Office of Learning Services

Directory
Office of Learning Services

Providing advisement, advocacy and academic support to students who identify themselves as having a disability and who may experience academic difficulties, The Office of Learning Services works to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access in their educational experience.

Mission / Philosophy

Utica University recognizes its obligation under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 to provide reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The mission of the Learning Services office is to ensure that students with disabilities have an equal educational opportunity with other students. Our philosophy is one that promotes self-awareness, self-determination, and self-advocacy for our students with disabilities. The Learning Services office is also committed to promoting access and awareness as a resource to all members of the Utica University community.

Staff

The Office of Learning Services has three professional staff members:

Judy C. Borner, Director of Learning Services
Audrey Caputo, Captionist
Deanna Putrello, Administrative Assistant

To contact the Office of Learning Services:

Telephone: 315-792-3032
E-mail: jcborner@vaftizo.com
Regular Mail:
Utica University
Office of Learning Services
1600 Burrstone Road
Utica, N.Y. 13502

Location: Hubbard Hall, Room 109.

Office hours: 8:30 – 5:00 during the academic calendar year.

The following are examples of accommodations and services currently being provided to students, not a guarantee of services and accommodations.

Accommodations:

use of a tape recorder
time extensions for tests
note-takers
separate location for tests
alternative formats for textbooks

Services:

priority registration
learning and study strategy development
referrals for diagnostic evaluation
time management strategies

The Director of Learning Services reviews each student's documentation to determine whether accommodations are warranted, and what accommodations would be appropriate for the student. An accommodation letter is generated for each student stating what accommodations are available for the student. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with his or her instructors to discuss the disability and the accommodations.

Students should:

Refer themselves, by personal contact, to the Director of Learning Services
Self-disclose their disability
Submit documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Protection under these civil rights statutes is determined on a case-by-case basis and is based upon documentation of a disability that currently substantially limits some major life activity.
Request accommodations
Follow Utica University procedures as described in the Student Handbook.

Protection under these civil rights statutes is determined on a case-by-case basis and is based upon documentation of a disability that currently substantially limits some major life activity. Documentation guidelines should be requested from the Office of Learning Services.

Students who are applying to Utica University are strongly advised to contact the Director of Learning Services as soon as they decide to attend Utica University so that they can submit required documentation in a timely fashion if they plan to request accommodations. This contact will also allow the Director to answer any questions that the student might have.

Students who are already attending Utica University may contact the Director of Learning Services whenever they determine a need for assistance.

If your employment objective requires college training, ACCES-VR can provide tuition assistance, fees, partial room and board and related supports for consumers who meet eligibility based on their economic need. ACCES-VR consumers must establish an individualized plan for employment (IPE) with an employment objective requiring college training to qualify for ACCES-VR assistance.

In all instances students and families must first access traditional financial aid such as the New York State tuition assistance program (TAP), federal PELL grants and/or Veterans college aid prior to relying on ACCES-VR sponsorship. (See: http://www.acces.nysed.gov/vr/)

If you are a New York State resident and would like more information about ACCES-VR services, click here.

Available on all Utica lab and library computers as well as available for you to install on your own PC or MAC, Read & Write Gold is software to help you read, write, study, and research.

About the Application

Read & Write Gold is an award winning literacy software that can help you excel independently as a college student! The innovative features of the software support student achievement.

The easy to use toolbar seamlessly integrates with mainstream software programs such as

Microsoft Word,
Internet Explorer, and
Adobe Reader.

Software Features

Reading support features such as:

Text to Speech – words are highlighted as text is read aloud using male or female voices
Screenshot Reader – reads aloud text embedded within an image or Flash, locked PDFs, or online applications
Scanner – Scan documents or images into Word, Pages, HTML, or PDF format
Screen Masking – tint the screen using colors, like an overlay, to help readers focus while reading
Translator- allows text to be translated in multiple languages
Dictionary – provides definitions as well as alternative words
PDF Aloud – reads aloud with highlighting any accessible Adobe Acrobat PDF file
DAISY Reader – reads DAISY format books aloud

Writing support features such as:

Phonetic Spell Checker – analyzes and corrects spelling and returns suggestions for common spelling errors.
Word Prediction – learns the writer’s style, predicts the word they are typing and the word they want to use next
Verb Checker – helps determine correct verb conjugation
Fact Finder – search the web for relevant information about a topic
Fact Mapper – use for brainstorming, drafting, and revising ideas
Speech Input – dictate to the computer using a microphone to automatically type a text document

Study support features such as:

Speech Maker: select any text and convert it into a sound file, such as MP3, using high quality voices
Highlighters – use highlighters in different colors to create study guides, outlines, and vocabulary lists

Research support features such as:

Fact Folder – prepare and store information for research and writing assignments, capture text and pictures, classify facts, record their source, automatically generate bibliographies