Show One students student's story Janet Felker Contributing Writer Did you know that has the largest number of students with disabilities among the colleges and universities in Utah's System of Higher Education One of our students Sarah asks What does a disability look like She is a mother of three who shared her story and experience returning to school Sarah was attending when in December of 2000 she was hit by a newly licensed driver in a giant Yukon truck was life- life to LOS Hospital in critical condition but very fortunately survived The accident left Sarah with brain damage that not only changed her personality personal ity but also her long and short term tenn memory And she developed a severe anxiety disorder It took 6 months of physical and speech therapy before Sarah could return to work Sarah explains that finally when it was time to return to school she was referred to the Disability Resource Center but wondered why she needed help You Vou see I thought that I had never struggled with school before so why would I struggle now I 1 thought I would just need to work harder I didn't consider how severely my head injury had really impacted me and andI I 1 wanted to continue on my myown myown myown own and not admit to myself that this was a disability now Furthermore I didn't realize that this wasn't going to go away Then I began to fail classes Once semester I 1 even forgot that I 1 had signed up for a class and failed it That was it for forme forme forme me So in 2003 I 1 gave up upon upon upon on school Sarah says it took another two years to accept her brain injury and her need for help but in 2005 she came back again to She found help from a Disability Resource Center Advisor and found that they truly cared about their students I also decided that if the was going to take meso meso me meso so seriously and not just like another case then I also would take my education and myself seriously Now I know how to study and who to go to for certain questions and problems with school because they helped me find the resources provided Sarah with witha for classes a tape recorder help with appealing prior grades and assistance with financial aid In addition to advising provides a variety 0 f services depending on the students' students disability including technology adaptive equipment and furniture testing accommodations takers note-takers scribes readers and interpreters Sarah is one of many students with disabilities who are successfully pursuing their dreams at |