accommodating students with disabilities facilitator: kimberly mcmanus, med director of disability...
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Accommodating Students with Disabilities
Facilitator: Kimberly McManus, MEd
Director of Disability Support Services
*Categories
Autism1%
Deafness10%
Emotional Disturbance16%
Hearing Impairment
1%
Intellectual Disability
1%
Orthopedic Impairment16%
Other Health Impaired20%
Specific Learning Disability32%
Traumatic Brain Injury1%
Visual Impairment1%
Categories of Disabilities
*LEGAL BASIS*Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act,1973*No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the
United States, as defined in section 7(20) shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any Executive agency or by the United States Postal Service.
*Family Education Rights Protection Act, 1974 * The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable
program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students.”
*Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990
*Americans with Disabilities Act, revised 2008
* Definition of Disability
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a disability is defined as:
…a long-lasting physical, cognitive, or psychological condition
…that substantially impairs a person’s ability
…to perform major life activities without assistance.
*Major life activities may include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.
*Whether the impact of a disability rises to the level of “substantial impairment” is a determination made by a qualified clinician/evaluator.
*The specific nature of a disability and how it impacts the individual diagnosed with it can vary greatly, even if the name of the disability is the same.
* Disability Support Services Office
Disability Support Services (DSS) is charged with ensuring that admissions, academic programs, support services, student activities, and campus facilities are accessible to and usable by students who have disclosed documented disabilities. This includes:
*Determining eligibility for services & specific accommodations through review of documentation and assessment of individual student needs
*Providing adaptive technology to students & training them on usage
*Scheduling sign language interpreters
*Con’t
*Consulting with faculty & staff on accommodation administration & disability-related topics
*Arranging appropriate campus housing & building access
*Connecting students with relevant state and community resources
*Teaching self-advocacy skills & explaining disability rights to students
*Educating the campus community about disability issues
*REGISTRATION*Students must first self-identify with DSS.
*Students must complete an intake process.
*Students must sign a release of information form and DSS service agreement form.
*Students must provide current documentation.
*Documentation must be
*Per the law, documentation must have been:
*Completed within the last three (3) years
*Statement of diagnosis & functional limitations
*Description of methods/tests used for diagnosis
* Inclusion of relevant educational history (i.e. previous accommodations)
*Recommendations for specific accommodations
*Signature of a qualified clinician/evaluator
Understanding “Reasonable”
An accommodation may be considered reasonable if it alters curriculum delivery and evaluation methods without altering basic content or curriculum. It cannot:
1) Place undue financial or administrative burden on the institution.
2) Disrupt the ability of other students to learn in a safe and stable environment.
3) Substantially alter an essential element of the academic curriculum.
Likely Reasonable
Use of an audio recorder to capture lecture material
Sign language interpreters
Written materials converted to Braille
Additional time to complete in-class exams
Alternative means of assessing class participation level
Changing a class location to ground level
Likely Unreasonable
Use of a “talking dictionary” during lecture
Excessive or indefinite leave of absence from class
Reduction/elimination of assignments from course syllabus
Essential course requirement substitutions for a given major
Retroactive accommodation requests
The examples below are general and are not intended to be definite or universal. The determination of reasonableness can vary based on the student’s disability & the specific course of study.
* Accessibility Letter
After following the registration procedures, students are given an “Accessibility Letter” to discuss and sign with each instructor.
* This letter lists the accommodations that the student is approved to request from his/her instructors for that semester.
* Students must be self-directed and initiate ongoing discussion and planning with their instructors.
* Students are not required to use all (or any) of their accommodations, but the institution cannot be held responsible if the student declines or does not seek services.
* Some of the accommodations on the letter are to be provided by the instructor and others by Disability Student Services (DSS).
Encourage students who disclose their disability to seek support services with DSS.
Implement accommodations as agreed and inform DSS of any anticipated difficulties with implementation.
Although DSS is the primary office handling student’s disability-related needs, everyone at Trinity has an impact on the quality of services that are provided to these students, including those working in admissions, advising, residential and any other capacity involving direct student contact.
*BE AWARE OF…
*Do not tell students that they will get an accommodation that they are asking for. Do not make ANY PROMISES to them. Please just tell them to make an appointment with DSS.
*If a student says that there are environmental concerns with the classroom because of her/his disability, before submitting a request to Susie Powers, please check with me.
*Do not over-accommodate. Do not make promises to students for providing accommodations.
*Any questions or concerns should be addressed to the Disability Support Services Office.
*1. Students should present faculty with an accessibility letter within the first two weeks of class.
*2. Faculty should review the letter with the students to see what needs to be done in regards of accommodations.
*3. If faculty have questions, please contact DSS immediately.
*4. See what accommodation the student(s) need.
Strategies for Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities in the Classroom
*DO NOT . . .
*You do not have to accommodate students who do not give you authentic letters from DSS. Letters are valid for ONE SEMESTER ONLY.
*You do not have to force a student to use an accommodation if that student does not want to use it.
*Please do not talk to the student in front of the class about his/her accommodations.
*Do not make the student feel like he/she is different because you know that student has an accessibility letter.
*Please do not ask that student what disability he/she has.
*Do not tell students to just go to DSS to get accommodations. A student must show that he/she has a record of a disability.
* Basic Etiquette & LanguageAddressing disability for the first time may not be the most comfortable situation for some people (even those who have their own disabilities). These general tips can help to guide your communication and interactions:
1. Use person-centered language (i.e. “person with autism”, not “autistic person”).
2. Try to stay alert of architectural barriers in the path of individuals with blindness and mobility impairments.
3. Respect individual privacy. Discuss disability-related matters when others are not around to overhear.
4. Use the same eye contact and other respectful non-verbals that you would use with anyone else.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask the person with the disability if and how you can assist him/her.
*Basic rule of thumb…
*Do not be an enabler. People with disabilities want to be as independent as possible.
*They are adults. Our students are 18 and over. Treat everyone with the same level of respect and maturity.
*Usually, if a person with a disability needs help, he/she will ask for it.
*Remember . . . *Even if a student discloses his/her disability to
you, do not disclose it to anyone else. Remember confidentiality (FERPA).
*Do not be an enabler. Students must register with DSS and provide appropriate, current documentation. Do not promise accommodations to students that have not been agreed upon by DSS.
*When in doubt, contact DSS.
*Have a great day!
* For Further Information . . .
Contact
Ms. Kimberly O. McManus, M.Ed.
Director, Disability Support ServicesSheehan Library 103
http://www.trinitydc.edu/disability/