Welcome
Michigan State University provides services and accommodations to persons with visual disabilities for both academic and workplace settings. The Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities fosters independence by helping students and employees harness appropriate strategies and resources for success. We look forward to maximizing your experience at MSU!
The RCPD is a state and national leader in providing opportunity, autonomy and self-sufficiency for individuals with visual disabilities, ranging from partial sight, to total blindness.
Getting Started with RCPD (MyProfile)
Log on to the MyProfile page with your MSU NetID and password to register with the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities. MyProfile provides online forms and initiates communication with a Disability Specialist.
Documentation
Documentation of a disability must appear on official letterhead from a licensed medical or diagnostic professional and include a diagnosis, scope or degree of involvement (including visual acuity in both eyes, field loss in both eyes, any movement disorder of the eyes), and summary of related functional limitations. RCPD provides a downloadable Visual Impairment form that may be used by medical providers to document conditions.
After documentation of a disability has been provided and a needs assessment is completed, reasonable accommodations are determined. RCPD will provide a verification letter that includes: (a) verification of disability and status as a student or employee registered with the RCPD (b) an outline of reasonable accommodations.
Students will receive a Verified Individualized Services and Accommodations letter, otherwise known as a VISA.
Employees will receive a Statement of Employee Accommodation Determination letter, otherwise known as a SEAD.
Confidentiality
RCPD adheres to strict standards of confidentiality in the management of student and employee information. Since RCPD is the only holder of disability documentation, all disability-related documentation should be directed to RCPD (not other campus departments).
Accommodations
RCPD recognizes that accommodations may be required in order to assist students and employees in maximizing their educational and workplace experience at MSU. While the university is required to provide reasonable accommodations, it is not required to change essential academic requirements or job functions.
Before Requesting Accommodations, students and employees must Identify and Register as a person with a disability and provide appropriate documentation of their disability to RCPD. Employees should refer to the Reasonable Accommodations Policy for University Applicants and Employees, for the procedure on requesting worksite accommodations.
Students and employees with blindness/visual impairment may be eligible to receive the following accommodations facilitated by RCPD:
RCPD Specialists are committed to an active partnership with students and employees who make reasonable accommodation requests through our office. In the case you experience a disagreement regarding disability determination or appropriateness of accommodations, you may consider taking the steps outlined in our dispute resolution process.
Resources
Building Community
MSU provides many venues for collaboration and community building on disability issues. Please consider becoming involved in the following organizations:
Frequently Asked Questions
Blindness and Visual Impairment in the News:
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For the first time ever, in recognition with the importance of maximizing opportunity, Tower Guard members experienced the intensity of learning Braille this year when a Braille class was offered by the RCPD.
Michael receives accommodations from RCPD, and made a short film highlighting his experience with an invisible illness. Click the link in this post to watch the video!
The members of the Tower Guard devote 120 hours of community service to the RCPD during their sophomore year and are comprised of the top 5% of their class.
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