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Teaching Students With Disabilities

All students bring a unique set of strengths and experiences to college, and students with disabilities are no exception. While many learn in different ways, their differences do not imply inferior capacities. There is no need to dilute curriculum, or to reduce course requirements for students with disabilities. Accommodations may be needed, as well as modifications in the way information is presented and in methods of testing and evaluation.

Faculty will be aided in these efforts by drawing upon the student's own prior learning experiences, using available college and department resources, and collaborating with Learning Assistance Services, the Office of the University Disability Resources Coordinator (UDRC), and Local Coordinators.

Sometimes the existence of a disability may not always be evident. Visible disabilities are noticeable through casual observation. An immediate recognizable physical impairment, for example, is the use of a cane, a wheelchair, or crutches.

Other disabilities can be hidden, such as hearing impairments, legal blindness, cardiac conditions, learning disabilities, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, psychiatric disorders, and seizure disorders, all of which are not immediately apparent to the observer.

There are students with multiple disabilities, which are caused by such primary conditions as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or multiple sclerosis. Depending on the nature or progression of the illness or injury, it may be accompanied by a secondary impairment in mobility, speech, vision, or coordination.

Some students with disabilities will identify themselves as needing a classroom accommodation by contacting their Local Coordinator, the URDC, Learning Assistance Services, and/or their instructors early in the semester. Students with less visible disabilities; however, may not self-identify because of their fear of disbelief about the legitimacy of their problem or the need for accommodation. Such students, in the absence of instructional adjustment, sometimes run into trouble in their college work. In a panic, they may self-identify just before an examination and expect instant attention to their needs.

Communication is made easier when instructors make an announcement at the beginning of the term encouraging students who need accommodations to schedule appointments. Such announcements should be conveyed in a non-judgmental manner, inviting the student to talk with the faculty member. If you suspect a student may need an accommodation, discuss the question with the student. While such an approach can be awkward, the outcome can be extremely beneficial, especially if the student's circumstances are made known at the very outset of the class.

• However and whenever a disability is identified, documentation of the diagnosis, and the need to provide reasonable accommodations in the classroom should be verified by the Local Coordinator or by the Office of UDRC.