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Advising Students With Disabilities

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Lab assistant in classroom. Change the location of a class to an accessible area ... (e.g. nursing, radiology, physical therapy, law enforcement, fire science, etc. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Advising Students With Disabilities


1
Advising Students With Disabilities
  • Tips for the Non-DSS Advisor
  • October 6, 2005
  • Becky Osborne, Assistant Director
  • Student Support Services
  • Danville Area Community College

2
Agenda
  • Important Trends
  • Brief Overview of ADA Section 504
  • General Dos Donts for Advisors
  • Types of Disabilities Planning for Success
  • Special Issues for Advisors
  • Building Bridges Within Your Institution
  • Resources for Advisors
  • Final Thoughts, Comments, Concerns

3
Important Trends
  • SWD in Post-Secondary Ed
  • A Few National Statistics

4
Important Trends
  • Number of SWD in higher education is increasing
  • 1978 lt3 of full-time freshmen
  • 1998 9 of full-time freshmen
  • SWD are less likely to complete a degree or
    certificate within 5 years
  • SWD perceive there to be barriers to their
    success in higher ed
  • 71 of all postsecondary SWD enroll in community
    colleges

5
College SWD by Category (4-yr institutions)
NCES, 2000
6
(No Transcript)
7
Legal Overview
  • ADA
  • Section 504

8
Americans with Disabilities ActTitle II
  • Was passed into law on July 26, 1990
  • Is an extension of the Civil Rights Act of 1963
    to individuals with disabilities
  • Objective was to end discrimination against
    individuals with disabilities, resulting in their
    full inclusion in American society
  • Was intended to strengthen the scope of Section
    504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended
    in 1974

9
  • 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.

10
Otherwise Qualified
  • Meets the academic and technical standards
    requisite to admission or participation, with or
    without
  • Reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or
    practices
  • Removal of architectural, communication, or
    transportation barriers
  • Provision of auxiliary aids and services

11
Person with a Disability
  • Any person who
  • Has a physical or mental impairment that
    substantially limits one or more major life
    activities, including walking, seeing, hearing,
    speaking, breathing, learning, and working
  • Has a record of such an impairment
  • Is regarded as having such an impairment.

12
Institutions of Higher Education Must
  • Make their programs, services, and facilities
    accessible to individuals with disabilities who
    are otherwise qualified in the most integrated
    setting possible, unless doing so would cause the
    institution undue hardship or expense.
  • Provide reasonable accommodations to individuals
    with disabilities who are otherwise qualified,
    unless doing so would alter the fundamental
    nature of the program, service, or activity.

13
Incentives to Comply with the Legislation
  • Individuals with disabilities who feel they have
    been discriminated against solely on the basis of
    their disability are encouraged to go through the
    grievance procedures established at their
    institutions.
  • Ultimately, the individual may file a complaint
    with the Office of Civil Rights. OCR will
    investigate the charge and make a ruling.
    Institutions found guilty of discrimination risk
    the loss of federal funding.

14
Academic Accommodations
  • Individuals with disabilities must self-identify
    and provide appropriate documentation to
    Disability Support Services to be eligible for
    academic accommodations/adjustments. These
    accommodations must be reasonable and must not
    alter items within the course or program
    considered essential.

15
What types of accommodations might be
requested/allowed?
  • Priority registration
  • Reading lists or syllabus in advance of semester
    start date to permit time for transferring to an
    alternative format (large print, books on tape,
    etc.)
  • Preferential seating (in front, near an exit,
    without glare from windows, etc.)
  • Tape recording of lectures and class discussions
    (see Agreement for Permission to Audio-Tape
    Lectures)
  • Use of a notetaking device in class or assistance
    in obtaining a peer notetaker

16
Accommodations list, continued
  • Lab assistant in classroom
  • Change the location of a class to an accessible
    area
  • Reduced course load (see Handbook For SWD)
  • Testing accommodations (scribe, reader/tests on
    tape, extended time, distraction-reduced
    environment, enlarged print, word processing
    software with speech access, calculator)
  • Sign language interpreter in classroom
  • Speak facing the class during lectures, provide
    written supplement to oral instructions/directions
  • Use of an amplification system
  • Extra time for SWD to get from one class to
    another

17
General Dos Donts for Advisors
  • Tips to Keep in Mind

18
Advising Dos
  • Think in terms of ability rather than
    disability
  • Encourage all students to develop self-advocacy
    skills
  • Invite student to self-disclose a disability by
  • Posting a sign in your office stating, Students
    with documented disabilities may be eligible for
    academic accommodations.
  • Ask, Is there anything about you that I should
    be aware of in order to help you be most
    successful in college?
  • Discuss any special requirements of their funding
    source (e.g. PELL, State Vocational
    Rehabilitation office)
  • Be alert to signs of immature career decision
    making (e.g. may major in special education
    regardless of individual talents/ability)
  • Make appropriate referrals to the DSS office or
    other depts. on campus

19
Advising Donts
  • Dont ask, Do you have a disability? or
  • say, You must register with Disability
    Support Services.
  • Avoid discussing the students needs anywhere
    other than a private place.
  • Avoid counseling swd to avoid certain majors due
    to perceived limitations.
  • Dont fail to inform swd about applicable
    technical standards

20
Caution!
  • The text of the ADA requires institutions to
    approach student needs on a case-by-case basis.
  • Having said that, some generalizations can be
    made based on the type of disability(-ies)
    involved.
  • These generalizations are NOT to be applied in a
    cookbook fashion.

21
Types of Disabilities
  • Helping SWD
  • Plan for Success

22
Advising Students with Visual Disabilities
  • May advise via electronic means to facilitate
    communication
  • May require print materials in alternative format
    (e.g., large print) or the use of screen reader
    software (e.g. JAWS)
  • May need extra time to travel between buildings

23
Advising Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
  • May advise via electronic means, using TTY, or
    with assistance of an interpreter
  • May rely on lip reading face student when
    speaking
  • May exhibit poor vocabulary and syntax (ESL)
  • Caution--late registration may create major
    barriers to success

24
Advising Students with Mobility/Chronic Health
Concerns
  • May need
  • reduced course load
  • more time to move between buildings
  • to avoid early a.m. classes
  • Keep in mind
  • weather extremes may be problematic
  • student may be relying on public or para transit
    system (start late or end early)

25
Advising Students with Hidden Disabilities
  • The number of college students with hidden
    disabilities (e.g. learning, ADD/HD, psychiatric)
    has risen dramatically.
  • Keep in mind that students may be reluctant to
    disclose a hidden disability fear stigma that
    comes with label. Many see college as a time to
    start over or be same as classmates.
  • Be aware of indications that suggest student may
    have a disability (e.g. high school transcript,
    demographic info from placement test).
  • May need to pair more difficult classes with
    those somewhat less demanding.

26
A Word About Temporary Impairments
Students with temporary impairments (surgery,
injuries, etc.) are not covered under Section 504
and the ADA. There is no legal requirement to
provide accommodations in these situations. Refer
these students to your DSS office for an
evaluation of temporary services that may allow
them to stay in school.
27
Special Issues for Advisors
Technical Standards Course Substitutions Reduced
Course Load Athletes with Disabilities Distance
Learning
28
Technical Standards
  • Some programs of study may have technical
    standards to which all students must comply.
  • All students should be given a copy of these
    technical standards BEFORE committing to that
    major/field of study (e.g. nursing, radiology,
    physical therapy, law enforcement, fire science,
    etc.).
  • Use of an informed consent form signed by student
    is recommended (see Appendix N, The Policy Book,
    LRP,2000).
  • Although controversial, SWD may be excluded from
    these programs if they are unable to meet the
    required technical standards with or without
    accommodation.

29
Course Substitutions
  • Not required by law if refused, a deliberate
    process of determination a written rationale
    are necessary for OCR review
  • Swd may be eligible for a course substitution if
    the course is deemed by faculty to be a
    non-essential part of the overall curriculum in
    that program of study
  • Courses considered essential are not eligible
    for substitution.
  • Examples
  • math
  • foreign language

30
Reduced Course Load
  • Your institution may have a policy allowing
    eligible swd to take a reduced course load while
    retaining their full-time status.
  • This usually means that the student can be
    considered full-time with 9, 10, or 11 hours.
  • Does NOT change the federal financial aid
    regulations and may impact other types of funding
    as well (e.g. Voc Rehab, WIA, etc.).
  • Not all insurers honor this accommodation.

31
Athletes with Disabilities
  • Awd may petition the NCAA, NJCAA for special
    status as a Certified Disabled Athlete.
  • This status allows a student athlete to retain
    eligibility with 9, 10, or 11 credit hours.
  • Explicit requirements are contained in Article V,
    Section 4.J of the NJCAA Bylaws regarding
    eligibility.

32
Distance Learning SWD
  • Online resources other options for distance
    learning have opened up new possibilities for
    swd.
  • Challenges
  • Early registration is a must
  • Web accessibility is not a given
  • Some swd (e.g. ADD/HD) may not be suited to the
    online learning environment

33
Building Bridges Within Your Institution
FERPA vs. HIPAA
34
FERPA vs. HIPAA
  • The protocol for handling disability-related
    information will be determined by your
    institution.
  • Is it educational information (falls under
    FERPA)?
  • Or, is it medical information (falls under
    HIPAA)?

35
Building Bridges
  • Handling disability-related matters are part of
    your overall networking strategy with other
    campus depts.
  • Ask student, Is there anything I should know to
    help you be most successful this semester?
  • Request recommendations from DSS to promote
    student success
  • Sign appropriate release forms as required

36
Resources for Advisors
www.dacc.edu/sss/aresource.php
37
Final Thoughts, Comments, Concerns
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