DSP&S In-Service

1. DSP&S In-Service

2. Purpose of In-Service: • Faculty has requested an in-service on the Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSP&S) that includes how they can best meet the needs of disabled students • Faculty and staff need to be informed on how to work with students with disabilities for two main reasons: • To provide an inclusive educational environment for students with special needs. • To follow and stay in compliance with legal provisions set up by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the American Disability Act (ADA)

3. Introduction • The types and degrees of disabilities vary between individuals. • Standardizing instructional strategies for all students with disabilities is virtually impossible. • It is important to understand what an individual’s limitations are and what you can do to help the student access the appropriate accommodations.

4. DSP&S Office • What does DSP&S stand for? Department of Supportive Programs and Services • DSP&S can provide disabled students with accommodations based on best practices for the student’s disabilities.

5. DSP&S Services include: • Learning Disability Assessment • Adaptive Computer Technology • Assistive Listening Devices • Books on MP3 • Sign Language Interpreters • Job Placement Assistance • Adaptive Physical Education • On-Line Application Assistance

6. DSP&S Services cont. • Instructional Specialist • Education Skills Lab • Notetakers • Special Testing Arrangements • Financial Aid Referrals • Academic Skills Assessment

7. Who Colleges Typically Serve Students with: Learning Disabilities Mobility Impairments Psychiatric Disabilities Traumatic Brain Injury Visual Impairments Health Related Disabilities Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

8. Accessing DSP&S Services • If you sense that a student may have a disability, it is recommended that you refer them to the DSP&S program • DSP&S will assess the student’s needs and create a plan to implement accommodations • Through DSP&S, students can receive appropriate services and there will be no question of preferential treatment

9. Faculty Responsibilities: • There are two types of frequently used accommodations: • Notetaking • Special Testing Arrangements • Faculty needs to be aware of the process for each of these accommodations.

10. Notetaking: Faculty Responsibility • If you receive a form entitled, “Confidential Memorandum” requesting a notetaker, please continue to make the request in the beginning of each class until a notetaker is found. If nobody volunteers, it would be helpful for the instructor to encourage someone who is doing well in the class to take notes. If that still doesn’t work, contact the DSP&S office and we can send a representative to the class to recruit a student notetaker • When asking the class for a volunteer, make sure to keep the student’s name confidential!

11. Notetaking: Faculty Responsibility cont. • When a student volunteers, have them go to DSP&S office in order to set up the process. • The notetaker will be turning in the notes to the DSP&S office. The student will then pick the notes up from the DSP&S office. There will be no direct contact between notetaker & student. Again this is to maximize confidentiality as much as possible.

12. Testing Accommodations:Faculty Responsibility • Faculty will receive a form entitled, “Confidential Memorandum” with a check list of testing accommodations that the student may need, including extra time on tests. • 5 days prior to the test the student must make arrangements for special testing with the DSP&S office.

13. Testing Accommodations:Faculty Responsibility cont. • The DSP&S office will give the student a form entitled, “Authorization to Administer Test”. • The instructor will fill this form out including special testing instructions, dates, times, and signatures. • The instructor then needs to turn this completed form (with copy of test) back into the DSP&S Office prior to test date.

14. Standard Best Practices for Instructional Strategies • Provide a detailed Syllabus prior to class with the following: • Clear objectives • Reading list and deadlines • Attendance Policy with specific requirements • Statement @ end encouraging students with disabilities to make an appointment with the DSP&S office.

15. Standard Best Practices for Instructional Strategies cont. • On 1st day of class, verbally invite students to meet with teacher to discuss accommodations needed. • Make the syllabus available to students and counselors 3 weeks prior to registration to ensure that the student knows what to expect. • Announce reading assignments in advance for students who need to access alternative documentation (Braille, Books on tape)

16. Standard Best Practices for Instructional Strategies cont. • Start each lecture with an outline of material to be covered • At end of lecture, summarize key points • Teach in multi-modal formats, using auditory and visual stimulus • Provide adequate opportunity for questions and answers including review sessions

17. Effective Instructional Strategies for Deaf and Hard of Hearing • Circular seating arrangements so students can see all class participants • Repeat comments and questions, acknowledging the students who made them • Provide written transcripts of audio material

18. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities • Instruction should be presented in both written and oral formats • Allow students to tape record class • Clearly define course requirements, the dates of exams, and assignment due dates • Provide handouts and visual aids • Use more than one way to demonstrate or explain information

19. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities cont. • Have copies of course reading list ready 3 weeks prior to class, so that taped textbooks can be ordered • Break information into small steps • state objectives • review previous lessons • summarize periodically • Allow time for clarification of directions

20. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities cont. • Provide study guides for exams • Provide assistance with proofreading written work • Stress organization and ideas rather than mechanics when evaluating in-class assignments • Computer access for essay exams • Reduce distractions during exams.

21. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Mobility Impairments • Arrange room change before the term begins • Rearrange seats so that a student in a wheelchair is part of regular classroom setting • Make sure accommodations are in place for in-class written work--scribes and assistive computer technology

22. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities • Spend extra time with the student to assist them with planning and time management---important for counselors. • When disability involves disruptive behavior, discuss with student how they would want to handle outbreaks in class • Allow students to tape record classes • Assist the student with finding an effective notetaker

23. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities cont. • Clearly define course requirements, the dates of exams, and assignment due dates---provide advance notice of any changes

24. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Traumatic Brain Injury Disabilities • Similar to other strategies: -Time extensions for in class assignments and exams -Taped lectures -Instructions presented in more than one way -Notetakers

25. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Visual Impairments • Have copies of the syllabus/reading assignments ready 3 weeks prior to class for taping/ Braille transcription • Provide materials in alternative formats • Repeat aloud what is written or presented • Pace presentation, allowing time for students to find information • Tape record classes • Team up with sighted volunteer for in-class assignments

26. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Visual Impairments cont. • Utilize technology: Document Conversion • Audiotape • Braille (DSP&S has a converter in our office/ try getting all handouts converted prior to class) • Electronic Voice (Kurzweil) • Large Print • Voice Recognition (Dragon Dictate)

27. Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Health Related Disabilities cont. • Similar to those for other disabilities: • Notetakers • Extended time to complete class • Modified course, workload, and exams

28. Additional Points to remember about Instructional Strategies • When teaching, enabling students is not helpful. It is important to have students do as much as they can on their own, which requires patience. • The purpose of effective instructional strategies is to lower the difficulty of learning for students with disabilities--NOT to lower the learning expectations of the student.