October is Disability Awareness Month and SSD is hosting a variety of events in order to recognize and spread aware of disability!
During the 82nd Legislative Session, HB 3616 was passed which designates October as Persons with Disabilities History and Awareness Month in Texas (commonly called Disability Awareness Month). During this time, we have an opportunity to highlight the achievements of Texans with disabilities who made significant contributions to the state and to acknowledge the extraordinary Americans who led the way in the disability rights movement. The bill seeks to increase public awareness of the many achievements of people with disabilities; encourage public understanding of the disability rights movement; and reaffirm the local, state, and federal commitment to providing equality and inclusion for people with disabilities. For more information and additional resources to promote Disability Awareness Month visit http://governor.state.tx.us/disabilities/resources/disability_history/ .
SSD has put together a variety of events to recognize Disability Awareness Month. Please check out our calendar of events and share them across campus. For those who may not be able to attend our events, we hope you will still participate in Disability Awareness Month by engaging in the opportunities listed below that can be done at your convenience.
We want everyone to take part in recognizing Disability Awareness Month during October!
Suggestions for Recognizing Disability Awareness Month
- Take the UT Safety Education Program Online Training Module: Disability Advocacy. The UT Dean of Students Program Safety Education Services, in conjunction with SSD, has developed an online training module on the topic of Disability Advocacy. This training module is designed to provide an introduction to understanding disability as an aspect of diversity and to provide practical considerations for working with people with disabilities.
- “Like” us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/UTAustinServicesForStudentsWithDisabilities) to stay up to date with news, events, and opportunities and to pass these on to students and staff in your area.
- Watch our 6 minute video about SSD and the services we provide to students with a disability. This video was created in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning and was designed to help new faculty at UT learn how to accommodate students with disabilities in their classroom.
- Subscribe to our news posts featured on the home page of our website. You can choose the topics that are of interest to you: information specifically relevant to students registered with SSD and/or more general Disability Advocate news and opportunities.
- Conduct an accessibility review of your work area or classroom using the Accessibility checklists available in the SSD online Resource Library and send your results back to the SSD office in SSB 4.206 or campus mail to A4100.
- Join the SignHorns Facebook page; a group of deaf UT longhorns and ASL students/learners/want-to-be-learners alike!! We hope to be able to host events (at least monthly) where we can all get together and celebrate the beautiful language of ASL and make new friends. 🙂
- Sign up for UT’s Deaf & HH Listserv which is intended to provide an avenue for communication between UT Deaf and HH students, staff, faculty and outside constituencies with an interest in the Deaf and HH community.
Specifically For Students
- Attend a disABILITY Advocate Student Coalition meeting on October 3rd, 17th, or 31st at 5pm in the SSD office (SSB 4.206) or join the Facebook page to learn more about their upcoming events.
- Volunteer to be a notetaker for a student with a disability in your class. All you need to do is inform your instructor if a student with a disability requests a note taker, you would like to volunteer. If your assistance is required you can work with the instructor and the student needing the notes to determine what method below will work best to share your notes.
We appreciate your efforts to make UT a more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming environment for people with disabilities!