1. Supporting Students with Disabilities for Academic Staff and Managers Debbie Jones Humanitas July 2008

2. SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES General knowledge considerations 2

3. What Must I Know? Basic facts about the disability – general knowledge Basic facts about how the disability impacts the particular student – how the disability “manifests” itself. Awareness of types of accommodations that may assist the student including considerations of the use of technology 3

4. What Must I Know? An awareness of your own perceptions and misperceptions about disability 4

5. Familiarize yourself with disability-related terminology. 5

6. Person First Language What is person first language? –Person first language puts the person before the disability and describes what a person has, not who a person is. A “person with a disability” and not a “disabled” person 6

7. Why Person First? Group designations such as "the blind," "the retarded" or "the disabled" are inappropriate because they do not reflect the individuality, equality or dignity of people with disabilities. Further, words like "normal person" imply that the person with a disability isn't normal, whereas "person without a disability" is descriptive but not negative. http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/comucate.htm 7

8. LEGAL Review of who is a person with a disability and legal requirements. 8

9. Who is a Qualified Person with a Disability? A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of a person’s major life activities Whether a particular person has an impairment that satisfies this definition, and whether a specific accommodation is appropriate for a particular person, must be determined on a case-by-case basis 9

10. Legal Issues and Requirements Why Accommodate? –It’s the Law! Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504… “No program receiving federal funds may deny or exclude…” Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 - Title III 10

11. SUSPICION OF DISABILITY What to do when you suspect a disability exists? 11

12. Referral for Suspicion of Disability Referral Forms –Orientation Student/staff Disability Coordinator Documentation –Observations/other Requirements –Are you obligated to assess for disability? 12

13. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION CONSIDERATIONS Accommodation plans and process. 13

14. Reasonable Accommodation Process The interdisciplinary/ reasonable accommodation team (IDT) meeting must be an interactive process [involving the applicant/student] Collect/review documentation Develop plan Distribute plan –Who has a need to know? Monitor for effectiveness Review 45-60 days Modify if needed 14

15. Accommodation Plans IDT works with applicant or student to determine accommodation needs Consider: –Physical –Medical –Emotional or Psychological –Educational Accessibility –classrooms, career technical work areas, dorms ALL areas on center Impact of meds Schedule adjustments TABE, GED, career technical certification… 15

16. Accommodation Plan Development What accommodations has the individual received in the past? –IEP/504 Plans –Vocational Rehabilitation Documentation What are the student’s strengths and weaknesses, learning styles, etc.? –Do the accommodations under consideration make use of the student’s strengths and preferred learning style(s)? 16

17. Accommodation Plan Development Are they sufficient to provide the student access to all areas of the program? –If not, what additional accommodations are necessary (e.g., in vocations, residential, other common areas)? Do those accommodations remain relevant to the current situation? 17

18. ACCOMMODATIONS Examples of assistive technology and other types of accommodation options 18

19. Technology Considerations Hi-tech –Text to speech –Voice dictation –Talking calculators/thermometers/tape measures –Digital/variable speed tape recorders –“Live-Scribe” pen 19

20. 20 “Paper Replay.” Notes and audio can also be uploaded to a PC where they can be replayed, saved, searched and sent. Additional applications available math problems definitions, voice output preprinted materials handwritten messages as emails spoken messages/written notes

21. Scan single words or full lines of text in seconds See dictionary and thesaurus entries Hear scanned words (including spelling), lines of text, definitions and thesaurus entries Test Mode allows blocking of access to the dictionary and thesaurus during tests Ergonomic and lightweight weighing only 3 ozs Optical Character Recognition at 97% (based on standard font) 21

22. Technology Considerations Lo-tech –Specialty paper (e.g., graph, colored, textured) –Writing utensils & accessories (e.g., pencils, highlighters, grips, etc.) –Organizers (e.g., planners, calendars, etc.) –Positioning tools (e.g., clipboards, slant boards, velcro, etc.) 22

23. Lo-tech examples Pencil grips Margin tape Highlighters Highlighter tape 23

24. Other Accommodation Examples Reducing number of items on assignment Chunking materials into segments Extended time Study guides Writing answers on same page as questions Masking/line guides 24

25. What works for one student with a disability may not work for another. Determine individualized needs. If an accommodation is not working, try something else. 25

26. STRATEGIES Instructional and learning strategies 26

27. Memory Strategy Example 5 8 0 2 9 0 6 1 0 3 What strategy or strategies could we use to help us remember this series of numbers? 27

28. Memory Strategy Suggestions Chunking –Phone number format (580) 290-6103 Patterns –Repeating numbers “0” every third number 28

29. Memory Strategies Repetition Grouping Mental Picture Rhyming Acronym Abbreviation 29

30. Teaching Learning Strategies Assess the student’s awareness of the strategy to be used. Provide opportunities for students to discuss, reflect upon, and practice the strategies with classroom materials and authentic tasks. Provide feedback. 30

31. Teaching Learning Strategies Gradually have the student select the learning strategy to use for a particular activity or assignment. Provide instruction, review, and provide feedback until the student is able to self- select and apply learning strategies effectively. 31

32. RESOURCES Disability-related websites 32

33. Resource Organizations Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) –JC Program Instruction 99-03 Job Accommodation Network (JAN) One-Stops – Disability Navigators Centers for Independent Living Other State Disability Service Agencies 33

34. http://jcdisability.jobcorps.gov Job Corps Disability Website 34

35. Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities Website http://jccdrc.jobcorps.gov/ld 35

36. Supporting Students with Mental Health Disabilities Website http://jchealth.jobcorps.gov/health-topics/mhd 36