Working/Functional Title

Access Specialist

Position Summary

This Position 

• Provides advising, direct services, consultation, and referrals to persons with disabilities to facilitate full participation in university programs and services
• Provides outreach, consulting, and presentations to university faculty and staff to facilitate an environment of accessibility and inclusion
• Develops and administers programs and services intent on increasing engagement in the mission and programs of Michigan State University, fostering student success, and ultimately advancing career and life success

Knowledge, abilities and skills required:
• Knowledge of educational and employment-related accommodations, skills, and tools used by persons with a range of disabilities
• Knowledge of state and federal laws pertaining to services for D/deaf and hard of hearing individuals, including ASL interpreters and CART services
• Ability to use personal interviews and medical documentation to assess disability and to determine and implement appropriate accommodations and auxiliary aids/services
• Excellent written communication skills and ability to produce clear case notes
• Excellent oral and ASL communication skills, including group presentations
• Strong collaborative/team skills balanced by an ability to operate independently with minimal prompting
• Working knowledge of assistive technology and its role in facilitating full participation by disabled individuals
• Working knowledge of information management via computer technologies including databases, web-based data systems, e-mail, spreadsheets, and word processing
• Schedules translation services for students that are D/deaf and Hard of hearing.

Illustration of duties:
1. Provision of direct services to persons with disabilities (60%):
• Interact with students and employees to assess program eligibility, conduct needs assessments, and determine reasonable accommodations
• Schedules translation services for students that are D/deaf and Hard of hearing.
• Review, recommend, and implement auxiliary aids/services and reasonable accommodations
• Facilitate full participation in academic, workplace, and extracurricular life through advising, service coordination, and networking
• Utilize disability documentation and data from needs assessments to implement effective accommodation strategies that enable students and employees to meet essential functions in academic and workplace settings 
• Assist with development of appropriate compensatory strategies and assistive technology where relevant
• Facilitate positive peer contacts and interactions among persons with disabilities

2. Presentations, in-services and consultation with faculty, staff, and departments (20%):
• Provide consultation and advocacy with faculty and staff regarding individual accommodation needs
• Make referrals to appropriate campus and community resources
• Produce and present workshops and presentations on disability and accommodations

3. Coordination of programs providing services to persons with disabilities (20%):
• Read, interpret, and critically analyze medical and functional capacity documentation to determine when conditions represent ADA qualified disabilities
• Develop and implement innovative programs to address student needs
• Annual reporting of programmatic needs, progress, and strengths/weaknesses
• Maintain knowledge/expertise regarding the issues, resources, and concerns for disabled individuals
• Collaborate on proposals that facilitate new or expanded programmatic efforts 
• Other duties as assigned

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Masters -disability studies, rehabilitation counseling, special education, or other relevant fields

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree in disability studies, rehabilitation counseling, special education, or other relevant fields
• Two years experience working with persons who are D/deaf and hard of hearing in an educational setting
• Strong knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL) and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services, with basic understanding of auto-captions and AI technology evolution
• Experience working with chronic health conditions and determining accommodations in an educational setting

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge of educational and employment-related accommodations, skills, and tools used by persons with a range of disabilities
• Knowledge of state and federal laws pertaining to services for D/deaf and hard of hearing individuals, including ASL interpreters and CART services
• Ability to use personal interviews and medical documentation to assess disability and to determine and implement appropriate accommodations and auxiliary aids/services
• Excellent written communication skills and ability to produce clear case notes
• Excellent oral and ASL communication skills, including group presentations
• Strong collaborative/team skills balanced by an ability to operate independently with minimal prompting
• Working knowledge of assistive technology and its role in facilitating full participation by disabled individuals
• Working knowledge of information management via computer technologies including databases, web-based data systems, e-mail, spreadsheets, and word processing
• Schedules translation services for students that are D/deaf and Hard of hearing.

Required Application Materials

• resume
• letter of interest 

Special Instructions

Reports to the Assistant Director of the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities for general direction and specific projects. Innovation, independent judgment and collaboration with colleagues is expected for most assignments.

Review of Applications Begins On

08/01/2024

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Website

rcpd.msu.edu

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

Logo

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

Connections working at Michigan State University