The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) also has Enhanced Services, which students can choose to participate in, if eligible. These enhanced services are to help better prepare students for after leaving UNA.

• Peer Mentoring Program
  • The purpose of the DSS Peer Mentor is to empower students with disabilities to excel in his/her academics and area of personal growth. Students will increase their skills for interpersonal relationships, communication, time management, organization, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. The Disability Services Peer Mentor Program also encourages students with disabilities to become self-reliant, develop leadership skills and practice self-advocacy by building positive relationships. 
• Self-Advocacy Workshops
  • Empowers students with disabilities to speak up for themselves. To ensure the student understands how to receive equal access. Students will increase their knowledge and understanding of how his/her diagnosed disability affects them and what rights and responsibilities are offered to him/her through State and Federal Laws. Student will also learn how to effectively communicate this information and set up his/her own Self-Advocacy network through participation in lectures, role-playing, discussions, and examples to assist students with skill development.         
• Group Learning Sessions
  • Group Learning Sessions are held to assist DSS students with the development of functional skills including but not limited to the following:
    • Time management
    • Self-Advocacy
    • Organization
    • Communication
    • Study skills
    • Job coaching

By attending sessions, students learn skills to assist in their success as a student, in their personal life, and in their careers after graduation.   

• Honor Society 
  • The University of North Alabama holds a designation as the 150th chapter of Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society (DAPi) with the chapter designation of Zeta Zeta.  
  • Delta Alpha Pi International Honor Society was founded in 2004 at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and is open to undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities.
  • Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society presents an opportunity to change that perception by recognizing students with disabilities for their academic accomplishments. In addition this Honor Society facilitates the development of skills in leadership, advocacy and education for participating students.
  • Delta – D for Disability, but also the triangle, symbol of strength. Members of Delta Alpha Pi demonstrate strength as leaders on campus to help break down the barriers of negativism. Also, DAPi serve as mentors and role models for other students with disabilities.
  • Alpha – A for Achievement. Alpha is the beginning and academic achievement must come first. But also for advocacy because students must advocate for themselves before DAPi students can advocate for others. Members of Delta Alpha Pi enhance advocacy skills for themselves and for the rights of all individuals with disabilities to be included fully in society.
  • Pi – P for Pride, pride in academic achievement and in other accomplishments, not just as students with disabilities but as members of the university community. Pi is a mathematical symbol that we all learned to use in elementary arithmetic classes. So Pi is an appropriate symbol for education. Members of Delta Alpha Pi participate in activities designed to educate the community and society regarding the need to apply the principles of universal design in learning.

If you have any questions regarding these services, please contact the DSS office at 256-765-4214 or email dss@una.edu