Disability Support Services Program Specialist

Learn about the Disability Program Specialist Career...

Many people with disabilities have overcome great obstacles to become inspiring and valued members of society. For example, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, philanthropist Helen Keller, singer Michael Bolton, famous mathematician Stephen Hawkings, and comedian Chris Fonseca, have led accomplished, fulfilling lives despite their disabilities. 

Of course, there are also millions of people who are not famous who have overcome their disabilities to serve as valuable members of their community.  To fulfill their potential, these people often need others to advocate on behalf of their capabilities, and to assist in helping them accomplish their educational and professional goals.  Disability Support Services Program Specialists, who most often work for Universities and other academic institutions, help people with disabilities live up to their potential by providing an array of disability support services.

People with disabilities can often be underestimated.  As a result, academic institutions and society in general may not understand why it is necessary, or beneficial, to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. When this type of sentiment prevails, the result can be in the form of a lack of wheel-chair access, having insufficient dormitory accommodations, inadequate campus medical services, or unsupportive professors. Disability Support Services Program Specialists develop the support and awareness infrastructure people with disabilities need in order to have the same opportunities for learning and success as non-disabled people.

The exact services a Program Specialist provides are varied, but can be divided into three categories: One, satisfying the direct needs of students; two, managing the disability support services of the academic institution; three, ensuring the academic institution is in compliance with law and regulations governing the administration of disability services.

When working with students, Program Specialists are responsible for assessing the needs of students and providing all the administrative support necessary to accommodate the students’ needs.   In order to assess the needs of students with disabilities, Program Specialists meet directly with students, and also evaluate their documented medical and psychiatric history.  After an assessment, Program Specialists create individualized care plans, and coordinate any academic adjustments or auxiliary aides the student requires. Programs Specialists stay in contact with students throughout the year to ensure the student’s needs are being met.

To guarantee that needs of students are continually and satisfactorily met throughout the entire academic institution, Program Specialists often manage the Disability Support Services Office of an academic institution.  As a manager, a Program Specialist will make certain that the school is in compliance will all federal and state legal policies pertaining to disability services.  In addition, the position may require the Program Specialist to manage, hire and train all the administrative support staff working for the Disability Services office. Program Specialists may also be responsible for contacting and collaborating with local organizations that hire and support students with disabilities. 

Through careful delivery and coordination of disability services, a Program Specialist can transform an otherwise unaccommodating environment into one that helps and inspires people with disabilities to achieve their goals, and become productive members of society.

If you have a desire to work with people with disabilities, and manage and inspire others to help expand accomodations, a career as a Disability Support Services Program Specialist may be right for you. 

Most Program Specialists come from a Social Work or Disability Services Care field, and have either a Master's or Bachelor's in Psychology, Counseling, Social Work, or a related field.

Request information from schools offering Psychology and Counseling degree programs.