University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

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• “An unexpected benefit of the project is that it has opened up a level of awareness at UB regarding ‘disability’ for many individuals who never really considered it before.”

  Susan Mann Dolce

  Counselor, Office of Disability Services

By SUE WUETCHER

Published: October 15, 2008

UB is taking part in a national survey to gather information relevant to the assessment of the campus climate for individuals with disabilities.

All faculty, staff and students are asked to participate in the 10-minute ACCESS (Assessment of Campus Climate to Enhance Student Success) survey, which is being coordinated by UB’s Office of Disability Services. The survey is being conducted by college and universities nationwide in collaboration with the Association on Higher Education and Disability, a professional membership organization for individuals involved in developing policy and providing quality services to meet the needs of persons with disabilities involved in all areas of higher education.

The survey, which is anonymous, is being conducted now through Oct. 31 and can be accessed at http://www.ahead.org/survey/access/buffalo/login.php; the case-sensitive username and password are Buffalo and Disability, respectively.

The survey is gathering data from members of the UB community—both those with and without disabilities—“regarding their knowledge, experiences and perceptions about disabilities,” says Susan Mann Dolce, a counselor in the Office of Disability Services and principal investigator on UB’s portion of ACCESS. It also asks questions about what kinds of information and support the campus needs—and in what format—to best support students with disabilities, she says.

Dolce, who also is a clinical instructor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, says participating in the survey will provide UB with a proactive approach to planning and implementing services for persons with disabilities, calling it “a good fit” with such campus initiatives and programs as UB 2020, the Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDEA Center) in the School of Architecture and Planning, the Center for Assistive Technology in the School of Public Health and Health Professions, and the Communication and Assistive Device Laboratory (CADL) in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences.

The results of the survey, Dolce says, will be used “to assist UB and Disability Services to develop a strategic plan that will maximize the use of resources available, and grow from there regarding access and universal design.”

“An unexpected benefit of the project is that it has opened up a level of awareness at UB regarding ‘disability’ for many individuals who never really considered it before,” she notes, adding that she has received numerous comments from members of the campus community who are pleased to see UB participating in this kind of research.