1. Los Angeles Southwest College Disabled Students Programs & Services
“How to Accommodate Students with Disabilities”
Darlene Wooten, Coordinator, DSP&S
Stephanie Schleicher, Learning Disability Specialist

2. Types of Disabilities Visual Impairments Deafness and Hearing Loss
Learning
Attention Deficit Disorder
Psychological
Head Injury
Communication Disorders
Autism
Mobility/Dexterity
Chronic Health Impairments

3. Role of DSPS
Faculty support as well
as student support
To preserve the integrity of the curriculum, while keeping the faculty and institution in compliance

4. Verification of Disabilities
The specific disability must be verified, and there must be an educational limitation that precludes the student from fully participating in general education without additional specialized services.
Students need to disclose and provide documentation from a licensed professional stating the nature of their disability and the functional limitations imposed by their disability

5. What is a Learning Disability?
A Leaning Disability is defined as a persistent condition of presumed neurological dysfunction which may exist with other disabling conditions. This dysfunction continues despite instruction in standard classroom situations.

6. Learning Disability Definition (cont.)
To be categorized as a learning disabled a student must exhibit:
Average to above intellectual ability;
Severe processing deficit(s);
Severe aptitude-achievement discrepancy(ies); and
Measured achievement in an instructional or employment setting

7. Characteristics of Learning Disabilities
Short attention span
Easily distracted
Disorganized; loses things
Poor reading and/writing ability
Reverse letters or numbers; trouble w/sequencing
Inability to concentrate
Poor memory

8. Assessing Students for LD’s
Achievement must indicate student has the potential to benefit from instruction at the community college
Aptitude or ability component assesses the student’s intellectual capacity to achieve in the community college setting(>85)
Processing Deficit – student’s with LD’s lack the ability to acquire, manipulate, integrate, store, and /or retrieve information in the same manner in which most student’s perform these tasks

9. California CC LD Eligibility Model
Six assessment components:
Intake Screening
Measured Achievement
Ability Level
Processing Deficit
Aptitude-Achievement Discrepancy
Eligibility Recommendation

10. Accommodations
Appropriate accommodations established on a case-by-case basis
Test accommodations: extended time, distraction free environment, scribes, readers
Note takers, interpreters, closed caption videos
Franklin Speller/Thesaurus, tape recorders
Specialized adaptive technology (JAWS, Zoom Text, Inspiration)
Courses (LS) designed specifically for students with disabilities

11. Legal Considerations ADA protects qualified individuals
Elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504
Students receive approved modifications, appropriate academic adjustments, or auxiliary aids that enable participation and benefit from college’s educational programs & activities

12. Legal Considerations (cont.)
California State Ed Code, Title V Reg
Services or instruction must:
Not duplicate those available to all students
Be directly related to the educational limitations of the verified disabilities of the student
Be directly related to the student’s participation in the educational program
Support participation in educational activities consistent with the mission of the college

13. OCR Cases Accommodations
University of South Florida
State University of New York-Delhi

14. Faculty Responsibilities
Recognize need for universal access
Provide accommodations established by the DSP&S letters students provide
Make referrals when observing students you believe may benefit from assessment
Maintain flexibility to accommodate students with disabilities
Understand the difference between accommodations and modifications

15. Faculty Resources
Darlene Wooten, Coordinator /Counselor- SS102
John Raasch, LCSW – Student Health Services- SS 118