Panel For Disabled Honors 2 Colleges

Two Valley community colleges were among five schools honored by Los Angeles County for the high quality of their programs for disabled students, officials said.

Mission and Valley colleges received commendations from Commission on Disabilities Chairwoman Nadia D. Powers at a recent meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

“I think it’s important to recognize that these community colleges are opening the doors in a very positive way for disabled people,” Powers said. “It’s imperative for disabled persons to have an education to become part of mainstream America, and for that they need access.”

One school from each county district was chosen for the award. Schools were evaluated through a combination of factors, such as the number of disabled students enrolled, access to campus facilities and the variety and quality of resources available.

East Los Angeles College, Southwest College and Harbor College also received commendations.

“We all do the best job we can. Sometimes these awards just mean that someone was looking your way,” said Rick Scuderi, director of Mission College’s disabled student programs.

Scuderi said Mission assists about 340 students each year with physical, learning and psychological disabilities as well as other problems.

“We specialize in a personal approach including one-on-one tutoring, especially with new students lacking confidence,” Scuderi said. “At the same time we stress the importance of learning how to operate new technology.”

Mission has a specially equipped computer area for disabled students in the school’s new Library and Learning Resource Center and another computer laboratory in the Disabled Student Center, he said.