Disability Services

Disability Services

ACCOMMODATIONS

Disability Services

Dann Trainer

University of Minnesota - Disability ServicesAHEAD/pepnet 2 Conference,

New Orleans, LAJuly 12, 2012

Disability Services

Agenda• What is reasonable accommodation?• Documentation• Intake meeting• Common Accommodations

• Deaf• Hard of Hearing• Other possible accommodations

• Support Systems• Questions

Disability Services

What is reasonable?• Reasonable accommodations are individualized and

flexible, based on the nature of the disability and the academic environment

• An accommodation is a modification that is made to a course, program, service, job, activity, or facility that eliminates or minimizes disability-related barriers.

• Section 504 and ADA

Disability Services

Documentation• Provide a diagnosis of the condition• Explain how the condition “substantially

limits” one or more major life activities• Information need to be recent and explain

how the condition impacts the way the person function in the academic environment

• Help you and student to determine the accommodation(s) for student to receive

Disability Services

Documentation of Hearing Loss• Audiogram• Additional information about the hearing loss from the

audiologist (might need ROI depends upon the information needed)

• Your working relationship with audiologist/audiology clinic

Helpful documentation:• IEP (Individual Educational Plan)• 504 plan• Letter of accommodations from other college if student

transferred to your college/university

Disability Services

Disability Services

Intake Meeting

Disability Services

Beyond Audiogram: Intake Meeting

• Important to be aware • Hearing loss history • Communication mode

and style• Learning style• Devices being used both

at school and home

• The IEP• Helpful tool to discuss

and understand student’s experiences and skills during the meeting

• Accommodations/previous experience

Disability Services

Important to consider

Academic Skills• Reading• Writing• Math• Study• Time Management• Self-advocacy & disclosure• Negotiation • Others

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Differences between High School & College/University• High Schools

1. Students are delivered to the service2. Case Manager and/or parent advocate for student3. There is regular contact with parents4. Student’s time is structured by others5. Homework may involve 1-2 hours per day6. Teachers often correct homework and it becomes part of the grading process7. Teachers remind students of incomplete work8. Teachers approach students if they believe the student needs assistance9. Teachers remind students of due dates10. Tests are frequent and cover small amounts of course material

• Colleges/Universities1. Students must seek out service2. Students act as their own advocate3. Must have Release of Information form signed by student to communicate with

parents 4. Student manages their own time5. Rule of Thumb: 2 hours study time for each hour of class6. Instructors may not check homework but will assume students can perform the

same tasks on tests7. Instructors may not remind student about due dates8. Instructors are usually open and helpful, but expect student to initiate for

assistance9. Instructors expect students to follow the course syllabus10. Tests may be few and cover large amounts of materials* Be aware of variety of class formats

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Accommodations

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Common Accommodations for Deaf Students

• Interpreting Services: • Sign Language• Oral • Cued Speech

• Peer and/or paid note takers• Live-Captioning services (i.e. CART)• Captions (closed, open, or Subtitled for Deaf & Hard of

Hearing (SDH)) for DVD, video-clips in course’s website especially YouTube, etc.

Disability Services

Sign Language and Communication Systems

• American Sign Language (ASL)

• Signed Exact English (SEE)• Pidgin Signed English (PSE)• Cued Speech• Manual Coded English (MCE)• Rochester Method – all finger spelling

Disability Services

Common Accommodations for Hard of Hearing Students

• Interpreting services: • Oral • Cued Speech• ASL, PSE,….

• Peer and/or paid note takers• Live-Captioning services (i.e. CART)• Captions (closed, open, SDH) for DVD, video-clips in course’s

website especially YouTube, etc.• Assistive Listening Devices re: FM system• Portable speaker system• Instructor repeat the student’s question or comment

Disability Services

Other Possible Accommodations 1. Feedback sessions with professors2. Information/Referral of Tutoring Services and/or study group

related to the course3. Extended time for exams4. Private or semi-private room for exams5. Interpreters for exams (instructions and questions to

professors during exams)6. Advance copy of syllabus and/or reading and/or writing

assignment schedule7. Early/Priority registration if using interpreting and/or

captioning services

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Support Systems

Disability Services

In the Classroom

• Lecture Format• Discussions/ Group Projects• Presentation Format• Independent/Individual Studies• Online/Distance Learning if related to in-class

assignments or projects• Size of the class – Large vs. Small

Disability Services

Out of Classroom

• Field trips• Workshops/seminars• Group work/projects and group-meetings• One to one meeting with professors, staff, etc.• Campus activities – sports, clubs, guest speaker• Internship/Co-op, work-study• Orientation• Graduation ceremony• Online/Distance Learning (100% on-line)

Disability Services

Math, Reading, and Writing Skills

• Tutoring/Consulting Services• Same tutor/consultant for the semester• Time extension for appointment due to

communication aspects of using interpreting or captioning services

• Study group or mentor with team leader• Time management skills

Disability Services

Housing on campus (dorm, apartment,…)

• What can your college/university’s housing facilities offer?• Doorbell light-flashing equipment• Light flashing and/or loud ringer for fire/smoke alarms

in room (not hall)• Video Phone access• Interpreting and/or Captioning services for housing’s

meetings, activities, etc.• Media captioning• CapTel phone equipment for hard of hearing

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On Campus Employment and Study Abroad

• Accommodations for work and study related to college/university’s program for student’s major or graduation requirement

• Credit-earning from college/university• Non-university related employment:

Collaboration with college/university’s Employee Services and/or Career Services

Disability Services

Socialization• Dorm/Residence

• ASL House (UMN)• Student Organizations• College/university activities• Community activities• Number of D/HH/DB students in college/university• Resources (collaboration, networking)• Self-advocacy and other necessary skills!

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Collaborations & Relationships• Interpreters• Captioners• Academic Advisor• Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor• Financial support (Financial Aid, Scholarship)• Audiology clinic on your campus or

community

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Don’t Forget About: Additional Disabilities

• An additional disability means additional accommodation(s) upon a case-by-case basis

• If a student has more than one disability, he/she will need to provide current diagnostic information and contact information of the medical provider(s) for each condition

Example: Deaf and depressionThese are two different disabilities and need to determine accommodations for deaf-related, depression-related and some may overlap with each other

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Unique Situations

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Questions or

Comment to share

Disability Services

Contact Information• Daniel O. Trainer, M.A.

“Dann”– Disability Specialist

• University of Minnesota - Disability Services• McNamara Alumni Center - Suite 180 • 200 Oak Street S. E.• Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455

• Phone/VP: 651-964-1444• Fax: 612-626-9654• E-mail: train042@umn.edu• Web: http://ds.umn.edu

Disability Services

THANK YOU!