To inquire about accommodations or if you have questions or concerns regarding an existing accommodation or access concern, please schedule an appointment with DAS Senior Specialist, Holly Hatfield, via Calendly.

Do you have trouble building study time into your schedule? Do you find yourself waiting until the last minute to study for exams? Do you find yourself re-reading your textbook chapters, only to forget the information immediately after?

The Study Cycle is a guide to help you build effective studying into your everyday life. On the surface, each step may seem obvious, but all too often students take shortcuts and miss important opportunities to benefit from the interplay of each step of the cycle. In the Study Cycle, each step builds on the previous one and distributes your learning throughout the semester, which is much more effective than waiting until the day before the test to study.

Studying 101 is a handout with many tips on effective studying that allows you to experiment to find what works best for you. Actively engaging in your course material (not just reading) is crucial to your understanding. Memorizing, highlighting, and/or underlining will not help you connect or develop critical thinking about a topic.

How to Study and the Study Cycle and Studying 101, courtesy of The Learning Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Prior to the start of the semester, students approved for alternative format accommodations must determine alternative text needs for their courses. Students can work with instructors to identify any required textbooks, in-class handouts, or other materials posted in a classroom management system, as well as any other required readings that will need to be made available in accessible format.​

Alternative Format Process

1. Students should research to see if the book needed is already in a digital/alternative format. Please review a list of resources below.
2. Berea College is a partner with SensusAccess to offer a file converter tool that makes inaccessible documents (such as Word or PDF files) into more accessible media (such as searchable PDFs, audio MP3 files, Braille, or e-text).  SensusAccess is available to all Berea faculty, staff, and students that have an active College email address. Please note that the quality of the converted document depends on the quality of the original document, and all conversion files will be delivered via email. Try SensusAccess now.
3. In addition to SensusAccess, students approved for alternative format accommodations have the option to submit an alternative format request via their AIM portal.  Follow these steps to formally request your books through DAS each semester: Find the list of your required course materials:
   1. Open your class schedule in MyBerea
   2. Visit the online college bookstore, Akademos
   3. Check your syllabus for all course reading materials, or
   4. Contact your professor or department for course reading materials
4. Check if your course materials already exist in an accessible format. You can order books directly from the following sites:
   1. Bookshare: an accessible online library for people with print disabilities. Free memberships for qualified U.S. students and schools.
   2. Learning Ally : previously Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic or RFB&D, is a non-profit volunteer organization which produces a library of accessible educational materials.
   3. National Library Service: a network of libraries that provides free library service to persons who are unable to use standard printed material.
   4. Project Gutenberg: offers over 40,000 free ebooks.
   5. Read How You Want: an accessibility site from which you can obtain a title in whatever font size or accessibility format you desire, including DAISY and other text-to-speech editions.
   6. Vitalsource: an e-textbook platform that uses VitalSource Bookshelf which can be accessed online or via download, and is not tied to any one type of device.

   It is the student’s responsibility to purchase all course materials and to provide proof of purchase to DAS.  If DAS is able to acquire the course material through the publisher, DAS will contact you once it’s received. In the event that DAS is unable to acquire a textbook, DAS will request your copy of the textbook to be scanned and converted. Bindings will be removed from the book in order for the process to occur and, once complete, rebound with a spiral binding. All requests will be handled in a timely manner but may vary depending on availability, size, and complexity of material.

Instructions for Requesting Alternative Text through AIM.

Software and Apps

• Adobe Scan – Adobe Scan app for your mobile device, scan documents to PDFs, recognize text.
• Aira – Visual interpreting service, get live, on-demand access to visual information.
• AudioNote – Note-taking and voice recording – save time, improve the quality of your notes – read about AudioNote.
• BeMyEyes – AI-powered visual assistance for instantaneous image-to-text generation.
• Dragon Anywhere – Professional grade mobile dictation app for Dragon NaturallySpeaking subscribers
• Google LIVE TRANSCRIBE – Real time, transcribes speech to text anytime, anywhere on your Android device.
• LIVE TRANSCRIBE for iOS – Real time, transcribes speech to text anytime, anywhere on you iOS device.
• Grammarly Keyboard  –Type on the keyboard, Grammarly verifies your message is clear, effective, and mistake. Free
• JustRead – View web articles in a more readable, attractive, and custom format. Free Version
• Microsoft Seeing AI –  a free app that narrates the world around you. Designed with and for the blind and low vision community describing nearby people, text and objects.
• MindMeister – Mind mapping for individuals or groups.
• Morphic – One-click access to key built-in accessibility and usability features. FREE
• NaturalReader – text to speech for MAC or PC – NaturalReader libguide – resource for using NaturalReader by NIE. Free 
• NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) – a free screen reader which enables use of the Windows Operating system. Free
• Notability – Real-time audio recording and note taking – Notability (iPad/Mac)
• OneStep Reader (formerly KNFB Reader App) – convert text to speech easily anytime, anywhere – available in iOS, Android, Windows 10
• OpenDyslexic – open-source font created to increase readability for readers with dyslexia.
• Otter Voice Notes  – Magically turn voice into sharable, smart notes that sync audio, text, and images.
• Otter.ai Google Chrome Extension – Transcribe and caption Google Meet in real time, save audio transcripts.
• Otter Quick Start Guide – Helpful step-by-step illustrated guide walks you through installation, set-up, and use.
• Otter Voice Notes instruction and information video – watch Otter in action, including tips and tricks.
• Otter Voice Notes blog post how Otter changes note taking and organizing for Higher Education students.
• Read Aloud-A text to speech voice reader. Reads aloud web-page articles. Chrome extension. Free
• RocketBook – Write Reuse Organize Scan –Endlessly reusable notebook connected to your cloud services. Free
• ScannerPro 7 – Mobile or tablet portable scanner
• Seeing AI – Talking camera for low vision and blind students
• Speechify – Power through docs, PDFs, email – anything you read – by listening with our leading text-to-speech reader.
• Speechnotes – Take notes with your voice for free, or automatically transcribe audio & video recordings on the spot. Secure, accurate & fast.
• Tap Tap See – designed to help the blind and visually impaired identify objects they encounter in their everyday lives. Free
• TTSReader – reads out loud texts, webpages, pdfs & ebooks with natural sounding voices.
• Voice DreamReader – Turn text into speech – App available in iOS and Android.
• VoiceOver –Advanced screen reader built into MAC operating systems.
• WebOutLoud – reads aloud the contents of a web page directly in the browser, highlighting words and paragraphs as it goes.
• XMind –Mapping software PC/Windows – Features – XMind mapping software MAC

Accessibility Features Available Within Your Laptop or Desktop

Most devices have accessibility features already built into their operating systems.

• Apple MAC Accessibility features
• Microsoft Windows Accessibility features

 

 

 

The information is based on resources compiled by the National Center for College Students with Disabilities Clearinghouse (NCCSD).

Intersectionality of Disability Experiences

African American & Black 

• Divas with Disabilities: This group’s motto is “Showing Up Unapologetically” and they offer community and information to women of color with disabilities through their website and Facebook page.
• Ramp Your Voice! Is focused on promoting self-advocacy and strengthening empowerment among disabled people, especially Black women and femmes with disabilities.
• HBCU Disability Consortium: Consortium at Historically Black Colleges and Universities; for Black and African-American college students with disabilities. Check out their website Black, Disabled and Proud.
• National Black Deaf Advocates: Hosts leadership trainings for Black deaf and hard of hearing college students.
• National Black Disability Coalition: The NBDC was founded in 1990 in response to the need for Black disabled people to organize around mutual concerns.
• Steve Fund: This organization supports students of color and their mental and emotional health and well-being, often hosting events at campuses around the country.
• The Harriet Tubman Collective: Collective of Black Deaf & Black Disabled organizers, community builders, activists, dreamers, lovers striving for radical inclusion and collective liberation.
• QTPoC Mental Health Emphasizes community healing and hosts meditations for queer & trans people of color (QTPoC), as well promotes space for individuals to publish original art and writing on www.restforresistance.com.
• SinsInvalid: A performance project that incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities, centralizing artists of color and queer and gender-variant artists as communities who have been historically marginalized.

Religion & Faith 

• Faith Ability: Religion and Disability Resources: A website with resources about religion and disability.  Under the “Faith Groups” topic, you can find information about disability and your faith, including Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and Buddhism.
• American Muslim Health Professionals: This group of Muslim health care professionals has worked with disability groups to actively improve health care, mental health education, and access to medical insurance for all Muslims in the U.S. with an interest in also combating stereotypes and discrimination.
• Canadian Association of Muslims with Disabilities: Although this is based in Canada, many resources and publications are available for people from the U.S..
• Jewish and Faith Inclusion Resources collated by RespectAbility: variety of readings, resources, and toolkits focused on inclusion of individuals with disabilities.
• Disabilities Inclusion Learning Center: Offers resources for educators, lay leaders, youth, clergy, and congregants to learn more about the inclusion of individuals with disabilities within early childhood education, B’nai Mitzvah, youth group, congregational trips, worship and every other area of congregational life.

Indigenous Peoples

• The Native American Disability Law Center: Their mission is to ensure that Native Americans with disabilities have access to justice and are empowered and equal members of their communities and nations. Check out their resources page for information more tailored to specific states and territories.
• Indigenous Persons with Disabilities Global Network is a network of indigenous persons with disabilities that was founded in May 2013 to promote the rights of indigenous persons with disabilities, reach out to new communities and engage with international and regional human rights and development processes.
• Disability Visability – Articles from Indigenous Peoples

Asian American & Pacific Islander

• Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California (APIDC): Seeks to empower Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) with physical, mental, and developmental disabilities by fostering community networks.
• Disability Visibility – Articles from Asian Americans
• Asian Mental Health Collective: Promotes emotional well-being, and challenges the stigma concerning mental illness amongst Asian communities globally.
• National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA): Raise awareness of the role of mental health in an individual’s health and well-being, especially in Asian American Pacific Islander communities throughout the country.
• MannMukti: A mental health resource for South Asians that focuses on sharing stories to raise awareness.

Chicano, Latinx, & Hispanic

• National Coalition for Latinx with Disabilities: Their mission is to “to affirm, celebrate, and collectively uplift Latinxs with dis/abilities through community building, advocacy, protection of rights, resources, and education.” Their webpage is still under development but they are active on social media (facebook and twitter)
• Deaf Latinos y Familias Organization: A non profit organization dedicated to working with Latino families of children in DeafEd, including Latino Deaf adults, as we integrate family history, traditions, values, and ASL into their lives.
• Latinx Mental Health Podcast: Increases dialogue and representation about mental health in the Latinx community through podcast episodes and engagement on social media platforms.

LGBTQIA Resources

• Transgender Law Center (TLC) Disability Project: Is focused on promoting and integrating disability, deafness, and anti-ableism policies within the LGBTQ movement and communities.
• The National Queer & Trans Therapists of Color Network: A healing justice organization committed to transforming mental health for queer and trans people of color (QTPoC).
• QTPoC Mental Health Emphasizes community healing and hosts meditations for queer & trans people of color (QTPoC), as well promotes space for individuals to publish original art and writing on www.restforresistance.com.
• SinsInvalid: A performance project that incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities, centralizing artists of color and queer and gender-variant artists as communities who have been historically marginalized.

Academia and Disability

• Chronically Academic: An international network of academics with disabilities and chronic conditions, sharing resources and advice; welcomes graduate students, adjuncts, and faculty.
• Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD): Professional organization for disability services providers that also hosts the NCCSD, DREAM, and the HBCU Disability Consortium.
• Coalition for Disability Access in Health Science and Medical Education: This group offers resources for students with disabilities in health science fields, and for Yeahfaculty in any type of medical education program.  They also have an annual conference.
• ​American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights: The Commission has resources, guides, and helpful links for law students, attorneys, and other legal professionals and entities.
• Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society: This is an academic honor society for students with disabilities at colleges and universities, with chapters across the United States.
• DO-IT: Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology: Focuses primarily on employment, Internet, and technology; also has an online mentoring program and information for college students.
• DREAM: Disability Rights, Education, Activism and Mentoring: DREAM is a student group under the NCCSD at AHEAD, providing online resources and community for all students with disabilities across the country.  Offering a weekly e-mail newsletter on disability and higher ed and run by a student board, with a national “Disabled and Proud” conference and other activities.
• Lime Connect: Prepares, and connects high potential university students and professionals – including veterans – with disabilities for scholarships, internships, The Lime Connect Fellowship Program, and full time careers with  corporate partners.
• Mobility International USA: Works on international disability rights and supports travel and study abroad for people with disabilities.
• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): Learn about NCAA rules for student athletes with disabilities.

Access and Civil Rights

• ​ADA National Network: The ADA National Network has regional centers providing resources and assistance for campuses and college students. If you have questions about your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), call someone at your local center (there is a list of ADA regional centers here).
• Access Computing: Based at the University of Washington, college and graduate students with disabilities can connect to mentors and professionals in computing fields, and find internships and potential employment opportunities.
• Transgender Law Center (TLC) Disability Project: Is focused on promoting and integrating disability, deafness, and anti-ableism policies within the LGBTQ movement and communities.
• The Native American Disability Law Center: Their mission is to ensure that Native Americans with disabilities have access to justice and are empowered and equal members of their communities and nations. Check out their resources page for information more tailored to specific states and territories.
• TASH: An international organization working to advance inclusive communities through advocacy, research, professional development, policy, and information and resources for parents, families and self-advocates.
• Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD): Professional organization for disability services providers that also hosts the NCCSD, DREAM, and the HBCU Disability Consortium.

Autistic Community

• Aspergers/Autism Network (AANE): AANE works with individuals, families, and professionals to help people with Asperger Syndrome and similar autism spectrum profiles build meaningful, connected lives
• Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN): Promotes understanding of neurodiversity and self-advocacy among autistics; many college-related initiatives and publications
• The Autism National Committee (AutCom) is an autism advocacy organization dedicated to “Social Justice for All Autistics” through a shared vision and a commitment to positive approaches to protect and advance the human rights and civil rights of all persons with autism.
• The Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network (AWN) seeks to provide community, support and resources for Autistic women, girls, nonbinary people, and all others of marginalized genders.

Condition Specific Communities

• College Diabetes Network: With campus chapters across the country, this organization works to provide information and support to students living with diabetes.
• Epilepsy Foundation: Is a non-profit national foundation dedicated to the welfare of people with epilepsy and seizure disorders. Resources and information, including targeted information for African Americans, Latinx and others is available on their site.
• National Association of Blind Students: Part of the National Federation of the Blind, this group offers resources, networking, and opportunities for collective activism.
• National Stuttering Association: ​NSA provides support, friendship, and information, and instills the sense of self-worth for those who stutter. Information for researchers and other professionals as well.
• National Wheelchair Basketball Association: With roots in teams formed by WWII veterans, this organization now spans the globe and sends teams to the Paralympics. Their website has more information about the sport and where teams are located.
• Students with Diabetes: This group supports college students with diabetes through information, and by forming a network of peers and campus chapters, connecting students to resources in their communities.
• The Phoenix Society: Is the leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering anyone affected by a burn injury.
• The EPIC Foundation: Is a non-profit organization that provides support, advocacy,  and tools to those affected by chronic illnesses
• Center for Chronic Illness: Promotes well-being and decreases isolation for those impacted by chronic illness through support and education​.
• The Ehlers-Danlos Society: Is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of those affected by the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD), and related conditions. They host a yearly conference and provide a wide array of resources.
• Standing Up to POTS is dedicated to funding research that will help to improve the quality of life for people with postural orthostatic tachycardia (POTS). Their website offers an array of resources and they host a support group on Facebook.

Deaf Community 

• National Association of the Deaf: The nation’s premier civil rights organization of, by, and for deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the United States.
• National Deaf Center: NDC’s mission is to support postsecondary outcomes for individuals who are deaf, deafblind, deafdisabled, hard of hearing, or late deafened.
• National Black Deaf Advocates: Hosts leadership trainings for Black deaf and hard of hearing college students.
• NAOBI: National Alliance of Black Interpreters, Inc.: National organization for sign language interpreters from the African diaspora.
• Deaf Latinos y Familias Organization: A non profit organization dedicated to working with Latino families of children in DeafEd, including Latino Deaf adults, as we integrate family history, traditions, values, and ASL into their lives.

Disability Community and Disability Studies

• Society for Disability Studies: Like African-American studies and race, women’s studies and gender, or other types of “studies” that look at society through different lenses, disability studies professors and researchers look at the world with disability in mind.  They publish Disability Studies Quarterly, an open access,multidisciplinary and international journal of interest to social scientists, scholars in the humanities, disability rights advocates, creative writers, and others concerned with the issues of people with disabilities.
• Disability Intersectionality Summit: Centers the multiple oppressions that shape the lived experiences of disabled individuals, as told by disabled people, in a setting organized by disabled activists.
• SinsInvalid: A disability justice based performance project that incubates and celebrates artists with disabilities, centralizing artists of color and LGBTQ / gender-variant artists as communities who have been historically marginalized.
• Disability Visibility Project: Is an online platform dedicated to advancing disability community as well as creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture.
• Rooted in Rights: A project of Disability Rights Washington that tells authentic, accessible stories to challenge stigma and redefine narratives around disability, mental health, and chronic illness.
• Project LETS: A group with campus chapters that uses principles of disability justice to create peer-led communities for mental illness, trauma, disability, and neurodiversity.
• The Harriet Tubman Collective: Collective of Black Deaf & Black Disabled organizers, community builders, activists, dreamers, lovers striving for radical inclusion and collective liberation.

Learning Disabilities

• ADHD – Understanding ADHD: A program of CHADD, this site has information for adults with ADHD, families and educators in English and Spanish.
• CHADD – The National Resource on ADHD: Provides information and resources for children and adults with ADHD; use the search box to find information about transition to college for students who have ADHD
• Eye-to-Eye: Matches college student mentors with LD or ADHD labels with middle school students who have similar labels, as well as leadership opportunities and training.
• Headstrong Nation: A movement dedicated to a radical new approach to dyslexia. We empower adult dyslexics to own their dyslexia, to understand it, and to develop new ways of learning and working based on their individual profiles.
• The CodPast: A fresh and contemporary online publication for students and adults with Dyslexia. If you’re looking for up to the minute news and views on technology, study skills, employment, events and entertainment

Mental Health 

• Active Minds: Works to promote positive mental and emotional health for college students while ending the stigma of mental illness; also has fellowships available.
• Actively Moving Forward: Through campus-based chapters, AMF supports students dealing with grief after illness or the death of someone they care about.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness: NAMI offers support and assistance designed to reduce the stigma of mental illness; they have campus and community chapters and resources for family members.
• Silence the Shame: A group working to reduce the stigma of mental illness and poverty, particularly in communities of color.  Has a college campus ambassador program that helps students create programs at their colleges and universities.
• Self-injury Outreach and Support (SiOS): An international outreach organization providing current information and helpful resources about self-injury to individuals who self-injure, those who have recovered, as well as their caregivers and families, friends, teachers and the health professionals who work with them.

Recovery Communities

Addiction and Recovery 

• Association of Recovery in Higher Education: The AHRE is the only association exclusively representing collegiate recovery programs (CRPs) and collegiate recovery communities (CRCs). Their website contains information about the association, collegiate recovery centers/programs, recovery resources, and events.
• Recovery Dharma: Recovery Dharma is a peer-led, grass-roots, democratically-structured organization with a mission to support individuals on their path of recovery from addiction using Buddhist practices and principles.
• SMART Recovery: An abstinence-based, not-for-profit organization with a sensible self-help program for people having problems with drinking and using. It includes many ideas and techniques.

Eating Disorders 

• Project Heal: National organization with high school and campus chapters, promoting healthy body image and providing grants to people with eating disorders who cannot afford treatment.
• The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA): Is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders. They merged with the National Association for Males with Eating Disorders (N.A.M.E.D.) in 2019 to further their shared goals of advocacy for diverse populations impacted by eating disorders.
• T-FEED—Trans Folx Fighting Eating Disorders: Advocacy and action to make visible, interrupt, and undermine the disproportionately high incidence of eating disorders in trans and gender-diverse individuals through radical community healing and recovery institution reform.
• Overeaters Anonymous (OA): A community of people who support each other in order to recover from compulsive eating and food.

Veterans and Military Service Members 

• Student Veterans of America: Provides resources to veterans going to college, including veterans with disabilities.
• VetSuccess on Campus: Is a federal program that works with Vocational Rehabilitation to help veterans transition from military service to college; it’s available on 94 campuses around the country​.
• Wounded Warriors: If you’re a disabled vet going to college, look at the Wounded Warriors project for resources and opportunities. Nobody understands vets with disabilities like other vets with disabilities.