History

Educational Resources for Students with Disabilities (ERSD) opened in November 1971 in Mackenzie Hall. At that time the office served physically disabled students. The focus of the office was to take care of issues such as parking, curb cuts, and facility concerns. Wayne State University was among the trend setters in establishing a disability support office. Support was provided to students before the law
mandating such services was passed in 1973.

In 1991 ERSD moved to the Student Center Building where it expanded its services by providing assistive technology such as DragonSpeak, JAWS, readers, and scribes for students with disabilities. Students were able to take exams in private study rooms monitored by staff and cameras.

In July 2003 ERSD moved to the first floor of the David Adamany Undergraduate Library (UGL) to suite 1600. At this time, the office was renamed Educational Accessibility Services (EAS). The office increased in physical space, providing 10 study/exam rooms for registered students to use. Computer equipment was updated, software was upgraded and new software purchased, and new equipment such as a Braille embosser, closed circuit TVs, and two scanners were acquired for the office in order to better accommodate the needs of students with disabilities.

In September 2008 EAS changed its name again to clarify its identity and mission to the university community and is now known as Student Disability Services (SDS). The mission of the Student Disability Services (SDS) office is to provide resources and support to students to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to university programs and to empower them with self-determination skills to fulfill their academic goals. SDS provides a variety of support services to students and serves as a resource for faculty and staff at the University. The office serves as a resource for prospective students by providing information regarding support and accommodations. Its disability specialists conduct initial student screenings, assessing a student’s needs, and developing and facilitating the appropriate plan of accommodation. SDS makes available an extensive collection of assistive technology with staff to train students on all equipment and software. The disabilities office also offers auxiliary aids to students and facilitates services such as note taking, sign language interpreting, and real-time captioning that allow students with disabilities equal access to information. SDS also provides conversion of text into alternative formats. It is a resource for faculty and staff offering insight about disabilities and accessibility. To this end, SDS has an established Liaison Program for faculty and staff, providing liaisons with training related to teaching and accommodating students with disabilities. Finally, the Student Disability Services office collaborates with professionals and agencies in the community to promote awareness and access for students with disabilities and to promote career development for students with disabilities.