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Fall 2002 UCLA

NEW HORIZONS

UCLA Office for Students with Disabilities

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1. A Word from the Director: Kathy's Korner by Kathy Molini
2. Sign Language Interpreting for Deaf Students
3. Construction Update
4. Health Care on Campus: Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center
5. Disabled Student Union
6. Psychological Services at UCLA
7. The Return of Ariel Smith…
8. Alternate Formats
9. Have You Moved?
10. Come in Early to Set-up Services
11. Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Disability
12. Contacting OSD
13. 2001-2002 Annual Report
14. OSD Services

A WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR

Kathy's Korner

Welcome to all new and returning students. It is hard to believe that summer is gone and we are starting a new academic year. I hope you enjoyed your summer. I encourage you to stop by OSD early in the quarter to get your services lined up and to let us know how your summer went.

Over the summer, the OSD staff talked about New Horizons and wondered about changing the format to possibly put more of our recurring information and articles on the OSD web page. However, we do not want to make a final decision without finding out from you what you would prefer. We can have everything stay the same or put information or in both the newsletter and the web page. Let us know what you would like by sending an e-mail to Doug Gerow, Editor of New Horizons (dgerow@saonet.ucla.edu.)

I would also encourage you to read the article entitled, OSD Retrospective: 1991-92 and 2001-02. I hope you find it interesting to learn how significant the difference in numbers of students with disabilities OSD is now, compared with a decade ago.

Have a great Fall quarter. Please keep in touch and let us know if there is anything we can help you with.

Sign Language Interpreting for Deaf Students

Many of you have seen Sign Language interpreters in your classes. This is one way that Deaf students are able to attend class and get information from the lecture and classroom discussion.

Interpreters use American Sign Language (ASL) to translate everything that is spoken by the professor or other students. Interpreters not only translate English to ASL, but also from ASL to English when the Deaf student wants to participate in the classroom discussion.

An interesting note about ASL is that it is actually its own language, and is not simply a conversion of English to signs. ASL has a unique sentence structure different from English.

Captioning is another method for a Deaf student to understand a lecture. The student watches a laptop computer and a captionist "types" every word that is spoken. The text is immediately relayed to the computer screen for the student to read. Captionists use the same skills and equipment as courtoom stenographers do. With a specialized keyboard, a captionist can "type" 200 words per minute, faster than most people speak.

Though ASL classes are not currently offered at UCLA, ASL can be used to satisfy foreign language requirements. Student who would like more information should contact the College of Letters and Sciences.

Construction Update

You don't have to go very far on UCLA's campus to find one of the many construction projects. Often these sites present obstacles for some. Each issue of New Horizons has a summary of the projects and their impact on traveling around campus. Updated information is also available by calling the OSD Information Line at 206-2737.

The new parking structure underneath the IM field is coming along very well. The impact on campus is minimal expect for the closure of the south side of the sidewalk along CE Young Drive from the Westwood/Sunset entrance to just east of De Neve Drive.

The entrance at Sunset and Westwood underwent a significant change this past summer. The major alteration the installation of a traffic signal at Westwood/CE Young Drive to control the flow of traffic off Sunset and from Parking Structure 4.

The sidewalk on the west side of Westwood from CE Young Drive at the Police Station to the 300 Medical Plaza Building is open despite the major construction site just feet away - the Replacement Hospital.

The Courtside Residence Hall (part of Sunset Village) is closed for this academic year for remodeling and seismic upgrades. Fencing is in place along the border of those buildings.

What once was known as the Dickson Art Center, at the north end of campus, is closed for a two year project. The building is undergoing a significant remodel and will be called the Broad Art Center when finished. Access to Parking Structure 3 is not affected by this; however, the entire building including the large lecture hall, the Wight Gallery and all the studios are closed and fenced off.

Kaufman Hall (formerly the Dance Building) is in the throes of seismic upgrades, elevator installations and refurbishment. Likewise, the Men's Gym is closed for a complete renovation. The familiar green fencing is in place along all sides of the buildings.

Construction continues at the new Physics/Astronomy Building near Powell and Knudsen. The sidewalk along the site from the north side of Knudsen to the IPAM is closed; however, the sidewalk adjacent to Powell and Moore remain open. The small lot to the east of Knudsen is closed during the construction.

The vehicle entrance to Parking Structure 9 from CE Young Drive is still restricted due to construction of the Hospital Annex. This construction site actually extends to the south end of the Court of Sciences. Fencing and signage are in place.

Be advised that a construction access road for the Plant Physiology Greenhouse is on the south side of the sidewalk between Hershey and the Botany Building. The sidewalk is open and usable.

The Chilled Waterline Extension Project is now at Fowler and the area between Rolfe and Royce. Fencing and signage are in place along the sidewalks in the impacted areas.

A temporary pedestrian walkway will be installed between the Wooden and Morgan Centers the second week of October for the addition to the west side of Wooden. This project and the temporary walkway are slated to last 16 months.

Other than the installation of handrails later this month, the reconfiguration of Bruin Walk near Kerckhoff and Moore is complete.

Parking Lots 30 and 31 are closed permanently. A Graduate Student Housing Village is being constructed on this site. It will take a number of years for this to be ready for occupancy.

Health Care on Campus

Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center

Are you neglecting or postponing attention to your health care needs? Need an answer to a health-related question?

The Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center is here to meet these needs in a variety of convenient ways.

Our clinic is centrally located on Westwood Plaza near Ackerman Union and the Wooden Center. Our academic year hours are 8 am to 6:30 pm Monday through Friday (except Tuesday, when we open at 9 am). All registered UCLA students are eligible to use our service, whether or not they are enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan.

We offer a broad array of health services on-site, including routine preventive health exams, a same-day Walk In Clinic, an Optometry Service, and even an Acupuncture Clinic!

There are several options for those with health-related questions:

1. You can ask to speak with the Triage Nurse on the first floor of the Ashe Center.
2. You can call our main number, (310) 825-4073, Option 2, Option 1 and leave a message for the Telephone Triage Advice Nurse.
3. You can email your question to E-nurse, one of our on-line services available on our website (www.studenthealth.ucla.edu).
4. You can visit a nurse practitioner at one of several 2-hour satellite clinics in various campus locations, including the residence hall areas. These NPs have computer access to our Ashe Center database and can provide in-person health advice and information, refill prescriptions available at our Ashe Center pharmacy, and provide some hands-on care. Check our website for exact locations and times for these satellite clinics, which include Ashe @ Dodd, Ashe @ Covel, and Ashe @ De Neve.

We welcome your feedback about your experiences with the Ashe Center and especially any information or ideas you could provide on how we might better meet your needs. Email us at: shsmail@saonet.ucla.edu.

Disabled Student Union Wants You!

The mission of the Disabled Student Union (DSU) is to ensure full accessibility of educational opportunity for students with disabilities at UCLA. The DSU also offers disabled peer support and plans programs and events aimed at raising the campus consciousness about disability-related issues. If interested in becoming involved, please contact Dria Fearn at dsunion@ucla.edu.

Psychological Services at UCLA

Life as a college student is very stressful. Students today juggle many responsibilities and concerns (classes, studying, work, families, and friends). UCLA's Student Psychological Services (SPS) is available to help students cope with the stressors and problems they may face.

SPS is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers. Thousands of UCLA students come to SPS each year with a broad range of concerns, such as relationship problems, family problems, academic concerns, depression, anxiety, reactions to previous traumas, career concerns, self esteem issues, and eating disorders.

The services at SPS are free and confidential. SPS provides the following array of services:

Short-term individual counseling.

Medication management for students who can benefit from medication.

Emergency Counseling: For students who are dealing with a very urgent situation and do not feel they can wait for a regular counseling appointment, SPS has a counselor available to talk with them between 9:00 and 5:00 on days that the university is open.

Referral Services: For students who have UCLA's insurance plan, SPS can provide referrals to UCLA's Behavioral Health Care for ongoing counseling, medication and specialized services through UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Hospital and Clinics. For students who have other insurance plans, SPS maintains a referral network of community providers

Ongoing groups: Fall Quarter groups include:

• Dissertation and Thesis Support Group,
• Gay & Bisexual Men's Group,
• Gay, Lesbian, & Transgendered Support Group,
• Getting Beyond Grief Group ( for students who have lost a loved one recently or long ago),
• Graduate Student's Psychotherapy Group,
• Maintaining Healthy Lifestyles Group (for students dealing with drug or alcohol concerns),
• Overcoming Writers Block Group (for students dealing with psychological barriers to writing),
• Psychiatric Disabilities Group (for students who have been diagnosed with a chronic condition, such as Bipolar Disorder).
• Our newest group is the Undergraduate Women's Support Group for female undergraduates to deal with such issues as dating and relationships, sexuality, gender roles, depression, anxiety and family issues.

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Mentoring Program: Provides trained mentors for students who are dealing with "coming out" issues. These mentors meet on a regular basis with students going through the coming out process and provide support, guidance and community resources.

Stress Clinic: 3- to 4-session groups to help students understand the theory behind stress and learn a variety of techniques they can use for managing their own stress and coping with stressful situations. (Includes groups such as Cognitive Approaches to Stress Management and Reducing Public Speaking Anxiety).

Mind/Body Workshops and Sleep Workshops (jointly sponsored by SPS and the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center): The Mind/Body Workshops help students learn how emotions and behaviors affect their physical health and learn strategies and relaxation techniques for improving overall health and well-being. The Art of Sleeping Workshop helps students learn how to get to sleep and how to sleep well and efficiently for maximum productivity. (For information about these workshops, call or check for fliers at the Ashe Center.)

To make an appointment at SPS or to find out about any of the above services, please call 825-0768 between 8:00 and 5:00, Monday through Friday.

---Christina Miller, Ph.D.

The Return of Ariel Smith…

Ariel Smith has rejoined the OSD as an administrative Assistant. She will split her time between Murhy and Powell.

She began with OSD as a proctor and was promoted to Resource Room Assistant and fulltime staff in Winter 2000. She left OSD to finish her bachelors degree in History at Cal State, Northridge, while working at a local public elementary school. Please forgive her subsequent diminished spelling ability but feel free to consult her on the concise rules of grade school handball.

Those of you who have worked with Ariel will be glad to see her eternal smile and unwavering (rarely) enthusiasm and cheer.

Alternative Formats Available

New Horizons is available in Braille, on tape cassette and on the OSD web site. Contact the OSD to request a copy in an alternative format.

Returning Students…
HAVE YOU MOVED?

Please remember to let the OSD know each time you change your address in order to continue to receive important mailings regarding priority enrollment, proctoring, van transportation, etc.

Changing your address with the Registrar's Office DOES NOT change your address with OSD.

You can call the office, e-mail us, or come in and fill out a "change of address" slip.

Help Us
Help You

Come in Early
To Set Up Services for Fall

And Remember…. You must Make A Service Request Each Quarter

Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Disability

The CACD was established in 1982 as an advisory group by the Chancellor to create and maintain a more accessible campus environment. The CACD is comprised of student, faculty, staff, alumni, community, and ex-officio members. The Committee's charge is to analyze and identify problems, propose solutions, and make recommendations on matters of particular concern to persons with disabilities.

Meeting Times: The 2nd Tuesday of each month
(except August and December) 2-4 pm Faculty Center.

For more information contact the ADA & 504 Compliance Office at (310) 825-2242 (voice) or (310) 206-3349 (tty)

Contacting OSD

George Auletta
Programmer Analyst
gauletta@saonet.ucla.edu
794-5723

Chana Bell
Learning Disabilities Specialist
cbell@saonet.ucla.edu
206-6383

Tony Buffo
Resource Room Assistant
tbuffo@saonet.ucla.edu
825-2651

Doug Gerow
Auxiliary Services Coordinator
dgerow@saonet.ucla.edu
794-5725

Dan Levitt
Assistant Director & Coordinator of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Student Program
dlevitt@saonet.ucla.edu
267-2005

Maria Martin
Payroll Administrator
memartin@saonet.ucla.edu
794-5731

Ed McCloskey
Mobility Assistance Program Coordinator
emcclosk@saonet.ucla.edu
267-2004

Kathy Molini
Director
kmolini@saonet.ucla.edu
825-1501

Julie Morris
Coordinator, Learning Disabilities Program
jmorris@saonet.ucla.edu
794-5732

Ariel Smith
Administrative Room Assistant
asmith@saonet.ucla.edu
825-2860

Deb Owen
Budget Analyst/ Supervisor of Technology, Planning & Training
dowen@saonet.ucla.edu
825-1501

Linda Stolt
Assistant Director/ Proctor Services Coordinator
lstolt@saonet.ucla.edu
267-2008

Sharon Teruya
Learning Disabilities Specialist
steruya@saonet.ucla.edu
206-9160

Powell Resource Room
825-2651

FAX
825-9656

TDD
206-6083

Van Line
825-2263

Web page
http://www.osd.ucla.edu

'01-'02 Annual Report

Available in the OSD office and on our web page: www.osd.ucla.edu

OSD Services

Whether you are a new or continuing student, the OSD is here to assist you. There are many academic support services that the OSD has to offer regularly enrolled UCLA students with documented permanent and temporary disabilities. These disability-based services include:

Notetaking
Provided for students with a wide variety of disabilities, there are three approaches to this service: ASUCLA Lecture Notes, Volunteer Stipend Approach, and Classroom Assistant. The approach selected for a particular student will be determined after discussion with the Auxiliary Services Coordinator and based on verified need.

Proctoring
As an academic adjustment, a student with a disability may need alternative test-taking conditions. Depending upon the disability documentation, faculty consultation and the requirements of the academic program, appropriate testing accommodations for students may include: the exam printed in large print or Braille; additional time for the exam; one-on-one assistance such as the proctor reading the test questions and/or writing the student's answers. Please contact the Proctor Coordinator for further information.

Transcription
Provided primarily for eligible students with learning disabilities, visual impairments or disabilities impacting manual dexterity, this service involves the conversion of information in any format into another format (tape to transcript, text to Braille, handwriting to typed material, etc.)

Reading/Scanning
The OSD will first facilitate membership in RFBD (Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic) for eligible students. If the readings are unavailable through RFBD, then readings may be done live or onto a tape. Scanning involves using a computer to scan the material and convert it to a word processing program which can, in turn, be converted into Braille, large print or a speech synthesized reading program.

Technology Resources for Students with Disabilities
The Office for Students with Disabilities maintains a Resource Room in Powell 181 that is used by students for distraction-free testing and use of special adaptive equipment and devices. There are several computer workstations with adaptive software that are used for scanning, reading, editing, large print, voice recognition and other activities. In addition, there are computer labs throughout the campus available to students who do not need adaptive technology.

The Office for Students with Disabilities maintains a close working relationship with the Disabilities and Computing Program which researches and field tests adaptive technology as it comes out and makes recommendations to students and campus departments. Students can receive and advice on the most useful software for their individual needs. Students may contact this program (206-7133) on their own or be referred by the Office for Students with Disabilities.

Priority Enrollment/ Registration Assistance
Priority enrollment is available to undergraduate students whose disability impacts their ability to get from class to class quickly, students who need to arrange for service providers or students who must take a reduced course load. Students requiring disability-based registration assistance may contact the OSD for more information.

Mobility Assistance Program
On-Campus Van Service
This service offers academically-related rides to students with mobility disabilities which impact their ability to travel around campus. Van service is provided from 7:20am to 5:40 pm, Monday through Thursday. Friday hours are 7:20 am to 5:00 pm. Contact the OSD to ask for the Campus Transportation Options flyer which contains information regarding evening and weekend rides and much, much, more.

Parking
All students with permanent or temporary disabilities or medical conditions must apply for parking directly at the OSD. Please contact the OSD by phone (267-2004) in order to arrange for an appointment. Students with Department of Motor Vehicle Disability Placards or Plates must bring their placard ID to their appointment.

Students without DMV disability plates or placards must have a Disability Verification Form completed by a health care professional in order to apply for parking. This form can be obtained from the OSD. Parking is granted only if a disability-based need is stated in the documentation. Generally, for students without DMV placards, parking is only available for one year or less. Should their disability based need continue beyond one year, students are required to obtain a DMV placard or plate.

The Mobility Assistance Coordinator will authorize appropriate parking. The application then needs to be taken to Parking Services for payment, processing and issuance of a permit and gate key.

Campus Orientation
Students with visual impairments may request a campus orientation and mobility session with the Mobility Assistance Coordinator. The student will learn to traverse the campus as he/she would during a regular day - - going from the classroom to labs, lecture halls, or bus stops.

Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Interpreting/Captioning
In order to participate fully in classes and activities, students who are deaf may receive Sign Language interpreting or real-time captioning. Interpreters use American Sign Language to interpret what the teachers and students say. Realtime captioning allows deaf students to read the verbatim lecture on a laptop computer as the professor lectures. Real-time captioning uses the same method and equipment used by court reporters.

Program for Students with Learning Disabilities
The Learning Disabilities Program serves students with documented specific learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, acquired brain injury, and students with psychological disabilities. Based on their disability-related needs, students may receive extended time for exams, notetakers, tutorial services, textbooks on tape, adaptive technology, alternative testing format, disability-related counseling and may participate in learning strategies workshops, support groups and the peer mentor program.

Technology for Students with Learning Disabilities
Reading machines and voice-synthesized editing programs are available in our Resource Room, Powell 181. These aids may be used to compensate for reading and writing difficulties. The following assistive technology is available for student use:

Kurzweil: This is a "friendly" reading program that uses a voice synthesizer to read aloud to students. Popular features of this software are highlighting the text as it is read, easily adjustable reading rates, and a selection of computer voices. With Kurzweil, an entire book can be scanned and stored on disk, or individual pages can be scanned and read one at a time.

Please contact a Learning Disabilities Specialist to determine your eligibility to use this assistive technology, and for a demonstration.

Other Services at the OSD
Other services offered by this office include: Housing Assistance, Tutorial Referrals, Disability Management Counseling and Information and Referral, among others.

UCLA Office for Students with Disabilities AB33
A-255 Murphy Hall
Box 951426
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1426

New Horizons is published quarterly by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). The views expressed in this newsletter by individual contributors are not necessarily the views of the OSD. The OSD welcomes material submitted for publication which may be of interest to its readers such as brief articles, essays, or poetry. We reserve the right to edit the material as needed. Contact the OSD for deadline information.

(310) 825-1501
A-255 Murphy Hall
Box 951426
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1426