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Join us in celebrating 25 years as an independent agency. On June 11, 1993, then Gov. David Walters signed Senate Bill 356, establishing the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. Its passage was evidence of the state of Oklahoma’s commitment to provide more effective consumer responsive services for its citizens with disabilities. DRS was established to serve many of the major programs important to the disability community including Rehabilitation Services, Visual Services, Oklahoma School for the Blind, Oklahoma School for the Deaf and the Disability Determination Services.

Go back in time with us with this classic press release - meet Katie Loman



This media release was originally released on Apr. 21, 2014. DRS has been empowering Oklahomans for 25 years.


iPad loan from Library for the Blind lightens educational load for visually impaired south Moore student

OKLAHOMA CITY – Any high school student would rather use an iPad in class instead of a regular, old textbook. For Southmoore junior Katie Loman, who has a visual disability, a 1.45 pound iPad not only customizes print size, it liberates her from juggling more than 60 pounds of text books.

Students with visual impairments generally use three large print books for each standard print book. Braille students use seven to ten volumes.

Loman, age 17, is crazy about her iPad. It’s on loan from the Accessible Instructional Material Center at the Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

Audiology foundation director named to Commission for Rehabilitation Services

Smiling man wears business suit and tie

OKLAHOMA CITY – Jace Wolfe, Ph.D., from Edmond, was recently appointed to serve on the Commission for Rehabilitation Services by Senator Mike Schulz, president pro-tempore of the Oklahoma Senate.

The commission is the governing board for the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Commissioner Wolfe is the director of audiology and research at the Hearts for Hearing Foundation in Oklahoma City.

Go back in time with us with this classic press release - meet Wilma Rehman and Jaime Lopez



This media release was originally released on Aug. 24, 2008. DRS has been empowering Oklahomans for 25 years.


Language no barrier for Deaf and hearing friends

Rehman and Lopez seated at a table.

OKLAHOMA CITY − It’s been nine, long years since Wilma Rehman last saw Jaime Lopez. The friendship that made them as close as family has survived double language barriers, a near-fatal illness and relocation to the other side of the country. In spite of the strong bond between them, Lopez, who is deaf, has never spoken to Rehman.

At their recent reunion in Oklahoma City, they communicated through a sign language interpreter who joined them, Lopez’s fiancé Amparo Amaya and other family members only a few days before Deaf Awareness Week, celebrated Sept. 21 through Sept. 27 in Oklahoma.

When they first met, Rehman, then age 21, was a certified bilingual instructor, working with non-English speaking students in the language lab at Clinton Middle School. When Lopez came to Rehman’s lab at age 13, his hearing loss had prevented him from learning English or Spanish, which was his family’s first language.

Oklahomans recognize Americans with Disabilities Act anniversary July 26

Portraits of two women

Oklahoma City ─ July 26 will mark the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This landmark legislation, signed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, prohibits discrimination and guarantees the civil rights of people with disabilities.

In Oklahoma, 16.1% of the population or more than 620,250 people have disabilities, according to the most recent statistics available from the U.S. Census’ 2016 American Community Survey.

Go back in time with us with this classic press release - meet Carter Williams



This media release was originally released on July 21, 2015. DRS has been empowering Oklahomans for 25 years.


OKC Dodgers recruit customer service star through iJobs disability training program

Carter Williams holding a baseball

OKLAHOMA CITY - Carter Williams gets paid to rub dirt on new baseballs for the Oklahoma City Dodgers. Yes, that’s his job.

He also fills up buckets of ice for ice baths, scans tickets, ushers, stocks supplies and loads gear on “getaway day” when players head out of town.

Williams, age 18, is tall, blond and immediately likeable with a great, big smile.

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