals of how they will meet their goals What their individual strengths and weaknesses are What the impact of their disability means for them Self Advocacy Skills

Student Understanding of Their Educational Goals Do students understand : there are academic requirements and pre-requisite classes to advance to a degree or having plans to transfer to a 4 yr college/university? Students with disabilities have the same core requirements as any student

Realistic Goals of How Students Will Meet Their Goals Promotes: Student Confidence Setting Priorities that Correspond with the Goals Keeping the Vision & Persistence Positive Attitude

What Students Individual Strengths & Weaknesses Are How to use individual strengths, resulting in effective accommodations How to minimize situations that rely on weaknesses to demonstrate academic ability

What the Impact of the Disability Means for the Students Learning and Navigation What classes to enroll in What is a realistic course load What combination of classes to take in a semester Which instructors may best fit their learning strengths to optimize classroom learning

Self Advocacy Skills A MUST for all college students! What it Means? What is their disability? How does it impact them? Ability to discuss the non-technical terms of functional limitations Feeling that it’s ‘OK’ to have a disability, the disability is part of who they are … it does not define a student! Empowerment

100 Things Every College Student With a Disability Ought to Know By: Dr. Kendra D. Johnson, Ed.D. and N. Hines ISBN: 093563732X 2005 A great tool to have and it can be fun!

DSPS Website Tools http://www.msjc.edu/dsps Eligibility Workshop Weekly offering – a requirement for all NEW DSPS students Power Point is On-Line 24/7 – Encouragement to Go Thru Power Point with Those in Support Network Slide 6 = Necessary Steps to Become Eligible for Accommodations & Services at MSJC

Questions & Wrapping Up Advice & Recommendations Start the registration process with DSPS E-A-R-L-Y! Assist students in having their disability verification / medical documentation submitted to MSJC Encourage students to put the accommodations and services they are eligible for into place B-E-F-O-R-E each semester begins