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Overeomlnq Obstacl~s eeting the cnal- students presently are lenges present- wheelchair users, but M ed by college accommodations to en- life are difficult for any sure accessibility are student, but try to imag- made for a graduate stu- ine the obstacles which dent who uses a wheel- must be overcome by chair for mobility. students with disablli- 11is important to note ties. WMC, like many that people in wheel- colleges across the chairs are not the only country, provides oppor- students who need epe- tunities for persons with era! accommodations. disabilities to study, live, Dr. Reiff staled that and work. "best known, more so Director of 504 serv- than any other [colleqe] ices, Dr. Henry Reiff, en- program, is the program sures that persons with in Deaf Education." He disabilities on campus said that WMC has a are not discriminated "long history of being a against and are provided unique institution, one of with accommodations to the first private colleges meet their special needs to make itself accessi- WMC falls under section ble to deaf students." In- 504 of the Rehabilitation t erpr et ers as well as Act of 1973 which means TT's (Text Telephones) that it cannot discrimi- are available 10 help the nate against a person hearing-impaired. based on his or her dis- Students with learning ability. This law also re- disabilities are also rec- quires that accommo- ognized by Section 504 dations be made for stu- and are entitled to extra dents, so that all pro- time on tests, books on grams are accessible tape, and other ways of Dr. Reiff explained that adapting their academic it is "WMC policy that all programs. These stu- events open to the pub- dents are given extra at- lie must be accessible." tention by the Academic He also added that the Skills Center. college "makes offer- It is important to re- ings available to all peo- member that colleges pie: deaf, blind, and not only provide stu- physically and develop- dents with an opportu- menta Ily d i sa b led. " nity to learn, they also try There are "very few to fulfill student's needs [students] with disabili- so that they have a ties that limit mobility," chance for a better fu- according to Dr. Reiff. No ture full-time undergraduate - Melissa Love Campu Ie 43