Services for Students with Visual Disabilities

Enlarged-font maps are available for people with visual impairments to familiarize themselves with campus and the tactile maps available show features such as sidewalks, intersections, etc. These maps also include the names of buildings and streets.

Contact our office to receive a map.

If you need assistance converting class materials to an alternative format or need a copy of a textbook in an accessible format, help is available in the Adaptive Computer Technology (ACT) lab in Robert Bell Building (RB), room 168.

The lab is specifically designed for users with disabilities and is part of Unified Technology Support.

Lab attendants are available to help students learn any of the computer technologies available in the lab. The lab has many different types of technology for use by students with disabilities including speech-to-text programs, text-to-speech programs, screen magnification, textbook scanning/accessible electronic textbooks, Braille transcription, and tactile graphics.

Mobility Orientation

Proper orientation and mobility training for students with visual impairments is very important.

In addition to the large print and tactile maps, many students find it useful to “work” the campus for a day or two before classes begin with the aid of a professional orientation and mobility instructor.

Arrangements are made through your Vocational Rehabilitation Office.

Our office can help recruit or refer notetakers for you if you need this service.

Notetakers are hired from within the class for which you need notes provided in an accessible format.

Supervision of notetakers is the primary responsibility of the student. Please notify our office if you are experiencing problems with your notetakers and we can assist you.

Request Notetaking Services

You may request notetaking services by contacting our staff. We ask for ample lead time to ensure we are able to find someone to help provide this service.

Students registered with our office can receive priority class scheduling. This means students with disabilities will be able to begin registering for courses before other students.

Priority registration does not supersede considerations such as prerequisites or courses that need departmental permission for registration.

Ball State recognizes the value and need of service animals to assist some students with disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines service animals as:

"any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Other species of animals, whether wild or domestic, trained or untrained, are not service animals for the purposes of this definition. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the handler´s disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, alerting individuals to the presence of allergens, retrieving items such as medicine or the telephone, providing physical support and assistance with balance and stability to individuals with mobility disabilities, and helping persons with psychiatric and neurological disabilities by preventing or interrupting impulsive or destructive behaviors. The crime deterrent effects of an animal´s presence and the provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship do not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition."

Ball State reserves the right to ask that the animal undergo additional training or be removed if it does not fit this description or if it has become disruptive. For example, a properly trained service animal will remain at its owner's feet. It does not run freely around, bark or growl repeatedly at other persons or animals, bite or jump on people, or urinate or defecate inside buildings. An animal that engages in such disruptive behavior shows that it has not been successfully trained to function as a service animal in public settings. 

The good health of the animal is the responsibility of the owner. If the animal is in ill health (bowel/bladder control problems, fleas, etc.), the owner may be asked to remove it from the University.

Emotional Support Animals

Please note that emotional support animals (ESAs) are not service animals and thus not permitted on campus.

Per the Fair Housing Act, ESAs may be permitted in University Housing if the student has a documented disability and there is a nexus or relationship between the disability and the assistance the animals provides.

For more information about the policies and procedures to request an ESA in Housing, please contact Disability Services.

Campus shuttle buses operate daily during the academic school year (mid-August to early May) and are available free-of-charge to students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

The shuttles run:

• Sunday – every 10-15 minutes from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Monday through Thursday – every 5-10 minutes 7:15 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Friday – every 5-10 minutes from 7:15 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Accessible Shuttle for Students with Disabilities

A lift-equipped campus shuttle, called the Demand Response Bus, runs at the following times during the regular academic year for those with mobility impairments.

• Monday-Thursday – 7:15 a.m.-11 p.m.
• Friday – 7:15 a.m.-8 p.m.

Call the Transportation Office at 765-285-9045 to request a pick-up and to designate a location. The shuttle does not go off campus.

Please call at least one hour prior to the desired pick-up time and please be patient, particularly in times of heavy use and inclement weather.

Our office establishes the eligibility list for this service.

Students with disabilities can use alternative testing arrangements, which our office may assist with when requested.

Faculty members may wish to handle their own accommodated testing.

Test administration may be modified or adapted for students with disabilities when appropriate.

Available Accommodations

Such accommodations may include any of the following:

• extended time
• alternative location
• a scribe for test questions
• use of a word processor
• large print
• ·oral administration of test questions

Recommendations for accommodations are made by our office’s director and listed in a letter of accommodation.

How to Make Arrangements

Students and instructors may make any arrangements for testing accommodations that are fair to the student and to the class requirements.

Most students and professors agree to have accommodated tests administered by the Learning Center.

Students are expected to schedule an appointment to take the test as soon as the test is announced, or at least two days in advance. Students may do this in person at the Learning Center (North Quad, Room 350) or by calling 765-285-3779.

Instructions for Exams at the Learning Center

Below are the instructions to follow when taking exams at the Learning Center:

• Students, not faculty, should schedule their exams.
• Students should schedule the exam at least two days ahead of the exam date by calling 285-3779 or stopping by North Quad, room 350.
• Remind the professor once before each test to send the exam to North Quad, room 350.
• Students should take the exam when the rest of the class is scheduled to take it.
• Be on time. If you are late, the amount of time that you missed will be subtracted from your allotted test-taking session.
• Unauthorized aids, notes, phones, etc., will be reported to the professor and cheating of any kind will result in termination of the test.
• All other University guidelines for test taking apply to the Learning Center’s test administration.
• Time and a half will be allotted for the test unless otherwise determined by the Disability Services office.
• Test proctors may not explain or express opinions concerning the test; however, clarifications for specific purposes (directions, procedures, etc.) may be given.