Iowa State is one of the most accessible campuses in the state, said one student with a disability.

Matt Grillot, a freshman in pre-business who gets around on a motorized wheelchair because of a childhood back injury, said ISU’s accessibility was a big factor when he was choosing a school.

Grillot compared ISU to Drake University, the University of Northern Iowa and St. Ambrose College.

“I have access to most of the buildings here,” Grillot said, “and I liked the campus in general. I got the information on the Disabilities Resources Office from a brochure and called them.”

Grillot then met with Joyce Packwood, program coordinator, and the Disabilities Office made living arrangements for him with the Department of Residence. His residence hall door opens at the touch of a button and the lock consists of a number panel.

There are almost 600 hundred people, including faculty, staff and students, on campus with permanent or temporary disabilities, said Heather Strait, assistant coordinator in the Disabilities Office.

“Our primary contact with these students are when they first enter the ISU community,” Strait said. “Basically, we coordinate individualized programs with the students.”

The office sets up a letter of accommodations with professors, informing them of the special needs some students have. It also coordinates with the Academic Learning Lab and residence halls.

People who come to the Disabilities Office have problems that range from a broken leg to learning disabilities such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity or reading comprehension, Strait said.

Students with mobility problems are allowed early registration so their classes can be arranged within one building.

During the winter, the office tries to arrange for students to have access to a bus. Dial-a-Ride, Cy-Ride’s door-to-door service, offers a discounted rate for those who have problems getting around on campus.

“Some staff and faculty have their own vans,” Strait said.

But while most students have to watch their steps in the snow to make sure they don’t hit a patch of ice, Grillot said he isn’t worried about the winter. His wheelchair can travel up to seven miles per hour, and he is confident the wheels can handle the snow. Going off campus can be a problem, though. And other activities for Grillot are sometimes challenging.

Going out for supper is not always feasible because he can’t bring his wheelchair along with him.

“I’ll probably have my own van next year,” he said.

Some social activities are also inaccessible for Grillot.

“There was a party in a fraternity that I would have gone to but it was in the basement,” Grillot said. “But otherwise I get around okay.”

Strait said there are many people who would benefit from ISU’s resources for those with disabilities, but they don’t utilize them.

“They’re usually either self-advocates, who manage to fulfill their needs on their own, or people who fail to recognize that they have a disability, or choose not to come in. Some people don’t even realize we exist,” Strait said.