Links to Useful External Resources
The Disability Resource Center recommends the following external resources to assist students with disabilities.
- ADHD
- Assistive Technology
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Cerebral Palsy
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing
- Disability Resources
- Financial Aid
- Emergency Preparedness
- Employment
- Learning Disabilities
- Psychological Impairments
- Rehabilitation
- Service Animals and the ADA
- Small Business Resources
- Universal Design
- Web Accessibility
- Women with Disabilities
ADHD
ADDitude Magazine: Living Well with ADD and Learning Disabilities
Hallowell Center: the founding office of the Hallowell Center for Cognitive and Emotional Health in Sudbury, MA.
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: the nation's leading non-profit organization serving individuals with AD/HD and their families
National Resource Center on AD/HD: a clearinghouse for science-based information about all aspects of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD)
Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Center's YouTube Channel: Watch people with disabilities using technology and see the difference it is making in their lives
Ability Tools: Assistive Technology Network of CA: Borrow assistive technology devices to try for 30 days; find used devices for free or low cost; sell used devices; give away devices; place ads for devices you need
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Connections: A social resource network providing peer connections to neurodiverse Cal Poly students
Autism Awareness/Acceptance by University of Edinburgh AS Group [PDF]: An information pamphlet created by Autistic people: "We think the best way to learn about Autism is from Autistic people as we are the experts of our own brains."
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN): A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by and for autistic people. ASAN was created to serve as a national grassroots disability rights organization for the autistic community, advocating for systems change and ensuring that the voices of autistic people are heard in policy debates and the halls of power.
Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center: dedicated parents and professionals coming together to create a vision for expanded and centralized autism services in SLO county
Help Group: nonprofit organization that offers comprehensive services to children with a variety of disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorders
MayoClinic.com: information and resources for individuals with Asperger's
National Institute of Neurological Disorders: Asperger Syndrome Fact Sheet
Wrong Planet: a web community designed for individuals (and parents of those) with Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD, PDDs, and other neurological differences
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy Group: Online resource for anyone who has been affected by cerebral palsy, brain injuries, or birth injuries
Deaf/Hard of Hearing
Accredited Schools Online: Supports deaf and hard of hearing students by providing tools, technology and key resources to cultivate academic success
Can you read my lips?: See what it's like to experience the world as a deaf person
Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program: a public program mandated by the California State legislature to provide assistive telecommunications equipment.
Defining Communication Access for Students with Partial Hearing Loss helps service providers develop an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various accommodations in the range of learning environments to help them better understand when print accommodations are appropriate.
Hands On: a New York based service organization dedicated to providing greater accessibility to arts and cultural events for the deaf and hard of hearing community.
Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is the nation’s leading organization representing people with hearing loss.
National Association of the Deaf: NAD is the nation's premier civil rights organization of, by and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States of America.
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf: a national organization dedicated to promoting excellence in the field of sign language interpreting.
Western Regional Outreach Center Consortia (WROCC) : provides in-service training and technical assistance to increase and enhance post-secondary educational opportunities for individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing.
RIT Library Deaf and Hard of Hearing Table of Contents : list of deafness-related Internet resources, including multicultural sites, international sign language sites, and English as a second language resources.
Deaf Performing Arts Network (D-PAN) was formed to make music and music culture accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing community, as well as to create career and learning opportunities in the music business.
Disability Resources
American Association of People with Disabilities is one of the nation's largest disability rights organizations. We promote equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation for people with disabilities
Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) is a professional membership organization for individuals involved in the development of policy and in the provision of quality services to meet the needs of persons with disabilities involved in all areas of higher education.
National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD) is the only federally-funded national center in the U.S. for college and graduate students with any type of disability, chronic health condition, or mental or emotional illness.
Disability.gov: connecting the disability community to information and opportunities
Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities: prepared by the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Civil Rights
Policies for the Provision of Accommodation and Support Services to Students with Disabilities:includes relevant CSU policies, CSU Academic Senate resolutions and California state laws
HEATH National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities: provides specialized information, including an extensive series of resource papers to people with disabilities, their families and the professionals who work with them.
EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information): provider of online training on accessible information technology for persons with disabilities
National Organization on Disability is a leading resource for businesses seeking to access the talent pool of America’s 80% of working-age people with disabilities who are not employed.
Pacific ADA Center (Pacific DBTAC): building a partnership between the disability and business communities and promoting full and unrestricted participation in society for persons with disabilities through education and technical assistance
College Resources for Students with Disabilities: find specific information and resources on a variety of different disabilities, learn how to make the transition into the workforce easier, and find out what your legal rights on campus are
Emergency Preparedness
Emergency Evacuation Preparedness Guide: focuses on developing emergency evacuation preparedness plans that take into account the needs of people with disabilities and activity limitations
FEMA Emergency Preparedness Guide: This booklet will help people with disabilities prepare and emergency plan to protect themselves, family, friends, personal care assistant and others in their support network in the event of an emergency
Employment
AccessCAREERS: provides information and resources and shares promising practices for the purpose of increasing access to careers for individuals with disabilities.
Bender Consulting Services provides superior technology consulting services to customers while creating employment and career opportunities, independence and freedom for people with disabilities.
Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) offers many opportunities to connect with higher education professionals, other employers, and college students with disabilities.
Disability Benefits 101: for information about disability and health benefits.
DisABLED Person, Inc: an online recruitment community for college grads with disabilities
Entry Point: offers outstanding internship opportunities for students with disabilities in Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science.
Job Accommodation Network: An international consulting service that provides information about job accommodations and the employability of people with disabilities.
U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Disability Employment Policy: provides national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment policy and practice affecting the employment of people with disabilities.
Federal Employment of People with Disabilities: provides a simple and straightforward mechanism to help Americans, with and without disabilities, better understand how to hire and retain persons with disabilities.
Financial Aid
U.S. Department of Education: Especially for Parents
U.S. Department of Education: Especially for Students
College Board: get the latest information about college costs, scholarships, financial aid applications, education loans, and college financing.
The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid: a comprehensive annotated collection of information about student financial aid on the web.
Learning Disabilities
LD Resources: a collection of resources on various aspects of learning disabilities with comments from community members.
International Dyslexia Organization: a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals with dyslexia, their families and the communities that support them.
LDOnline: the world's leading website on learning disabilities and ADHD.
Learning Disabilities Association of America: provides cutting edge information on learning disabilities, practical solutions, and a comprehensive network of resources.
National Center for Learning Disabilities: online resources for parents, educators, and individuals with learning disabilities.
Understanding and Overcoming Learning Disabilities in Children: outlines some examples of learning disabilities in children as well as ways parents and educators can help these children work to their full potential.
Psychological Impairments
California Board of Behavioral Sciences: Mental Health Awareness
Healthy Place: providing comprehensive, trusted information on psychological disorders and psychiatric medications from both a consumer and expert point of view.
National Alliance on Mental Illness: offering support and public education efforts that focus on educating America about mental illness, offering resources to those in need, and insisting that mental illness become a high national priority.
Rehabilitation
California State Department of Rehabilitation: works in partnership with consumers and other stakeholders to provide services and advocacy resulting in employment, independent living and equality for individuals with disabilities.
Service Animals and the ADA
The Department of Justice has published a new technical assistance document and FAQ to help clarify how service animals are covered under the ADA: Service Animals and the ADA
Small Business Resources
Starting a Business for People with Disabilities:
- U.S. Small Business Administration - How to start a business
- U.S. Small Business Administration - How to write a business plan
- Chamber of Commerce for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
- Bplans.com
- IRS - Choosing a Business Structure
- Entreprenuer.com
Government Incentives for People with Disabilities
Start-Ups
Franchise Opportunities for People with Disabilities
Further Reading
- Job Accommodation Network
- U.S. Department of Labor
- Cornerstone
- EBV
- Entrepreneur.com: Self-employment pushed as option for the disabled
- U.S. Census Bureau
- American Bar Association
- Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
- Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN)
- Military.com
Universal Design
Universal Design Initiative, North Carolina State University: promotes the concept of universal design in all design, construction, and manufacturing disciplines through research, design assistance, and training
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a new approach for teaching, learning, and assessment, that draws on new brain research and new media technologies to respond to individual learner differences.
Web Accessibility
Cal Poly's Accessibility and Information Resources: it is the policy of the California State University to make information technology resources and services accessible to all CSU students, faculty, staff, and the general public regardless of disability status. Link contains information and resources for implementing this policy.
University of Washington "DO-IT": serves to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C): committed to leading the Web to its full potential by promoting a high degree of usability for people with disabilities.
Fresno State's Web Accessibility: site with useful information, tools and resources for implementing Web accessibility.
National Center for Accessible Media: a research and development facility dedicated to the issues of media and information technology for people with disabilities in their homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.
Illinois Web Accessibility Standards: established by the Illinois Technology Office in an effort to address the needs of all users. On February 14, 2002, the Governor of Illinois signed an Administrative Order directing Illinois agencies to "utilize the Illinois Web Accessibility Standards for the development of web sites, intranets, and web-based applications."
Media Access Generator: a multimedia authoring tool for making materials accessible to people with disabilities.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act: requires that Federal agencies' electronic and information technology is accessible to people with disabilities.
Women with Disabilities
National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC): provides the first-ever federal resource center for women with disabilities, offering summaries about critical health issues for a variety of disabilities.
Related Content
Contact
Location: Bldg 124 (Student Services, across from Spanos Stadium)
Phone: 805-756-1395
Fax: 805-756-5451
Email: drc@calpoly.edu
