| Project Success,
a U.S. Department of Education Model Demonstration Project to Ensure
Quality Higher Education for Students with Disabilities, held a
series of workshops and conferences from September 1999 –
April 2003 as part of the faculty, administration, and staff training
planned by the project. Summaries of some of the workshop materials
distributed appear below by topic.
Teaching Foreign
Languages to College Students with Disabilities
– Dr. Lynn E. Snyder, University
of Colorado at Boulder – October 2001
Some students who have a likelihood of being unable
to complete a language sequence due to a learning disability or
other processing disorder CAN be taught a language with the modification
of teaching strategies. These students may have: a history of learning
difficulties, poor performance in high school, acceptable college
performance skills, and evidence of the specific difficulties often
seen by students with dyslexia as well as other at-risk behaviors
in foreign language classes.
Who
makes a good candidate for modified language instruction?
- Difficulty learning to read
- A family history of learning disabilities
- Specific problems with phonics
- Problems with spelling standard English
- Some intervention (such as remedial reading
or writing if not an IEP) in elementary school
- Difficulty learning their native language –
being a slow talker or having delayed speech
- Poor grades in English classes, such as deficits
in written and oral language skills
- Students with LD’s that have been diagnosed
before entering high school have higher grades than those diagnosed
after they entered high school.
- Avoidance of, or failure in language
classes
Characteristic College Performance
- Poor organizational skills
- High number of withdrawals from classes
- Difficulty with hard sciences and math due
to difficulty with sequencing, processing written work, and rules/formula
mastery
- Inordinate amount of time spent studying
- Perceives self as having good social
skills and good ability to persuade others verbally
Specific Difficulties in Language Classes
- Fear of being called on and being unable to
respond
- Class moves too quickly (too much material
– too fast)
- Difficulty understanding the instructor
- Difficulty formulating oral responses
- Extreme difficulty with spelling in the foreign
language
- Perceives “everyone else in the class
getting it”
- Evidence of failure early in the semester
despite serious effort
What does the LD documentation indicate?
- Some aptitude noted – average to above-average
intelligence but with a significant variation between verbal and
performance skills
- Measure of student functioning under timed
conditions (can do work under timed or extended time limits)
- Full written report – assessment of test
scores tied to behavior observed and other tests/functioning capabilities
- Identification of processing deficit and the
impact of this deficit on functioning
- Clear statement that there IS a learning
disability
Speech Intervention / Evaluation Testing
- The key to the success of this approach is not
only a valid evaluation of a learning disability but also several
types of test score results that show intellectual ability and
also the lack of ability in learning a second language.
- Success possible with scores no lower than
the 20-30%ile on the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT)
- Test scores on MLAT and other tests that
relate to poor decoding, comprehension, reading rate, spelling,
writing skills, and phonological processing (auditory processing)
The Modified College Foreign Language Course Sequence
- Languages currently taught as modified foreign
languages: Spanish, Latin, and Italian (others are in process
stage, but outcomes not evaluated as long-term yet)
- Class maximum: 15
- NOT open placement: all students are tested
to place in the course
- Mandatory, free tutoring
- Agreement for enrollment and other rules for
the courses signed by the student
- Specialized teaching strategies
- 3 courses in the sequences (oral component not as successful
to teach in a modified class, thus not currently a component and
so no fourth course offered)
Instructional Strategies
- Multi-sensory teaching approach: videos, role-playing,
hands-on, music and slide shows used in the 3 courses
- High degree of structure in each class with
a set type of activity used at approximately the same time each
day
- Explicit instruction, with indication of what
is to be covered, instruction in strategies to improve learning
as well as presentation of the content
- Adjusted content pace – slower and work
toward mastery before covering new material
- Representative structure of material –
e.g., not all verbs covered, but models for those which are typical
as well as irregular forms
- Frequent repetition and review reinforce the
material for students who need to feel mastery of the material.
- Attention to the affective behavior of the
students – feedback, concerns
- Use a pretest model of the exam to gauge the
progress and refer to areas that are weak a few classes before
the exam.
- Use the same person to teach all three segments
of the course (101, 102, 201) to build a team approach with the
faculty and the class
- Students need to go from thinking they can’t
learn a language to knowing they CAN. (Remember, many have been
“exempt” from language instruction their whole lives
because they have been viewed as unable to learn it.)
- Respond to all questions asked. Anticipate
problems and build up the curriculum to compensate for it if there
seems to be a block in the learning process.
- Assign homework for every class and go over
it or grade it for each one.
- Students must sign an agreement to study two
hours for every class hour and more before exams.
- Do not call on students unless they raise their
hand or volunteer.
- Course length can be adjusted if necessary
– do 1½ semesters’ time to do what would be
1 semester’s work. The next semester would start with the
second ½ and continue through the following semester if
the group really needs more time.
Of the students who have been part of the research
and who have completed the three courses, an average of 12 out of
15 pass. Those who did not pass often had MLAT test scores that
were less than the 10th percentile. They were given the opportunity
to substitute cultural content courses for the sequence.
This model can be used to train high school
students who have a foreign language requirement (such as the Regents’
diploma’s requirement for a foreign language) but formerly
had been exempt from taking one. Reduced content volume, mastery
of material at a slower pace, testing accommodations, and in some
cases, use of assistive technology may make foreign language study
possible without intruding on the rights of those who do not have
a disability.
Teaching Math to Students
with Disabilities
Dr. Paul Nolting, a faculty member
in the graduate program at the University of South Florida and in
the Learning & Instruction Program at Manatee Community College,
presented workshops on the topic, “Effective Strategies for
Teaching Math to Students with Disabilities, Especially Learning
Disabilities”
15 Common Characteristics of Students with Learning
Disabilities in Math
- Difficulty remembering the multiplication tables
and other simple math facts.
- Reversal of numbers, such as 54 for 45
- Mixing up symbols and variables such as + and
x, and b and d
- Errors in copying problems from the board and
on homework steps.
- Homework problems look like “chicken
scratch” – writing all over the paper, not following
a visible sequence.
- Difficulty recalling a sequence of problem-solving
steps
- Difficulty recalling mathematical concepts
- Difficulty understanding mathematical concepts
- Difficulty applying mathematical concepts
- Fluid or abstract reasoning deficits
- Difficulty understanding word problems
- Demonstrates knowledge in the classroom but
not on exams
- Unable to complete the exam in the allotted
time, but what is done is correct, or nearly error-free
- Can verbally explain how to do a problem but
cannot do it on an exam
- Makes many careless errors on exams and
does not recognize them
Students may also have difficulty:
- Solving two- or multiple-step problems
- Applying mathematical concepts to word problems
- Visually reading and plotting graphs
- With an inability to take notes and follow
the concepts in the lecture at the same time
Suggested faculty strategies:
- Put an outline of the material to be covered
on the board before class and check off what has been covered
as the lecture proceeds.
- Teach key words – the language of math
is a new vocabulary, so have students make flash cards with examples
of how to do procedures on the cards.
- Give the students cues about how to take notes
as they go along.
- Embrace redundancy – build repetition
into the concepts presented.
- Conceptual density has an optimum level –
don’t cram in too much information in a hurry. (A water-soaked
sponge cannot absorb more water, no mater how much is poured over
it.)
- Avoid negative questions: students with LD’s
may not “get” the message, and it adds to the sense
they are stupid if everyone around them seems to understand the
concept presented that way and they miss it.
- Show all steps in multiple-part questions,
even if it seems they should know the step sequence by now.
- Include sample test questions or a similar format
in the syllabus or online notes as well as samples of the most
efficient answers.
- Permit students who jumble the solutions into
“chicken scratch” to use large-size graph paper, with
one sign/number or other symbol per box. It is easier for them
to see, line up, and keep straight the problems through to solution.
Some may also do better typing the problems out on a computer
instead of writing the answer out on paper with a pencil or pen.
- Talk about how math is used, how concepts relate
to their majors and to other disciplines: statistics, data collection,
logic, quality control, profit/loss and mark-up, engineering and
building codes. Too many students with disabilities have been
taught to fear math.
- For some students, use of colored chalk or
overhead or white-board markers enhances the perception of the
material – it also makes it more “fun” (see
previous bullet).
- Taping the lecture helps the student take the
procedures and methods home so that incorrect or incomplete notes
can be revised.
- Encourage math study groups with partners
– mix abilities in these groups.
Testing and Quiz Accommodations
- Some students may need a private, quiet
test area. Others may be fine in the classroom using foam earplugs
and turning their desk away from the others to block out those
leaving early.
- For security reasons, those who talk their
way through a test cannot be in the same room as other students!
- Use of a talking calculator – with headphones
– may be an accommodation that is useful. Please examine
the calculator before the exam to be sure there are no formulas
stored in the memory.
- Some students may need to have enlarged print
on their math exams – use the font-size increase features
available on all Word products.
- For those who are unable to memorize but who
can follow and apply formulas, use of a formula sheet enclosed
with the exam is helpful. What is being evaluated – problem-solving
or memorization? Problem-solving is a higher-order thought process.
- Time extensions are provided if this been
supported by the documentation that the student presented to the
college. Time extensions can be necessary because of a variety
of reasons – time to read and understand the problem, time
to work through the math and produce the answer due to handwriting,
etc. Each student’s needs are different and the needs change
as they progress through college.
Allied Health Concerns
Martha Smith, Project Director of the
Oregon Health & Science University’s Health Science Faculty
Education Project (smitmart@ohsu.edu)
One
of the most exciting dimensions of that grant’s work is the
volume of research done on admission standards for students entering
a major or program of study – the “technical standards”
that have been designed to measure what skills and competencies
are needed for anyone entering a major or program. The other component
that mirrors that research is the exhaustive work on the essential
functions – the skills that must be in place for each student
about to graduate from a program, and if they can be done with or
without accommodations.
The technical standards and essential function
models were designed for students in allied health, but the process
is duplicable for other majors as well.
Advising Students
with Disabilities
Dr. Richard Vallandingham, Vice President
of Student Services at Coastal Georgia Community College, and co-editor
of the NACADA Monograph on Advising Students with Disabilities.
Faculty and advisors need to be aware of the impact
of the disability on the student in classes, field/internship/practicum
placements, and in the career path the student has selected. Access
may need to be given with accommodations.
There are several provisions of the ADA that specifically
apply here:
- These accommodations cannot fundamentally alter
the nature of the program.
- These accommodations cannot lower or substantially
modify academic or program standards.
- The accommodations cannot compromise the safety
of the student and others in the vicinity.
Technical Standards & Essential Functions:
- Faculty and academic departments have an obligation
to set technical standards for admission that fairly evaluate
all of the students who are entering their department or program.
These standards for admission cannot be confused with the skills
the student will develop during the preparation for the career
that will begin upon graduation.
- Training and mastery are key components of any
curriculum and no one can be presumed to be able to master these
components with their current skills at the point they are admitted
to the program.
- The essential functions of a career are the
skills needed to perform the work of that career, and they may
be tested or evaluated at the end of the degree via participation
in a field placement, practicum or internship. Students must be
prepared to meet these essential functions and if necessary, given
options of related career paths if the disability’s impact
cannot be accommodated.
- A student’s disability and information
is confidential. NO ONE without a need to know about the impact
of a disability should know about it. Medical records, documentation,
counseling reports, etc. are never to be shared with faculty or
off-campus site coordinators and staff.
- Faculty and staff advisors need to be aware
of and utilize resources available when planning to advise students.
- Developing advisement teams for students with
disabilities gives different perspectives and a more complete
view of the support that can be given to both the student and
faculty. The team could include the advisor, career development
staff, and the off-campus placement coordinator for the department
or program.
- Mentoring and using examples of coping strategies
as well as creative accommodation suggestions by successful employees
in the same field may be available through professional organizations.
- Evaluate the site where advisement takes place:
is it accessible? If computer work stations are used, do they
have adjustable-height tables? Large monitor to take efficiently
enlarge print? Can screen-reading software be used with this program?
- Encourage decision-making based on interest,
aptitude, and ability with a focus on abilities, not disabilities.
Careers and Disabilities
– Planning for Employment
By Rochelle Kaplan, Esq. – Counsel for
the National Association of Colleges and Employers
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 both relate to internships and
similar field work requirements for students with disabilities.
- Internships can be considered
employment under Title I of the ADA and a school program under
Titles II and III – thus the need for support is mandated
whether a student is in a public or private college and is considered
both as a student and as an employee.
- The focus here is on the abilities of
individuals (the students) in relation to the skills, functions,
duties, and requirements of the jobs/programs and services.
What Faculty Must Do:
- Do not disclose the disability to the employer
(the student can self-disclose if he/she/ so chooses.)
- Refer students based on skills, interests,
and qualifications.
- Counsel students based on skills and interests,
NOT on an assumption of the student’s abilities.
- Have a variety of sites and placements which
are accessible for students with disabilities – one site
or one type of setting will not be adequate.
Major Provisions in Employment:
- No pre-employment inquiries – it is illegal
to inquire if a person has a disability and also to assume that
the person does, or to regard them as having a disability.
- No job segregation – employers cannot
isolate or separate employees with disabilities from the other
staff in a company.
- All standards, qualifications, and selection
criteria must be job-related.
- Tests given to place employees in a job must
measure skills and abilities.
- The recruiting process must be accessible –
location of recruiting and all information regarding employment
must be in accessible formats.
- Application and job interview questions must
be job-related.
- Reference-checking must be job-related.
Permissible Inquiries:
- Ability to perform the functions of the job
- Does the applicant meet the job requirements?
- Can the applicant perform the essential functions
of the job?
- Safety/Health assessment factors: Is
the individual at risk or likely to pose a risk in this setting?
How long will the risk, if any, last? What medical knowledge does
the employer need to know? Is it likely that safety risks or hazards
will be occurring? Is this harm imminent?
Impermissible Inquiries:
We
cannot ask about:
- Physical or mental disabilities
- Chronic illness or impairments
- Origin, severity or prognosis of illness
- Drug or alcohol abuse or addiction
- Use of prescription drugs
- Prior injuries
The ultimate selection of an employee must be based
on the actual skills and abilities needed to perform the essential
functions of the position.
Reasonable accommodation discussions can
be held after employment is offered and accepted. The determination
is based on the modifications needed, with the support designed
to meet the person’s needs on a case-by-case basis.
Common reasonable accommodations:
Most accommodations do not cost more than $500. – most are
much cheaper.
- Accessible and usable facilities – a variety
of placement sites would be needed.
- Part-time work schedule
- Equipment designed to make the workplace
accessible – adjustable height table, assistive technology,
adaptive software.
Undue hardship related to
the expense of accommodation:
As a public college, any accommodation determined to be reasonable
would likely not be considered as too much of a hardship. There
are often many ways to accommodate the effects of a disability,
and the costs of this provision varies greatly. The Disability Services
office recommends the best and most efficacious type of support,
but it may be inexpensive, low-technology, and easily used.
The guidelines for the test of undue hardship relate to:
- Nature and cost of accommodation
- Size of the business (usually 15 employees
or less)
- Impact on the business’ operations.
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