Show Disabled students reach out Terry Birch Sta Staff Writer In reaching one of the goals of handicapped awareness in inthe inthe inthe the community ten handicapped students representing the Special Needs Committee visited with three groups of students stu- stu st stu students dents at Eisenhower Junior High School on March 10 The disabled disabled disabled dis dis- students told how they had developed their handicapping handicapping handicap handicap- ping conditions how they are overcoming their handicaps and demonstrated some of their aids like guide dogs for the blind FM systems for the hearing impaired and wheelchairs for the paraplegic No matter who you are you can find a way to solve your problem People said that I couldn't do anything but despite my hardships I I am making my way through college If we can make it any anybody can Physically ally disabled people find the only real barriers people have are within themselves These were some of the thoughts that ten physically disabled students shared with students students' at Eisenhower Junior High School The Tle Special Needs Committee which was formed five years ago meets on the he first Wednes Wednesday ay of each month There have been barriers because st students dents haven't always known where togo to togo togo go for lor help said Patri Patrick k Wight a student member Jean Sether ether a committee member from the Riverside Campus is working on ona a brochure with Wight to be given to students at the beginning of summer quarter registration Another brochure is being designed to help all students become aware of t the e problems of the handicapped as well as to give information for the hand- hand J i n ix wr Ni s b 7 7 d r ib 3 j t b k r a al y 4 i rj w i yr f j gF k i c y b xi r 5 C 6 to s 's Kf 41 J HiP ice k 17 i y k s r i 3 4 r lY ws ai Y r Yg S 4 f my K yv t H v a J M w vw i. i v. v ow aa N xa w v a N student representatives Le Left f t to right Terry Teny Birch Kay Wallace Kenneth Robertson and Patrick Wight Debra Underwood the committee specialist on regula regulations said We have a lot to do yet to fulfill these require- require N i d' d l W c r ie Ke Sy y 4 e o i i tip r l f j F 4 ail j jw w a k 3 p a n ik fi r v s Yf ss student Terry Birch tells his audience that one out o of five persons will face lace a hearing disability during their lifetime According to Wight What we need is a handicapped center This is the most efficient way to reach the handicapped students The use of confidential computer codes to lo catalog needs of I Ithe the handicapped has been suggested by Karen Morgan student support services director Recent discussion has included the problems created when students park in front of the ramp for wheelchairs so sa that people in wheelchairs cannot cross the street Another problem is created when people park in parking stalls reserved for the handicapped According to Judd Morgan vice president for student services services services ser ser- vices the goals of the Special Needs Committee are to be sensitive sensitive sensitive tive to the needs of students who have special problems and remove barriers that would hinder students with special needs that have access to college programs Another function is to insure insure insure in in- sure that students with special needs know the resources available available available avail avail- able to them to develop resources that assess the special needs of students to be a committee that will listen and can discuss and solve problems Morgan said that the goals of the committee commit commit- tee cannot be reached all at once but is an ongoing process Ray Emett professor of Developmental Studies designs classes classes classes clas clas- ses specially to help in specific areas such as math and study skills The committee deals with the application of Section of the Rehabilitation Act passed by Congress in 1973 Student merits ments Thes regulations lation set et forth p policies and ng procedures to assure nondiscrimination on the the bas basis s' s of the handicapped d i in y programs and activities in which the D Department p of St State te ez ex extends x tends financial assistance Section S prohibits qualified handicapped persons from being denied the benefits or or participation participation par par- in any federally assisted program r l According to regulations a handicapped person means any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities Major life activities' activities means functions such as caring for oneself performing manual tasks walking seeing hearing speaking breathing learning and working Qualified handicapped handicapped handicapped hand hand- person means with respect to employment a handicapped handicapped handicapped hand hand- person who with reasonable accommodation can perform essential functions of the job in question Under guidelines qualified h handicapped students should not be counselled toward more restrictive career objectives objectives tives than are non-handicapped non students with similar interests and abilities According to Morgan the meetings are public forums forums' for anyone who wishes to attend to listen provide suggestions or voice complaints Jane J Jarrow arrow executive director of the Association on Handicapped Student Service Programs in Post Secondary Education will be at on May 17 15 to speak and to help with the evaluation of student needs r J Jt t. j 3 a J ti a u i I 0 Y i i j 4 R r J v r A 1 1 I r F. F A y t a I i Special Needs Committee member Debra Underwood looks on during Eisenhower IRs visit t j i |