Chung-Ang University (CAU) is running the Support Center for Students with Disabilities to introduce various systems so that disabled students do not have difficulties and inconveniences in their college life. Not only disabled people but also all members of society should take an interest in disability. For a better society, there is a growing perception that efforts should be made for personal and social changes, such as improving awareness of the disabled and preparing accessibility facilities and policies to prevent them from experiencing inconvenience. Then what efforts are being made for disabled students at CAU? Let's learn more about the center with CAH.

What Is the Support Center for Students with Disabilities?

           CAU’s Support Center for Students with Disabilities is an institution that supports disabled students so that they do not experience inconvenience in living and learning college life. In accordance with Article 30 of the Act on Special Education for Persons with Disabilities, CAU has established and operated the center as an independent department since 2012. A psychology professor as the head of the center, administrative staff, an assistant, and a specialized researcher who is a Ph.D. in social welfare are in charge of practical affairs. It is located on both Seoul and Anseong Campuses: The Seoul Campus office is in building 310 (Centennial Hall) room B304, and the Anseong Campus office is in the building of the College of Foreign Languages (801) room 2109. The Support Center for Students with Disabilities says that the answer to 'What is a disability?' is constantly changing. Unlike in the past, when disability was traditionally turned into an individual problem, it is said that social barriers are the problem in the concept of disability. In other words, the needs of the disabled are not fully considered, and appropriate services are not provided in our society. The center is striving to make a new interpretation of disability within the community of CAU.

Projects Carried Out by the Support Center for Students with Disabilities

           What are some projects that the Support Center for Students with Disabilities is carrying out? First of all, the center is providing support facilities to prevent disabled students from having difficulty in college. Various devices such as a mouse for the disabled, a braille terminal, a table for the disabled, and an infrared wireless voice listener are available to support disabled students. In addition, a priority system for students with disabilities to apply for classes and the priority allocation system for dormitories[1] are both also implemented. The center is also listening to and sharing the difficulties of disabled students by opening special employment lectures for disabled students, conducting career mentoring, and conducting individual counseling for all disabled students in the school. Students can check the notice and application method on the website of the center. In addition, the center is conducting a contest, experience education, and campaign to improve disability awareness for CAU members.

How to Help Disabled Students

           If CAU students want to help disabled students, they can apply for a helper support system conducted by the center. Helpers for disabled students are recruited in a total of four areas: lecture ghostwriting, activity assistance, textbook production, and tutoring. Lecture ghostwriting assistants take charge of organizing lecture contents during lecture time and providing them to disabled students through laptops and handwritten notes, while activity assistants help disabled students with their meals, use school institutions, and move between classrooms. Textbook production helpers type and scan textbooks and supplementary materials that are difficult for disabled students to access, while tutoring helpers are in charge of academic guidance for disabled students. Tutoring helpers are active according to the number of hours of each class. For example, in the case of a three-credit class, it takes 3-4 hours of activity per week. In February and August, the month before the start of each semester, you can see the notice on the official CAU website and apply there. Helpers are selected through document screening and interviews. In principle, the activity period is usually one regular semester, but it can be extended until the seasonal semester if necessary. Work scholarships will be given to assistants, and activity confirmation can be issued if the activity is terminated and requested individually.

Some CAH readers may not have known about various programs conducted by the Support Center for Students with Disabilities or about the center itself. Students with disabilities are members of CAU like all of us, and institutions and programs that help their school life are what everyone should be interested in. The more interested everyone is, the easier it will be to find and improve problematic areas, and projects and policies that support disabled students can be further strengthened and supplemented. Also, if you have time, participating in the helper support system to help disabled students not feel uncomfortable in college life could be a good choice.

Support Center for Students with Disabilities Seoul Campus Tel 02) 820-6577~9

Support Center for Students with Disabilities Anseong Campus Tel 031) 670-4816, 3399

Support Center for Students with Disabilities Site: https://bit.ly/34xaXEB