How to Support Students with Disability in College Class?

How to Support Students with Disabilities in College Class

1. General Info.

a. Statistical Data  Dramatic recent growth  11% of undergraduates have a disability  UT Disability Groups Data (SSD, 2010)  Total: 1386

b. Legal Framework  Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973  ADA of 1990  ADAAA of 2008 Equal Access

c. Common Barriers

1  Negative attitudes from others (Faculty/Staff/Classmates)  Physical barriers  Lack of appropriate services and programs  Lack of funds to improve those services and program

2. The Important Role of Faculty/Staff  Attitude of faculty/staff could be a vital element in the success or failure of students with disabilities  Lack of professional training

3. What should you do when you have students with disabilities in class?  Learn more about students with disabilities  Familiarize yourself with services and policies  Examine and improve the accessibility of your course  Meet with students at the beginning of the semester  Encourage students to keep in touch with you during the semester  Do not single out students for special attention in class  Provide alternative materials  Provide typed lecture notes or pre-recorded lectures  Testing issues (Adaptive Testing)  Extended deadlines

4. Types of Disabilities

I. Invisible Disabilities

A. Psychological Disabilities a. Language: “A student with bipolar disorder” b. Examples:  Depression  Bipolar Disorder  Schizophrenia  Anxiety & Panic disorder  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder  Social Phobia c. General Strategies  Don’t make any assumptions  Ask if the student is aware of resources available on campus  Contact SSD if you have questions

2  Try to keeps stress to a minimum as it can affect functioning  Ask what will make them most comfortable  Give permission for students to ask clarifying questions as disability/medication can affect concentration

B. Learning Disabilities a. Language: “ A student with a learning disorder” b. Characteristics  Average to superior intelligence  A significant discrepancy between achievement and ability  Often accordance with AD/HD  Deficits in one or more of the following areas: . Attention/Memory . Reasoning/Processing . Communication/Social competence/Coordination . Reading/ Writing/ Spelling/Calculation . Emotional maturity c. General Strategies  Remember they have average to superior intelligence  Provide verbal instruction, as well as written  Allow enough time for given tasks to be completed  Ask student how they best receive and understand information  Use of graph paper for math problems can be helpful  Be patient

C. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) a. Language: “A student with AD/HD” b. Challenges  Impaired concentration  Poor listening skills  Trouble starting, organizing, and completing tasks  Difficulty following directions  Difficulty making transitions  Trouble interacting with others  Poor time management skills  Slowed reading speed and problems with reading comprehension & memory c. General Strategies  Allow students time to process information at their own pace  Ask one question at a time  Work with student to structure/organize time together  Discuss ways to break up assignments in a meaningful way  Determine, with student, positive ways to get back on track  Encourage student to take notes on what is discussed

3  Have students restate, in their own words, what was covered  Allow student to move about, if needed, during session or provide short breaks for them to do so.

D. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) a. Language: “A student with a brain injury” b. Challenges  Memory deficits  More impulsive, distractible, socially inappropriate  Discrepancies in ability levels  Learns some material quickly, some much slower  Problems generalizing skills and information  Comprehension may decrease as complexity/amount of material increases  May need multiple formats and/or strategies to learn material.

c. General Strategies  Be more flexible (e.g., Attendance, Schedule)  Reduce demands (e.g., Providing books and lectures on tape)  Provide Supervision (e.g., Setting goals, report & evaluate progress)

E. International Students a. Students who come from different countries to study at a foreign educational institution b. They may need supports c. Challenge  Lack of English proficiency and acculturation d. General Strategies  Try to figure out their English and cultural competence  Encourage students to participate in class  Provide materials before class  Allow them to record the lecture/ use dictionary during exam  Give more time on exams and homework  Check understanding  Visualization  Use blog or discussion board

F. Technology Supports for Students with Invisible Disabilities a. Listening/Memory  Computer Pen (e.g., Pulse Smart Pen, Fly fusion Pen)  Recorders (e.g., iPod touch/iPod nano) b. Reading  Dictionary (e.g., Wizcom Reading Pen)  Accessible Materials (e.g., E-text, Mp3 file)

4  OCR & Scanner (e.g., Kurzweil 3000, Wizcom reading pen) c. Writing/Organizing  Concept Map (e.g., Inspiration)  Word processor  Word prediction Software (e.g., Co Write: Solo)  Speech Recognition (e.g., Dragon Naturally Speaking)

II. Visible Disabilities

A. Blind or Low Vision a. Language: “A student who is blind/has low vision” b. General Strategies  Offer a tour of the space  If things have been moved, offer to describe the changes  Keep walkways clear of obstructions.  Describe things instead of pointing at them.  If needed, offer your arm as a guide as opposed to taking the student’s  A person’s cane is part of their personal space.  Remember guide dogs are not to be petted or distracted while they are on duty  Good lighting is important; talk with student about what is best for them.  Difficulty with sight does not indicate difficulty with hearing c. Technology Supports  Screen reader (e.g., JAWS)  Scan/Read system (e.g., Kurzweil)  CCTV & Zoom text screen magnifier  TextAloud MP3 Textreader/MP3 Creator/Braille (SSD service: E-text/Mp3 file/Braille)  Recorder: Pulse Smart Pen/ iPod touch/iPod nano  Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic: http://www.rfbd.org

B. Deaf or Hearing impairment a. Language: “A student who is deaf or with hearing impairment” b. Characteristics  Vary greatly in the degree and type of hearing loss  Hearing aids do not clarify sound, simply amplify sounds  If the age of onset occurs before the acquisition of language, the student may have language-based deficiencies  In a typical classroom environment, the students may experience significant communication difficulty  Students with hearing impairment may be able to communicate orally

5  Deaf students may rely on a visual mode of communication c. General Strategies  Provide outlines for class/activity before each class  Consider seating the student in the front of the class and the note taker in between the instructor and the student  Find out student’s preferred mode of communication  Speak to student, regardless of whether or not they use an interpreter  Reduce background noise  Keep objects away from mouth  Repeat, then rephrase  Speak slowly and clearly  When using video clips, provide captions or scripts  A sign language interpreter if students need one d. Technology Supports  CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation)  FM system  TTY (Telecommunications device for the deaf)

C. Mobility Impairments a. Language: ”A student with a spinal cord injury” b. Examples:  Spinal cord injury, paralysis, cerebral palsy c. General strategies  Remember that a impairment in one area does not indicate impairment in another  Be considerate of the extra time it may take someone to move around or complete a task  Make sure the space you are using is accessible  A person’s wheelchair is a part of their personal space  Being at a person’s eye level is always a sign of respect d. Technology Supports  Wheelchair mobility service (SSD)  Recorder (e.g., Smart Pulse Pen/iPod touch/iPod nano)  Gyration Air Mouse

D. Medical Disabilities a. Language: “A student with diabetes” b. Examples:  Diabetes, Cancers, AIDS and others c. General Strategies  May experience fatigue  Often are not visible  Get fact before acting on your first impression

6  Be sensitive of the condition of the air/light

5. Resources

a. On-Campus Resources  Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD)  ATEC lab (SSB)  PCL Assistive Technology Room: 1-866-895-4250  AT lab (SZB)  LTL (SZB): 232-218 http://ows.edb.utexas.edu/site/learning-technologies-lab-0  Behavior Concerns Advice Line (BCAL): 232-5050  Undergraduate Writing Center (UWC): 471-6222  Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC): 471-3515  UHS-Health Promotion Office: 475-8252 b. Off-Campus Resources  Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) : 1-800-628-5115 : http://www.dars.state.tx.us/  Texas Technology Access Program (TTAP) : 232-0740 : http ://techaccess.edb.utexas.edu/contact3.html#  Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic :www.rfbd.org

Please remember you can play a key role in the success or failure of students with disabilities in postsecondary education. Please be knowledgeable of this information to support those students to succeed. 