Transcript TRINITY INSTITUTE PRESENTS

Accommodating Students
with Disabilities
Facilitator: Kimberly McManus, MEd
Director of Disability Support Services
*
Categories of Disabilities
Traumatic Brain Injury
1%
Visual Impairment
1%
Autism
2%
Deafness
10%
Emotional Disturbance
16%
Specific Learning
Disability
32%
Orthopedic Impairment
16%
Other Health Impaired
20%
Hearing
Impairment
1%
Intellectual
Disability
1%
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* 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
*
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 (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
*
*Consulting with faculty & staff on
accommodation administration & disabilityrelated 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
*
* 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
An accommodation may be considered
reasonable if it alters curriculum delivery and
evaluation methods without altering basic
content or curriculum. It cannot:
1)
2)
3)
Place undue financial or administrative
burden on the institution.
Disrupt the ability of other students to learn
in a safe and stable environment.
Substantially alter an essential element of
the academic curriculum.
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.
Likely Unreasonable
Likely Reasonable
Use of a “talking dictionary” during lecture
Use of an audio recorder to capture lecture material Excessive or indefinite leave of absence from class
Sign language interpreters
Reduction/elimination of assignments from course
syllabus
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
Essential course requirement substitutions for a given
major
Retroactive accommodation requests
*
After following the registration procedures, students are given
an “Accessibility Letter” to discuss and sign with each
instructor.
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*
*
*
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.
*
* 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.
Strategies for Meeting the Needs of Students with Disabilities in the Classroom
*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.
*
* 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.
*
Addressing 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.
*
*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.
*
* 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!
*
Contact
Ms. Kimberly O. McManus, M.Ed.
Director, Disability
Support Services
Sheehan Library 103
202-884-9358
[email protected]
http://www.trinitydc.edu/disability/