By The Keystone Newspaper By Sarah Kummery
Rohrbach Library recently unveiled new sensory-friendly and sensory-reduced areas. Students can now find quieter, designated spaces to study within the library. These locations are only KU’s newest additions; they are not the only inclusive areas on campus.
On the first floor of the library, students can find an adaptive workspace. This includes an adjustable height desk, JAWs, ZoomText, enlarged and dual monitors, enlarged keyboards and speech devices.
The Disabilities Services Office has other helpful devices for students who need them. Some of these include assistive listening systems, Braille printers and maps, tools for tactile graphics, magnifiers and alternate alarm clocks.
By contacting DSO, students can find resources for both academic and overall success.
Photo Credit: kutztown.edu
Kutztown also has a program called My Place, which focuses on neurodiverse community housing. Students work on skills like time management, organization, note-taking and self-advocacy within a community of people who can help them understand one another and their own individual needs.
Other opportunities within My Place housing include staff who are trained to help students build executive functioning skills, sensory-reduced nightly study hours with available staff to answer questions about assignments or other needs,, direct contacts with DSO, Student Success/Tutoring Center, the Writing Center and programs designed around advocacy and neurodiversity awareness.
Students also have 24/7 access to the Sensory Room in Rothermel Hall, similar to the new spaces in Rohrbach Library.