Resources and Campus Accessibility

Resources for Students, their Families, and SMU Faculty and Staff

Southern Methodist University is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible campus for students, faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities. DASS is the primary resource for SMU students, and as such we work closely with parents and families as well as SMU faculty and staff. Plus, there are many places to find help and support off-campus, in addition to those on-campus:

DASS has compiled a list of resources, both on-campus and off-campus, including websites that offer general information about disabilities, disability-specific information, financial aid information, career resources, and assistive technologies and information.
We offer our guide for parents and families of SMU students with disabilities.
DASS publishes a quarterly newsletter for SMU faculty and staff and maintains an archive of past issues.
Check out the video of the October 26, 2022, Disability Awareness Month panel discussion "Disability from Undergraduate to the Workplace," located on the Student Resources page!

For quick reference, DASS has compiled useful, general information into information sheets:

For general information (prevalance, symptoms, strengths, etc) about learning disabilities and ADHD please look at our information sheets: Learning Disability and ADHD. In addition to general information, we have created a document discussing and dispelling several myths about these disabilities.
In order for students to have equal access to their education, there are responsibilities of the University, the DASS office, the student, and the faculty member and corresponding department or school. Here you'll find a a non-exhaustive list of some roles and responsibilities of each entity.

Accessibility: Campus, Campus Events, Video Captioning, and the SMU Website

SMU Accessibility Maps show the locations of accessible parking, unisex bathrooms, and lactation/changing stations. Also see "Construction Updates," below.
SMU Parking and ID Services provides DART Paratransit vouchers at no charge for students who qualify for this service.
SMU Libraries provide services for persons with disabilities.
University departments are responsible for providing reasonable accommodations for guests attending their events. The Office of Institutional Access and Equity (IAE) is available to provide guidance and assistance to departments as needed.
SMU has posted its Guidelines for Video Captioning in hopes that the practice of video captioning will become standard practice for all video production.
The University has a contract with Deaf Action Center in order to facilitate departments putting ASL interpreting or CART services in place for events. If a department wishes to secure services, request an invoice from DAC. Then the department's financial services rep should determine the org and payment directly to DAC. Contact DASS or Purchasing for any questions.
SMU has introduced the Web Accessibility Initiative to make the SMU website accessible to all. A university-wide Web Accessibility Policy is now in place "to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and enhance the University's mission." Dedman College has added web accessibility resources to its Faculty Resource page. To report website barriers based on accessibility, email web-accessibility@SMU.edu. The initiative is in progress and we look forward to bringing you more information and resources as they come available.

Construction Updates

See a list of new construction, renovations and expansions, and construction impacts on campus at SMU's Facilities Planning and Management website.

The President’s Commission on the Needs of Persons with Disabilities (PCNPD)

To address the needs of our entire campus community, including faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities, SMU established The President’s Commission on the Needs of Persons with Disabilities (PCNPD). Members of the commission meet regularly and make annual recommendations to the University President.