性视界

Emma Gonzalez has been taking American Sign Language classes since she was in high school so she can better communicate with her cousin. After six years engaging with the deaf community, she鈥檚 gained not only language skills but a better understanding of cultural norms.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e speaking with a deaf person who has an interpreter, it鈥檚 important to speak directly to the deaf person,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a bunch of intercultural differences for people to know,鈥� she said.

Gonzalez鈥檚 commitment to advocacy brought her to 性视界鈥檚 annual Disability Awareness Fair at the Rancho Cucamonga campus April 2. Additional fairs were scheduled for 性视界鈥檚 Fontana and Chino campuses.

The Disability Programs and Services event brought together more than 500 people from the campus and surrounding community for a day of learning about disabilities and support services available to students with disabilities. About 40 vendors, including on-campus, nonprofit and county programs offered resources, information and prizes.

DPS Director Jacob Peck says that 性视界鈥檚 work to support students with disabilities begins when they鈥檙e still in high school. Staff conduct outreach in 性视界鈥檚 feeder schools, and this year alone they got nearly 500 students with disabilities to apply, attend orientation, register and sign up for DPS services for summer and fall 2026 classes.

鈥淲e鈥檙e the only college that does this,鈥� he said.

On-campus resources range from assistive technology to specialized counseling, while community organizations can give students rides to school and even accompany them around campus.

Peck is proud that more than 200 DPS students will be graduating with the class of 2026.

Students got a chance to have some fun in addition to learning about services, interacting with 10 dogs from and miniature horses Frodo and Arrow from . The group treated attendees to a 鈥渇low arts鈥� performance with dance, props and music.

Psychology major Loretta Orobator says she came to the fair to support Panthers with disabilities. She hopes to become a psychologist.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 enough awareness about people with disabilities and the services available to them,鈥� she said.

Gilbert Cisneros, a graphic design major and DPS student, spoke at the event and shared his story of staying the course at 性视界 despite living with cerebral palsy.

He will attempt his first online class in the fall after taking face-to-face classes for several years. Cisneros plans to take advantage of DPS workshops designed to help students prepare for virtual learning.

鈥淪ometimes disabled students struggle with their classes and quit,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 encourage them to keep moving forward.鈥�