Students offer a helping hand to disabled
Frank Berta
The Disabilities Resources and Services program offers valuable services for those with special needs attending Mesa Community College.Services are tailored to the individual needs of the student and include providing note takers and interpreters.
Some students are teamed with one individual who works with them, attending classes and helping them in the Adaptive Computer Lab.
Mesa Community College has approximately 900 students who use the services provided by the DRS program.
There are about 50 people employed as assistants.
Antonio Lucero, a Vietnam Veteran, previously a student at ASU, worked with the Veterans’ Upward Bound Program.
“Lots of disabled veterans returning from the war go there and get training before they come here so they know a little about different subjects, and are familiar with the new technologies,” Lucero said.
Lucero, now a student at MCC, is a note taker/lab tech with disability services and assists Delanie Pacheco, who has cerebral palsy.
Pacheco, 26, started attending MCC in 2008 and is majoring in social work. Her goal is to graduate from MCC with an AA and then continue on at ASU.
She wants to become a licensed clinical social worker.
Pacheco was working at the Center for Rehabilitation in Tempe, but decided to become a full time student.
“I wanted to better myself and help people,” Pacheco said.
“In the office, they are like family to me. They help with everything,” said Pacheco of the disability resource office.
Lucero also helps her in the computer lab. He assisted her on the computer until she could use Dragon Speech, a voice recognition program that allows her to type without the labor intensive use of the keyboard.
“I convinced her to keep on doing it, until she finally conquered it. It makes her a stronger person,” he said.
“I try to empower her so she doesn’t have to depend on other people. She believes in herself now and has more confidence in herself,” Pacheco added.
Sherry Monz, 29, is a hearing impaired student attending MCC.
Monz attended the National Technical Institute for Deaf, a private college which is part of Rochester Institute of Technology, in New York. There she was exposed to deaf culture and learned sign language.
She left school to work, then came to Arizona in 2002, where she worked building computers for hospitals.
Monz was taking classes at MCC as part of her job, but after a company lay off she decided to return to school to keep improving her skills.
“We have to provide documentation of our disability, so they can accommodate us and provide support. I have my own personal FM system, I also have an interpreter and a note taker in class. Disability services provides that,” Monz said.
