The Disability Resource Center offers a variety of resources including: Education/training, consultation, technical assistance, and career information.
To request a training, outreach, or technical assistance/consultation, please complete and submit our Request for DRC Outreach and Training Form. Someone from our office will contact you about your request within approximately 10 days.
You are also welcome to download and use the following 2-page (PDF) information sheets for training and discussion in your work unit:
- 2018 Executive Summary (PDF)
- What is a Disability? (PDF)
- Creating Accessible & Inclusive Meetings or Events (PDF)
- Creating Community in the Classroom (PDF)
- Service Dogs (PDF)
- Supporting Students with Short-term Disabilities (PDF)
- Inclusive Environment Alert: Chemical & Scent Sensitivities Sign (PDF)
- Roles and Responsibilities: Implementing Accommodations (PDF)
- Work-from-Home Ergonomics (PDF)
Instructor-Specific Training & Resources
We recognize that University of Minnesota instructors sometimes struggle to figure out how to best serve students with disabilities. Our instructor-specific training and resources page includes a short on-line training video developed to help instructors with questions such as what's "required" and how many student requests for accommodation must be implemented.
The College Model
The Disability Resource Center (DRC) uses the College Model to facilitate access and equity for students enrolled in the Academic Health Center programs. The model is structured to address the unique characteristics of each of these academic programs and to proactively address programmatic barriers. A key component of the model is to assign a DRC Access Consultant to each program. The College Model is unique in that each of these Access Consultants serves as liaisons to their assigned academic programs and regularly collaborates with key program administrators, faculty, staff and students to address programmatic and individual access barriers.
The Access Consultants assigned to the Academic Health Center Programs use the Structured Interview Questions for Academic Health Center Program (Word Doc) to develop a Strategic Partnership Plan that outlines mutual understandings for next steps in addressing potential barriers and/or identifying essential program components for each of the Academic Health Center Programs.
Grants
- The Needs Assessment Project: Exploring Barriers and Opportunities for College Students with Psychiatric Disabilities (Word Doc) was completed in 2003.
- The Marcus Foundation Faculty Education Grant entitled, Taking It to the Next Level: Advancing Awareness and Equity of Medical Trainees with Invisible Disabilities (Word Doc) was completed in December 2012.
Education/Training
The education and training offerings focus on a wide range of disability issues. They can also be customized for individual units' needs and concerns. A list of current Disability Resource Center Education/Training offerings follows:
- Advancing Access for Everyone: Overview of Disability Resource Center at the University of Minnesota
- Perceptions on Disability: Exploration of the Social Justice Model of Disability
- Disability Condition-Specific Presentations (e.g., psychiatric disabilities/mental health)
- Practical Strategies for Effective Communication and Interaction
- Incorporating Universal Design Principles in the Development, Delivery, and Assessment of Your Instruction
- Invisible Disabilities and Accommodations in the Workplace: A Guide for Supervisors (jointly with EOAA)
- HR Keys to Supervision (Orientation for New Supervisors and Managers)
- HR Supervisory Lab Workshop: Disabilities and Accommodations
- HR NEO Diversity Drives Discovery
- Disability Accommodations and Resources: A Demonstration of Adaptive/Assistive Technology
- New Student Leader Orientation Training
Consultation
The Disability Resource Center staff can provide individual consultation on a wide-variety of disability-related issues as they apply to the academic and employment settings.
Technical Assistance
Technical assistance is available on various areas, e.g., CAP, Physical Access, and Universal Design Resources.
Career Information
University of Minnesota employment opportunities
Disability Studies Information
Watch for information on Disability Resource Center programs.