Meeting Student Needs
Hello, my name is LJ.
I want to share a little bit about myself. I have Cerebral Palsy, I am deaf, and I have low vision.
Growing up, my parents focused more on my Cerebral Palsy. I was given no support related to my deafness and little support for my vision impairment. Growing up, I didn’t know how to use sign language.
I attended several colleges and none of them met my needs. By accident, I found the University of Utah. They have a free Deaf Education program through a grant. I applied and did not really know what to expect.
During my first semester, I used hearing interpreters because that’s all I used at the other colleges I attended. My classes became harder and the information was more in-depth. I was given a Certified Deaf Interpreter as an accommodation. I met with my disability advisor, Charity, to let her know I needed a Certified Deaf Interpreter for specific classes.
Charity was great about getting it all set up in a timely manner. At the other colleges I attended, I would ask for an interpreter and many times would have to wait a long time for the request to be accepted or there was no interpreter available.
When I request an interpreter here at the University of Utah, Charity makes sure I have what I need to meet my needs. Recently, I made a same-day, last-minute request for a meeting and Charity made it happen.
I also met with the tech group in the Center for Disability and Access (CDA). Chris and Lydia changed the course material to make it accessible. They asked me if I wanted to try a magnifier. They gave it to me the same day. What a difference it made! Using the magnifier, I can read regular/small print. I never knew the magnifier was an accommodation that would supply me with more access.
Interpreters (Hearing and Deaf) help me to understand the content more in-depth than what I was learning. It has helped me retain the information quickly. I really like that I have full access to the classes. It makes me feel that I’m the same as traditional students. I can just come into the classroom and BE!
I get information in large print for my visual needs. I even have a table in each classroom that meets my mobility needs. Anything else I need, it’s always taken care of promptly.
CDA is very proactive. They reach out to me oftentimes before I reach out and ask if I need specific accommodations or if I need to change my accommodations. My professors are also proactive if there is an issue in class or if I share an access issue, they will contact CDA to try to find a resolution.
I feel like this is the first time during my educational career that all my needs have been met. Here at the University of Utah, I only need to be concerned about learning.
I’m happy to be here at the University of Utah!