Learning Abroad Center

Accessibility: Toledo

Program Pages

Attitudinal

There is a growing consciousness in Toledo about persons with disabilities and students with disabilities have participated in the program at the Fundacion Ortega-Marañón in previous years. The largest representation of students have been those with learning disabilities. A national organization for the blind called ONCE (Organizacion Nacional de Ciegos de Espana) provides information regarding vision and other disabilities and has provided training for some of the program's faculty. They also provide partially subsidized services for alternate formats, readers, and textbook taping. This organization is well known throughout the country mainly because of their sale of lottery tickets, which are used to fund programs for people with disabilities.

Classroom/Internship Site

Classroom buildings are not generally wheelchair-accessible. Materials can be provided in alternate formats (large print, computer disk, audio cassette) with advance notice. Accommodations such as extended time on tests, separate examination facilities, modified assignments and deadlines, and advance syllabi are usually available. Lectures can usually be tape recorded.

Service dogs are not allowed in classrooms and no Braille signage is in place. For students using sign language interpreters, the on-site staff will look into providing these services if needed for the program. Induction loops are not available and captioned videos can rarely be obtained. 

Housing and Food Services

The residence halls are not wheelchair-accessible. No TTY’s or visual alert systems are available in sponsored housing. Kitchen facilities are not available for personal use, but refrigeration is available.  Service dogs are not allowed in residence halls. The residence cannot accommodate special dietary needs.

Technology

Technology on site is limited. Computers with email access, adaptive keyboards, and voice recognition software are available.

Library and Health Services

There is a public library in town that is wheelchair-accessible. Assistance can be provided consulting the card catalogues and photocopying materials. The on-campus library has a PC equipped with modem.

A general practitioner visits the program residence hall twice a week to see students.

Transportation

While some public buses are wheelchair accessible and transportation is close to campus, students with wheelchairs will have difficulty navigating the hilly, cobblestone streets of Toledo. Mobility International USA suggests that installing larger front rollerblade casters may help prevent the front of the chair from getting stuck on cobblestone roads.