Campus Access

The University of Kansas is committed to creating an accessible campus environment for individuals with disabilities. The Student Access Center (SAC) provides information for navigating the KU campus and buildings, requesting academic and housing accommodations, interpreter services for students, and locating assistive technology resources on campus.

For information or issues regarding physical or institutional barriers to access, please contact the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX.

Qualified students have multiple resources available to help them meet their assistive technology needs. This section provides information about where to find text and screen reader software and note-taking equipment. If you have additional questions about assistive technology resources, please contact your access specialist or visit the Assistive Technology for Kansans website.

Assistive Technology Resources

The SAC has the following assistive technology resources available for KU community members:

Text Reader Software

Read & Write by Texthelp

Screen Reader Software

Please see KU Accessible Workstations for information about assistive technology available for use in the KU Libraries.

Online Assistive Technology Resources

The following assistive technology software have been identified as useful resources for college students:

Audio Books

Audible
Libro.fm

Text-to-Speech Programs

Balabolka (Free)
Claro Natural Reader (Free)
NVDA: Non-visual Desktop Access (Free)
Talk – Text to Voice – Read Aloud (Android Devices)
TTS Reader (Free)
VBookz PDF (for iPhone, iPad & Mac; basic version is free)
VoiceDream WebOutLoud (iOS devices; basic version is free)

Writing Aids

Calmly Writer (Free trial)
Ginger Software (Free)
Grammarly (Basic version is free)
iA Writer Tyo-O HD (iOS devices)
Voice Dream Writer

If you have additional suggestions for software we might add to our list please email the information to access@ku.edu.

Access to KU buildings for classes, meetings, and social gatherings is important.

If you have physical access needs and are visiting a new location on campus you can preview the space digitally so that you are able to plan and request necessary accommodations if needed.

For assistance with furniture or other classroom set-ups please contact your SAC Access Specialist.

For concerns with door openers, elevators, and paths, please report this to the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX.

For off-campus accessibility concerns related to a KU related event please contact your Access Specialist for further support.

Additional Resources

Campus Map

Hawk Route: Accessible route connecting Jayhawk Boulevard and Sunnyside Avenue Libraries

Libraries

Accessible Parking

Information about the KU Emergency Management Plan is available through KU Public Safety.

Students who require a personal action plan in the event of a campus emergency should download the Personal Action Plan template available online and submit it to pso_em@ku.edu when completed.

The Personal Action Plan will need to be updated each semester to reflect an accurate class schedule and whenever a change with your housing assignment occurs.

For questions about completing the Personal Action Plan please contact KU Public Safety Emergency Management at pso_em@ku.edu or 785-864-5900.

The JayLift service is operated through KU on Wheels and is available for those with permanent or temporary injuries who cannot easily access the regular accessible KU Bus Route. JayLift can assist qualifying students by transporting them to classes and other activities. Transportation is only available on campus. If a student will need to use paratransit in Lawrence, it is imperative to be certified through the city of Lawrence.

Temporary injuries: To obtain authorization for this service please send documentation to The Student Access Center from your doctor that specifies your diagnosis, your impairments, and the length of time that you will need assistance to and from classes.

Permanent conditions: For more specific guidelines please review our documentation guidelines and send your documentation to us.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I register for Jaylift?

To receive the curb-to-curb service, a student must register with Student Access Center (SAC). Documentation must be mailed, faxed (785-864-2817), emailed (access@ku.edu), or hand-delivered to the SAC office in 22 Strong.
Once the student has been approved for this service, SAC staff member authorizes the student to use the Jay Lift by email. If a student has a temporary disability, they will have a service end date included in that email.

How do I schedule my Jaylift pick-ups?

All users must supply their name, phone, and schedule to JayLift by phone. Call 785-312-7054, select option 2, extension 101, and leave your information. All rides require 24 hours notice prior to first ride as well as 24-hour cancelation notice.

Additional Resources

The University Academic Support Centers (UASC), Student Access Center (SAC) and Student Housing work closely to provide housing accommodations for students with disabilities. In order to get accommodations in Student Housing, please submit documentation of disability with specific recommendations from a qualified professional. Students with physical disabilities that require accessible housing, please contact the SAC as soon as possible so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged.

Disability documentation can submitted in person, via fax, mail, or email to the Student Access Center.

Students who are residential employees of Student Housing, i.e. Graduate Directors and Resident Assistants, seeking housing accommodations should request employment accommodations through the HR Employee Accommodations process.

SERVICE ANIMALS POLICY

Service animals do live in Student Housing with their owner and are frequently seen around campus. People on campus may not be aware that your animal is working for you, so please be sure to let others know the dog is not a pet. Please see the Policy on Animals in Buildings. If you have questions, please call the SAC at 785-864-4064.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS

Policy

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that provides personal comfort to an individual with a disability residing in University of Kansas Housing. It is an accommodation for KU Housing only and not permitted in other areas of the University. Please see the Policy on Animals in Buildings.

Procedure

Students with a documented disability living in KU Housing who request an emotional support animal as an accommodation will need to register with the Student Access Center, located in 22 Strong Hall. To register, complete the KU Access online application and upload qualifying disability documentation. After you have completed your application, an access specialist will contact you to assist with your concerns, answer your questions, or request additional documentation. When the ESA is approved the SAC will send the official notification to KU Housing and you will be copied on this email. All official communication is done via KU email.

If you have any questions about this process, or if you need help in uploading your documentation, please do not hesitate to give us a call (785-864-4064) or email us at access@ku.edu.

KU departments that need to secure Sign-Language Interpreting services and/or Computer Aided Real-Time Translation (CART) for events and programs should contact any of the vendors listed below.

Please be mindful of KU’s Event Accessibility and Accommodation Policy which outlines the requirements for hosting an accessible event. The Event Policy requires the event organizer to ensure that the event is meaningfully accessible. It is also required that the event organizer provides reasonable requested accommodation and pays for any associated expense of accommodation.