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DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING STUDENT SERVICES GUIDELINES

Main Office: A255 Murphy Hall (310) 825-1501 voice, (310) 206-6083 tty, (310) 825-9656 fax
Resource Room: 181 Powell Library (310) 825-2651
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Student Services (310) 267-2005, (310) 206-6083 tty

Welcome to UCLA and to the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). As a new student at UCLA, we hope you will enable us to help you have a rich academic and personal experience. The OSD is here to assist you in receiving equal educational opportunities. The OSD staff members value, respect, and encourage your independence.

UCLA's Office for Students with Disabilities is mandated by federal and state law as well as University policy to provide academic support services to students with permanent and temporary disabilities who have a verifiable disability-based need. Services are available, upon request, to assist you in completing your academic requirements and to attend campus programs and activities. These guidelines describe the procedure for obtaining these services.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is extended to all students receiving services from the OSD. All OSD staff and employees working with students are required to keep all student information strictly confidential.

Qualifying for Services

Once you have been accepted to the University, you will need to register with OSD. Make an appointment with the Assistant Director. You will be asked to complete the OSD intake form and submit documentation regarding your hearing impairment.

Available Services

Assistive Listening Devices

Assistive listening devices are available for students who are hard of hearing. These devices are specialized wireless microphone systems; the professor wears a miniature microphone and the student has a small receiver with a volume control. The signal is sent by FM radio waves or infrared light. Background noises are eliminated and the student hears the teacher's voice clearly.

The OSD has infra-red receiving units which are available for loan to be used in the following rooms which have a built-in infrared system:

• Boelter 2444, 3400, 5249, 5264, 5436
• Botany 325 Bunche 1209B, 2209A
• Dodd 121, 146, 147, 161, 175
• Fowler A103B, A139
• Franz 1178, 1260
• Geology 3656
• Haines A2, A18, A25, A44, 39, 118, 220
• Humanities A51, A65, 135, 169,
• Kaufman 101
• Kinsey Pavilion 1200B, 1220B, 1240B
• LaKretz 100, 101, 110, 120
• Life Sciences 4127
• Math Sciences 4000A, 5200, 5225, 5233, 6229
• Moore 100
• Perloff 1102 Physics & Astronomy 1425, 1434A, 1749, 2434, 2748
• Public Policy 1222, 1234, 1246, 2214, 2232, 2238, 2242
• Rolfe 1200 Royce 190, 362
• WG Young CS 24, 50, 76,
• WG Young 2200, 4216

Notetaking

You may qualify for notetaking service if you are unable to take notes in class due to your hearing impairment. Students who are Deaf or hard of hearing may find that their ability to take notes is limited if they are lip-reading the teacher or watching the interpreter. Students should make an appointment with the Notetaker Coordinator to request notetaking services. Should you qualify for notetaking services, you will be asked to fill out a notetaker request sheet. There are several options regarding notetaking service, and the Notetaker Coordinator will discuss with you which service will most appropriately accommodate your needs.

Realtime Captioning

Realtime Captionists are stenographers (similar to those used in court) who connect their steno-machines to a lap-top computer. The words of the lecture come up instantaneously on the screen of the lap-top computer for the student's viewing. When the class is over, a computer disk can be given to the student if they want to print out the notes. Students who are Deaf or hard of hearing find this service useful since it allows them to understand fully class lectures and discussions.

Sign Language Interpreters

Sign Language interpreters are provided to assist communication between Deaf and hearing people for classes, academic requirements and University activities. Interpreters usually sit in front of the class, facing the students. They will sign simultaneously what is spoken and will voice (in English) simultaneously what the Deaf person signs. To insure quality of service to students and the best working conditions for our Interpreters, the OSD provides team interpreting for classes of more than one hour in length. Interpreters will alternate approximately every half hour.

Interpreters are not participants in class. Sometimes people unfamiliar with the interpreting process will direct their questions to the interpreter. The student or interpreter should encourage the person to talk directly to the Deaf student. This will encourage more fluent and efficient communication.

Student Responsibilities

Before the Session begins

Please register with OSD as soon as you have been accepted to UCLA. You must fill out an intake form and submit a verification of hearing loss. We will need to know your class schedule approximately one month before school starts in order to have services arranged for the first day of class. Make an appointment with the Assistant Director to discuss services.

Enrolling in Class

• In-coming students will register for classes during the Orientation Program. Try to select an early orientation time if possible. Let OSD know of your class schedule as soon as it is determined.
• Continuing undergraduate students may use priority enrollment through OSD to select their classes. Request that your name be placed on the priority enrollment list.
• Graduate students will enroll in classes through their individual departments.
  Please keep OSD informed of any changes in your address and e-mail information so that we may send you information on registration and other correspondence.

Letter to Professors

The OSD will typically send a letter to your professors mentioning that you will be in class and describing the services you will have.

Department of Rehabilitation Clients

If you are a client of the Department of Rehabilitation, make sure your Authorization for Services Form is sent to us so that we may send it to Student Accounting Services. If you have Department of Rehabilitation support for books or parking, contact the OSD for how to process that support.

Changes or Additions of Services

For meetings with professors, review sessions, field trips, exams, class assignments or other times when you need additional services, inform the Assistant Director at least one week in advance of your request for service. We understand that professors sometimes make last minute assignments which may require service. Please notify the Coordinator as soon as possible of these additional needs.

Missing Class

If you are not planning to attend class for any reason, please notify OSD as soon as possible so that the service people may be sent to another assignment.

Arriving Late to Class

The Interpreters and Captionists will wait at the class for 5 minutes for each half hour of scheduled class time e.g., 10 minutes for a 1 hour class, 15 minutes for a 1 1/2 hour class, etc. After waiting the appropriate amount of time the Interpreters or Captionist may be sent to another assignment.

Exams

Please notify the office of any tests. Only one Interpreter or Captionist is needed for a test and the other may be dispatched elsewhere. Final exams and midterms are handled on a special request basis; they are at different times, may be in different locations, and often require different types of service. Please contact the Assistant Director to make the proper arraignments.

Messages

To avoid any miscommunication, please do not relay any messages regarding captioning, interpreting, or notetaking service through the Captionist, Interpreters, or Notetakers. Please communicate directly with the OSD by e-mail, by coming into the office in Murphy Hall A-255 or by calling (310) 206-6083 (tty), (310) 825-1501 (voice), or (310) 825-9656 (fax).

The OSD permits students to use the OSD phones or TDD to contact their Rehabilitation Counselors. Other calls can be made through the pay TDD phones.

TDD pay phones are located in:

TDD Phone Numbers on Campus

How to Resolve Service Delivery Problems

It is fair to say that even with the best efforts of everyone involved with your service delivery at UCLA, a problem may occur. If this should happen, we strongly encourage you to let us know so that we can work together to solve the problem as quickly as possible. Experience has shown us that many times a problem arises because of a misunderstanding or miscommunication; clarification can be a quick and effective solution. We can help with suggestions on how to resolve problems you may have with your service providers, professors, TA's or Departments. It is best to discuss the issue with the person involved first, and if you have not arrived at a satisfactory resolution, then go to the person's supervisor or department chair. If the OSD is part of the problem, we want to know that, too. Should the OSD be unable to assist in resolving a problem, we can refer you to other on-campus resources.

We recommend the following progression as the most efficient way of dealing with issues:

1. Start by discussing the problem with the person involved.
2. If the matter is unresolved, communicate with the person in charge of the services or program in question.
3. If the matter is still unresolved, call and make an appointment with Kathy Molini, OSD Director at (310) 825-1501 (voice), (310) 206-6083 (tty), kmolini@saonet.ucla.edu
4. If the matter is still unresolved, please contact Monroe Gorden, Student Affairs Chief Administrative Officer at (310) 825-1514, mgorden@saonet.ucla.edu.

The University is available to assist you in resolving conflicts by informal means. Throughout any of these procedures you may expect to be treated with respect, receive a timely response, and have your issues dealt with in a confidential manner (if so requested). Retaliation in any form against persons who file complaints is prohibited by disability-related law and University policy. The University expects from you that you bring up any problems early, give clear and detailed information and be respectful of those people who are working with you. If you wish to know more about your rights as a disabled person under Federal and State law and University policy, OSD can refer you to the appropriate entity.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires the University to adopt and publish procedures to resolve problems regarding access to the educational program for persons with disabilities. An individual who believes he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of disability should contact the ADA/504 Compliance Office at (310) 825-2242.

UCLA developed this information in accordance with these references: Public Law 101-336; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and the University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations and Students, Section 140.00.

Summary

Please communicate with your service provider(s) and the OSD on a regular basis to let them know how your services are meeting your needs. Remember, communication is the key to success. Welcome to UCLA. We hope your stay is productive and enriching. Gook Luck!

If you would like these Guidelines in an alternative format, contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at (310) 825-1501 voice, (310) 206-6083 tty or (310) 825-9656 fax.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Student Services Guidelines 01/01/2007