Since the program began in 1980 it has fostered an 89 percent retention rate. Other programs provide services for a specific disability, such as deafness or visual impairment. A program at Santa Barbara City College in California provides assistance to individuals with psychological disabilities through such services as peer support groups, a day treatment center, and courses on college survival skills and personal health issues. Many disability support offices have developed partnerships with community organizations or other campus departments to aid in the provision of services. For example, the Special Needs program at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in North Carolina collaborates with the Guided Studies Department to offer an Adaptive Technology course.
Students learn to use adaptive hardware and software to develop reading, writing, and study skills.
A student-oriented approach, stable funding, and a flexible and creative approach to service delivery have been important, too. The many success stories of disability support programs in community colleges may obscure the fact that there are often obstacles to providing effective service. Barriers include difficulty in obtaining adequate funding, lack of training about and limited understanding of disabilities among faculty and staff, and inadequate referral services. Although state governments provide funding for disability support services, in a time of limited resources at all levels, it may become increasingly difficult for community colleges to obtain enough money to support their services. The introduction of computer technology to many campuses may require that additional services be instituted to ensure that students with disabilities are able to utilize them effectively.