Disability Services
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is committed to providing equal educational access to otherwise qualified students with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities are guaranteed certain protections and rights of equal access to programs and services under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). Therefore, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania recognizes the responsibility of the university community to provide equal educational access and full participation in any university programs and activities.
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania believes that an individual’s access to opportunities for achievement and personal fulfillment must be determined solely on the basis of the person’s ability and interest.
The Office of Disability Services at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania provides accommodations and services to students with documented disabilities (i.e., specific learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, chronic illnesses, mobility impairments, deaf/hard of hearing, blind/low vision, psychiatric disabilities, traumatic brain injuries and other disabilities not specified) that result in substantial limitation of a major life activity.
Students who request accommodations are responsible for initiating the process with the Office of Disability Service and for requesting those accommodations (academic or environmental). The Office of Disability Services asks that individuals requesting services (accommodations and/or access) complete the self-disclosure and request for services form. Please include a description of your disability, the disability’s likely impact on your educational experiences and the successful use of accommodations. In order to fully evaluate requests for accommodations or adjustments, East Stroudsburg University requests supporting documentation which can be valuable in the deliberative process of providing accommodations and/or access to the educational environment. Supporting documentation can include medical records, psycho-educational testing, school records that specify the impact the disability has on physical, perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral activities, and/or past records of accommodations and services.
The faculty members in the Office of Disability Services provide basic services and facilities accommodations for eligible students with disabilities who self-identify with a disability, provide appropriate supporting documentation and request service. The evaluation process includes a review of the self-disclosure and request form, supporting documentation, an interview with the student, and the assessment of the student’s program of study during the first semester the student requests services.
Academic accommodations allow equal access to academic programs and include classroom and assessment accommodations. Academic accommodations are based on the evaluation process, a student’s course of study and current functional limitations.
Academic accommodations are included in a letter which students give to professors at the beginning of each semester and /or after the interview meeting with the faculty member of the Office of Disability Services. Interview meetings occur during the first semester the individual with a disability requests services and attends classes.
Some frequently used academic accommodations include but are not limited to:
- Extended time on exam
- Student note taking
- Reader/scribe for exams
- Exams taken on computer
- Textbooks in alternative format
- Computer access programs
Environmental accommodations provide equal access to facilities and may include housing and parking accommodations. Environmental accommodations are based on a student’s current functional limitations and the evaluative process. Please review the procedure to receive services for more information.
All personal services (attendant care, transportation on / to campus, etc.) and equipment (e.g., wheelchairs, hearing aids) are the responsibility of each student and will not be provided by Office of Disability Services.
East Stroudsburg University is the home of the Alpha Chapter of Delta Alpha Pi (DAP) International Honor Society, established in 2004. It is the first honorary designed specifically to recognize the academic accomplishments of college and university students with disabilities. Undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of 24 credits and earned a quality point average of 3.1 are eligible for membership in DAP. Delta Alpha Pi has 65 chapters nationwide.
Visit our website at www.esu.edu/disabilityservices for more information. To receive services please submit self-disclosure form and supporting documentation to the Office of Disability Services, Fax (570) 422-3898 or email ods@esu.edu.