Accommodating Students with Disabilities

1. Accommodating Students with Disabilities Student Disability Services Kendall Swanson, Director Candice Vasquez, Counselor Dana Mazur, Testing Administrator

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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. Accommodation Procedure • Student brings current letter to faculty • Student and faculty discuss the letter • Faculty sends a confirmation email to student, a designated school official, and disability counselor http://think.stedwards.edu/studentdisabilityservices/email-confirmation-procedure

9. 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?”

10. Contact SDS • Contact a disability counselor for helpful tips and concerns about students Candice: 448-8557 candicev@stedwards.edu Kendall: 223-1659 kendalls@stedwards.edu • Contact the Testing Center for test scheduling and delivery Dana: 448-8659 danam@stedwards.edu Location: Moody Hall 155 • Visit our website at anytime for useful information: http://think.stedwards.edu/studentdisabilityservices/facultyresources1 • Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/stedwardssds