By Leilani Auna

Aim of Special Needs Assistance Services for students with special needs exists to assist students in functioning in and graduating from BYUH in spite of physical, learning, or other challenges.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Requires that equal access and reasonable accommodations are made for students with disabilities. It is designed to eliminate discrimination based on disability.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation 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”.

Mission Services for Students with Special Needs exist to assist students in applying to, functioning in, and graduating from Brigham Young University-Hawaii in spite of physical, learning, or other challenges. We develop, provide, and seek, facilitate, and coordinate efforts, services and programs that are assistive, supportive, and empowering. We aim to always allow students to do for themselves all that they can do and then encourage and support them in expanding their unique capacities and gifts.

Mission Special Needs Students PersonalEffort Services for Special Needs Special Needs AssistiveAssistive SupportiveSupportive EmpoweringEmpowering Growth of Unique Capacities & Gifts

What can be considered a disability? Chronic Pain and Illness Disabilities Deaf and Hard of Hearing Emotional / Mental Health Disabilities Learning Disabilities and ADHD Mobility Impairments Visual Impairments Temporary Medical Conditions

Current Diagnosis of Special Needs Students Reading & Writing Disorder Mathematics Disorder Learning Disabilities Sleep Apnea Stroke & Epilepsy Asthma Medical Disorder Visual & Hearing Impaired Quadriplegic (Wheelchair Bound) Cerebral Palsy Physical Disabilities Depression Anxiety (Claustrophobic) Bipolar Disorders Psychological Conditions ADD/ADHD Temporary & Permanent Physical Injury/Illness Others

How faculty can facilitate learning for students with special needs? The suggestions are to…. Ask students for feedback Use aids to improve learning and use alternative modes of evaluations Make lecture notes available on the Web to allow students to review them after class Regularly evaluate students’ progress Make sure your room is accessible to wheelchair users and persons that have a physical disability * Refer students that have identified themselves as having specific challenges or disabilities to Services to Students with Special Needs

Emphasis Emphasize in your syllabus how students can seek help from Services for Students with Special Needs. Please advise also that all information disclosed is kept confidential.

Services Offered Class Room Accommodations (i.e. front seat priority, wheel chair accessibility, etc) Testing Accommodations (i.e. distraction free room, extended time, oral test taking, alternative modes of evaluations etc.) Assistive Technology (e.g. hearing amplifiers, tape recorders, carbon paper, kurzweil 3000, etc.) Case Management (teach learning strategies, follow up with student’s progress, advocate for the student, etc.)

Process of Services: Exam Accommodation If testing accommodations are needed (the student is responsible to inform his/her professors.) If testing/exam accommodations are needed the professor will fill out the form “Exam Accommodation”, send it back to Special Needs Services by within 3 days before the requested exam date. Special Needs Services will deem eligibility and send “Letters of Accommodation” & “Exam Accommodation Form” to professors after the add/drop deadline Students will identify they have a disability prior to the term/semester. If not, they will identify themselves when they are ready preferably the earlier the better.

Letters of Accommodations Note Taker (Volunteer) Accessible Classrooms Sign Language / Oral Interpreters Videotape/Audiotape Lectures Case manager Tutors

Extended Time for Exams Staggered Exams or Exam Breaks Alternative Evaluation Modes Distraction-Free Rooms for Exams Test Reader/Scribe

Audio Textbooks

Time Management Goal Setting Measuring Progress Grade Checks Tutoring Programs Note Taking Skills Reading Strategies

How can a student qualify to receive these services? Changes to the service plan are made each semester as academic and other challenges change. Student should carefully consider services and assistance that will be appropriate for their disability. Student will brainstorm to create a service plan with their SNS Counselor This should start as quickly as possible (1 semester prior) so that appropriate resources and staff can be arranged. Submit official documentation of disability and/or special needs to Special Needs Services. It will be reviewed for validity and applicability. Make an appointment to meet with a Special Needs Service Counselor Phone: (808) or (808) Leilani Auna at

Frequently Asked Questions  Q: Who can/should be tested?  A: If you are a student at BYU-Hawaii and have concerns about the possibility of a learning disability or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHA), you may complete a full learning disabilities assessment. If you have been diagnosed previously, you may be required to complete additional testing (depending on how current and complete your previous test results are) in order to receive accommodations from SNS.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: How is the testing process initiated? A: If the student would like to be tested, set up an appointment to speak with an SNS counselor. The student and his/her counselor will discuss his/her difficulties and decide if a full assessment is appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: What does the Assessment Involve? A: The testing process at BYU-Hawaii usually involves meeting with the university psychologist several times and performing numerous, diverse testing activities. The entire assessment usually takes between six and ten hours. Most people prefer to break this time up into two-hour sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: What does it cost? A: The only cost is your time. A similar assessment performed in the private sector would cost several hundred dollars. This is a free service to full time BYU-Hawaii students when an SNS counselor or Counseling Services staff makes an appropriate referral.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: Is the process the same for learning disability and ADHD concerns? A: Since a physician must make a diagnosis of AD/HD, the psychologist works closely with a medical professional at the BYU-H Student Health Center. The SNS counselor asks that students complete a full assessment as it provides several indicators of attention/concentration problems. After you have completed an assessment, you and the psychologist can discuss whether a referral to the physician seems appropriate based on the results of the testing.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: What will the student learn from the testing? A: Regardless of whether or not the student is diagnosed with a learning disorder or AD/HD, the results of the assessment can be very helpful. The testing examines many different aspects of learning (e.g., reading, writing, math, memory, information processing, problem solving, attention, concentration, etc.) and can help the student understand where his/her strengths and weaknesses are. If diagnosed with a learning disability or ADHD, the results of the assessment can be helpful to the student. The counselor and student will know how the student learn best so that accommodations can be most appropriately matched to the student’s needs.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: Will the student receive a copy of the result? A: Each student who completes the full assessment can receive a student copy of the report. This includes results of the test, conclusions reached, recommendations, and possible accommodations.

Ask Questions, Request Services Phone: (808) / Room: McKay #181G Services for Students with Special Needs

“Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” Matthew 25:40