Overview of SDS  We serve students with…  Learning Disabilities  Psychological Disabilities  Medical Disabilities  We provide  Academic accommodations  Academic counseling  Assistance to faculty as needed

Learning Disorders  What is a learning disorder?  When an individual’s achievement in reading, writing or math is substantially below what would be expected for his/her age, schooling and level of intelligence  Approximately 5% of students in public in the US have a learning disorder  What they are not…  Form of mental retardation  Result of poor teaching  Diminished motivation  Cultural, environmental or linguistic differences

ADHD/ADD  Academic difficulties  Easily distracted  Poor time management  Performance may vary from day to day  Omits steps in a process  Problems tracking rapid speaker  Restlessness, impatient  Minor motor restlessness

Psychological Disabilities Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar, PTSD  Academic difficulties  Concentration  Long term planning  Time management  Motivation  Symptoms  Tearfulness  Sleep disturbance  Anxiety  Flat affect  Fluctuating emotions

Asperger’s Disorder  Falls under Autism spectrum, high functioning autism  Lack the ability to read cues like body language or intuit what others are thinking  Difficulty navigating basic social interactions  Normal intelligence, superior skills in specific area  May exhibit…  Reflexive honesty  Rigid sense of right and wrong  Sensitivity to criticism  Loud tone of voice  Discomfort in noisy/crowded environments

Medical Disabilities Diabetes, Traumatic Brain Injury, Chronic Pain, Dialysis  Academic difficulties  Concentration  Fatigue  Depression  Short-term memory loss  Unpredictable occurrence of symptoms leads to need for flexibility

Accommodation Procedure  Student brings current letter to faculty  The front page – signed by student and counselor  Back page – initialed by student with Student Disability Services  Student and faculty discuss and sign the letter  Faculty sends a confirmation to student, a designated school official, and disability counselor

Safe Questions/Comments  “Is there anything we should discuss regarding your accommodations in this class?”  “I don’t have an answer for you right now. I would like to consult with your disability counselor.”  “Let’s discuss how we will communicate throughout the semester about your accommodations…”  When you suspect a disability, “It might be helpful to talk to someone in Student Disability Services.”  Please do not ask…  “What is your disability?”

Contact SDS  Contact a disability counselor for helpful tips and concerns about students Candice: Kendall:  Contact the Testing Center for test scheduling and delivery Dana: Location: Moody Hall 155