Disability Services (ODS)
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. 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 services.
Students who request accommodations are responsible for initiating the process with the Office of Disability Services and for requesting academic or environmental accommodations. The Office of Disability Services asks that individuals requesting services (accommodations and/or access) complete the self-disclosure and request for services form, including a description of the student’s disability, the disability’s likely impact on your educational experiences and the successful use of accommodations in the past. These forms are available on the website at www.esu.edu/caps under Disability Services.
Academic accommodations allow equal access to academic programs and include classroom and assessment accommodations, and are based on the evaluation process, a student’s course of study and current functional limitations. 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. 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.
Intake interviews usually occur during the first semester the individual with a disability requests services and attends classes. During this interview, accommodations and assistive technology needs are determined. The Office of Disabilities Services also provides an Assistive Technologist, who is available to instruct students in various assistive technologies to help students with their academic studies. After the interview meeting with the faculty member in the Office of Disability Services, the student is given a letter of accommodation listing the academic accommodations and/or assistive technology the student is entitled to use for each class. The student is responsible to provide a copy of this letter of accommodation to the professor of each class at the beginning of the semester. Some frequently used academic accommodations and assistive technology devices 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.
The Office of Disability Services is now located on the third floor of the Science and Technology Building, 108 Normal Street. Normal hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Services generally are offered by appointment and may be scheduled by stopping at the office in-person or by calling 570-422-3. For additional information, visit our Disability Services at www.esu.edu/caps. 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.