Students With Disabilities Supported By New Resource Center At William Paterson University

WAYNE, NJ — William Paterson University has taken a significant step towards enhancing educational opportunities for students with disabilities by inaugurating a dedicated Learning Resource Center.

In partnership with the New Jersey Department of Education, William Paterson University’s College of Education celebrated the grand opening of the state’s fourth Learning Resource Center on Tuesday, located at 1600 Valley Road in Wayne.

The Learning Resource Center at William Paterson was created through a collaboration with the NJDOE's Office of Special Education to enhance the education of students with disabilities, enabling their success in the least restrictive environment possible.

The center will offer regional, focused support to both educators and families of kids with disabilities.

“The Office of Special Education has a single mission: to ensure students with disabilities experience success—whatever that means for them. We accomplish this goal by providing support and resources to the field. The Learning Resource Centers are a cornerstone of our work,” said Kim Murray, Director of NJDOE’s Office of Special Education.

Housing the new resource center at William Paterson, Murray continued, allows the NJDOE to "tap into expert faculty and staff at the university" and "reach pre-service teachers as they complete their college journey.

The center offers professional development opportunities for educators as well as access to classroom design resources. It provides a diverse range of educational resources for borrowing, such as multi-level curriculum materials, games, large books, story kits, DVDs and e-books.

Additionally, the center provides assistive technology tools and assessment documents for internal usage and review.

For parents, the center arranges inclusive family activities and offers consultations on politics, laws, regulations and best practices in special education.

“William Paterson is proud to be a key part of this network, which aligns so well with our mission of supporting and educating the students who are changing the social fabric of New Jersey and our nation," William Paterson University President Richard J. Helldobler said.

Access to materials and programs offered at the Learning Resource Center requires a nominal membership fee of $2 annually. An online sign-up form will soon be available on the College of Education website, officials said.

“Students, faculty, and staff in the college and throughout the university will benefit greatly from all that the center has to offer, from the help it provides in designing welcoming educational spaces and course materials to laminating posters and bookbinding," WP College of Education Dean Amy Ginsberg said. “We couldn’t be more pleased to house the NJDOE’s Learning Resource Center at William Paterson University, right here in the building of our College of Education.”