Disability Services and Programs for Students

Do you need to apply to DSPS? Paper applications are available in our Eureka and Del Norte offices. You can also email us to request a copy of our application. Contact information is below if you need to reach us:

Eureka Campus

Monday - Friday:
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Located in the Student Services Building, 1st Floor
(707) 476-4280
Fax (707) 476-4418

Del Norte Education Center

Monday - Friday:
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Main Building, near the library
(707) 465-2324
Fax (707) 464-6867

Klamath-Trinity Instructional Site

(707) 476-4280
Fax (707) 476-4418

Email for all DSPS Locations - DSPS@redwoods.edu

What is DSPS?

Since its inception in 1975, Disability Services and Programs for Students (DSPS) at College of the Redwoods (CR) has grown to serve an average of 1200 students with disabilities per year. The major objective of the DSPS office at CR is to assure educational access for students with disabilities. DSPS concentrates its efforts on providing services that are not available elsewhere in the College.

Post-secondary institutions must take steps to assure that students with disabilities are not excluded from programs because of the absence of educational auxiliary aids. The appropriate educational accommodations vary across students even though they may possess the same type of disability. Individual students have varying strengths, weaknesses, and levels of functioning, therefore dictating a variety of accommodations being available to the students.

Some of the accommodations that are available to students with disabilities through DSPS include: academic planning, priority registration, learning disability assessment, testing accommodations, liaison to campus and community, readers, textbooks in alternate formats, sign language interpreters, real-time captioning, mobility assistance, tape recorders, and special course offerings. The accommodations that are available may vary on each of the CR campuses.

Download Application

DSPS Services

Academic Planning
Alternate Format of Printed Materials
Assistive Computers and Related Equipment
Closed-Circuit Television (enlarges printed material for viewing)
Liaison and referral to resources on and off campus
Medical Parking
On-Campus Transportation
Priority Registration
Readers/Scribes
Sign Language Interpreters
Tape Recorders
Testing Accommodations

DSPS Education Assistance Courses

Adaptive Physical Education (Eureka Campus only)
Applied Study Skills and Strategies (LIGHT Center)
Learning Disabilities Assessment

How does a student become eligible for DSPS?

A student is eligible for our program if they have a verified disability that limits one or more major life activities, resulting in an educational limitation. Major life activities are defined as caring for one's self, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, and participating in community activities.

An educational limitation is a disability related functional limitation in the educational setting. An educational limitation prevents the student with a disability from fully benefiting from classes, activities, or services offered to students without disabilities, without specific additional support services or instruction. Services and accommodations provided by the DSPS program are directly related to the student's educational limitation(s). Participation in DSPS is voluntary.

How does a student become a part DSPS?

In order to participate in DSPS, a student must fill out an application to the department. The main requirement for our program is that a student must have a verified/verifiable disability and be currently enrolled.

If a student does not have a disability that has been previously identified, but is finding that they have serious difficulties with their classes, they may have an unidentified learning disability. These students also go through the DSPS department for referral to a course called Guidance 143: Introduction to Learning Disabilities, which includes information about, and testing for a learning disability. If a student is determined to have a learning disability through this course, then the testing will serve as verification for participation in DSPS.

What is the process for a student to get support services/accommodations

DSPS Application/Referral Process:

Student or Instructor/Counselor/Community Agency makes referral.
Verification of Disability form is received from:
- Learning Disability Specialist
- Medical Doctor
- Department of Rehabilitation Counselor
- Licensed Psychiatrist or Psychologist
- Professional Certification by DSPS Director
Student is notified of eligibility.
Student meets with DSPS specialist to determine appropriate educational accommodations.
Support Services Agreement (SSA) is completed each semester the student is enroll

What types of services and accommodations do you offer for students with disabilities?

Accommodations provided to students with disabilities vary, depending on the student's particular educational limitations, as well as by what is available at each individual campus. Some of the services and accommodations that are provided through our office include: e-texts, extended test time, mobility/transportation assistance (on campus only), sign language interpreters, enrollment in education assistance classes, priority registration, digital voice recorders, liaison with community agencies, etc.

What are the different disability groups?

Physical Disability: Physical disability is defined as a limitation in locomotion or motor functions. These limitations are the result of specific impacts to the body's muscular-skeletal or nervous systems, and limit the student's ability to access the educational process.
Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH): Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) is defined as a total or partial loss of hearing function that limits the student's ability to access the educational process.
Blind and Low Vision: Blindness and low vision is defined as a level of vision that limits the student's ability to access the educational process.
Learning Disability: Learning disability (LD) is defined as a persistent condition of presumed neurological dysfunction which may exist with other disabling conditions. The dysfunction is not explained by lack of educational opportunity, lack of proficiency in the language of instruction, or other non-neurological factors, and this dysfunction limits the student's ability to access the educational process.
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI): Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is defined as a deficit in brain functioning which results in a total or partial loss of cognitive, communicative, motor, psycho-social and/or sensory-perceptual abilities, and limits the student's ability to access the educational process.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder that is a persistent deficit in attention and/or hyperactive and impulsive behavior that limits the student's ability to access the educational process.
Intellectual Disability: Intellectual disability (ID) is defined as significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior that affect and limit the student's ability to access the educational process.
Autism Spectrum: Autism Spectrum disorders are defined as neurodevelopmental disorders described as persistent deficits which limit the student's ability to access the educational process. Symptoms must have been present in the early developmental period, and cause limitations in social, academic, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.
Mental Health: Mental Health disability is defined as a persistent psychological or psychiatric disability, or emotional or mental illness that limits the student's ability to access the educational process.
Other Health Conditions and Disabilities: This category includes other health conditions, and/or disabilities that affect a major life activity, which are otherwise not defined but which limit the student's ability to access the educational process.