Dawsen Rystad
reporter
collegian.editor@tccd.edu
The Student Accessibility Resources office on TR Campus held an event March 24 to discuss assistive technology for students with disabilities.
The Lunch and Learn event was for students with disabilities and faculty looking to learn more about assistive technology helping students at TR.
“I think it is very important for students to have access to this technology because it allows them to be successful in their class and educational careers,” said Adrena Stephney, student development assistant for SAR on TR. “It evens the playing field for them. It doesn’t give you an edge, but it evens the playing field so that they are able to complete classes, courses and do the things that they want to do.”
Assistive technology is technology that helps students with disabilities see, communicate and overcome barriers that limit their abilities in the classroom.
“We are on a mission to make sure that students and individuals with disabilities have full autonomy, that they are valued,” she said. “We see them, we hear them and we are here to do everything to make sure they are successful.”
Toward the end of the event, everyone had the opportunity to try out the technology. One piece of technology that students and faculty could try was the C*Pen Reader Pen which scans texts to have the words read allowed, helping students who have visual and speech impairments.
Ivette Buehler, TR student development associate for SAR, said there can be a stigma about having a disability, and the SAR office is here to help students.
“The purpose of the event was to show them what we have where it is so that they can use it,” she said. “Sometimes, students do need help. So when they do, we want them to come to our office and ask for help.”
The SAR office on TR is always trying to find new assistive technology to help students.
“We have lots of different technology, and we try to purchase technologies that we know will benefit the community,” TR student accessibility coordinator Presttee Robinson said. “We try not to just have technologies that are sitting around collecting dust because it is expensive.”
Robinson said many students do not know about SAR, which is for TCC students with both seen and unseen disabilities.
“We need the community to know that we are here, and we have different techniques, strategies, equipment and even a heart to sit down and listen,” she said.
For more information on the SAR office and assistive technology, visit the SAR office at the TR campus or the SAR website at https://www.tccd.edu/services/support-services/student-accessibility-resources/.
