Disabilities 101

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Disabilities 101

• Jill Malolepszy-Boeke, M.A.
• Coordinator-Disability Support Services
• Sandy Brubaker, L.P.C.
• Associate Vice President for Student Development
  Enrollment Management

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Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act
1990 Americans with Disabilities Act

• No otherwise qualified individual with a
  disability shall, solely by reason of his/ her
  disability, be excluded from the participation
  in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
  discrimination under any program or activity of a
  public entity.

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Otherwise Qualified meets the academic
standards required for admission or participation

• With or without
• Reasonable modifications to rules, policies or
  practices
• Removal of architectural, communication or
  transportation barriers or
• Provision of auxiliary aids and services

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A Person with a disability is someone who

• has a physical or mental impairment which
  substantially limits one or more major life
  activities including walking, seeing, hearing,
  speaking, breathing, learning, and working
• has a record of such an impairment or
• is regarded as having such an impairment.

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Examples of Disabilities

• Low vision, Blindness
• Hearing Impairments
• Learning Disabilities
• Physical Disabilities
• Psychological/Psychiatric Disabilities

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Psychological/Psychiatric Disabilities

• Encompasses a broad range of conditions which may
  include, but are not limited to
• Major Depression
• Bipolar Disorders
• Schizophrenia
• Anxiety Disorders
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

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Increase in Mental Health Issues

• The rate of depression among college students
  rose almost 5 in just the past four years, with
  38 of these students on antidepressant
  medication and over 25 in therapy.
• Young (2004) p. A37
• Student anxiety is high. Nationally, over 25 of
  college students say they are overwhelmed.
  Higher Education Research Institute (2002)

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Why the Increase?

• Improved medications that result in symptoms mild
  enough or them to enjoy the benefits and meet the
  challenges of postsecondary education.
• Weiner Wiener (1996)
• Improved diagnosis, assessment, earlier
  intervention, and decreased stigma toward mental
  illness account for some of the increases.
  Silverman (2004)
• These factors may bring students to college who
  might not previously considered postsecondary
  education as an option.

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Academic Accommodation Process

• Intake Appointment
• Review of Documentation
• Approval/Denial of Accommodations
• Signing of Accommodation Sheets
• Review of Syllabus
• Semester Appointment
• Deadline

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College Students Reporting a Disability

• Learning Disabilities
• Physical Disabilities
• Health Impairments
• Psychological/Psychiatric
• Hearing Impairments
• Visual Impairments
• Other
• National Center for Education Statistics (1999)

• National Edison
• 46 56
• 14 11
• 12 5
• 8 19
• 6 5
• 5 4
• 9 N/A

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• How do we accommodate a disability?
• What are reasonable accommodations?

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Visual Impairments

• Enlarged print
• Class assignments in electronic format
• Seating where lighting is best
• Books on tape/CD

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Hearing Impairments

• Interpreting Services
• Real-time captioning
• FM systems
• Volunteer note takers

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Learning Disabilities

• Note takers and/or tape recorded
• lectures
• Extended test taking time
• Alternative testing arrangements (test
• reader, oral testing)
• Books on tape/CD

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Physical Disabilities

• Volunteer note takers
• Extended time on tests, test proctor
• Adjustable tables
• Lab equipment located within reach

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Psychological/PsychiatricDisabilities

• Extended test taking time
• Alternative testing arrangements
• Reserved seating near door
• Periodic breaks
• Structure and feedback about behavioral
  expectations

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Accommodation Sheets
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Testing Services
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Disabilities and Mental Illness are a Part of the
Diversity on CampusHowever

• A student who cannot maintain behavior in
  accordance with the code of conduct or poses a
  serious risk of substantial harm to oneself or
  others is not otherwise qualified.

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Student Referrals

• Suspecting a disability
• Issues to consider
• Watching for signals of distress
• Have you noticed a change in
  behavior/attitude?
• Guiding a student in the right direction
• Communicate the availability of resources!
• You are part of the students support network!
• Confidentiality

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• Learning
• and
• the Student Experience
• are
• Intertwined!

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• BE CREATIVE!