Component Demo Page

The degree to which physical disabilities affect students in the academic setting varies widely. In some cases the degree of impairment may vary from time to time because of the nature of the disability. Some conditions are progressive, while others may be stable. Many of these conditions, such as spinal cord injury (paraplegia or quadriplegia), cerebral palsy, spina bifida, cardiac disorders, and polio/post polio result in orthopedic/mobility-related disabilities. Functional limitations and abilities vary widely even within one group of disabilities. At times it is not the condition itself but the medication needed to control symptoms that impair academic performance. Common side effects of medications include fatigue, memory loss, shortened attention span, loss of concentration, and drowsiness. Accommodations vary greatly and are determined on a case-by-case basis.

A partial list of other types of physical/health-related disabilities

• AIDS
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Burns
• Cancer
• Carpal tunnel syndrome/Tendonitis
• Chronic Fatigue
• Chronic Pain
• Diabetes mellitus
• Epilepsy
• Hemophilia
• Lupus
• Motor neuron diseases
• Multiple sclerosis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Renal-kidney disease
• Respiratory disorder
• Sickle cell anemia
• Stroke

Accommodations May Include

• Accessible location for the classroom and place for faculty to meet with student.
• Extra time to get from one class to another, especially in inclement weather.
• Special seating in classrooms.
• Note takers, use of audio recorders, laptop computers, or photocopying of peer notes.
• Test accommodations: extended time, separate place, scribes, access to word processors, screen readers.
• Special computer equipment/software: voice-activated word processing, word prediction, keyboard modification.
• Service animals or personal care attendants.
• Extra time for assignments due to slow writing speed.
• Adjustable lab tables or drafting tables.
• Lab assistance
• Taped texts
• Advance planning for field trips to ensure accessibility; if the University provides transportation, it must also be accessible.
• Enlarged printed materials
• Flexibility in attendance requirements in cases of documented health-related absences.

A learning disability is a permanent neurological disorder that affects the manner in which individuals with normal or above-average intelligence receive, organize, remember, and then retrieve or express information. Like interference on the radio or a fuzzy TV picture, incoming or outgoing information may become scrambled as it travels between the eye, ear or skin and the brain. A learning disability is complex and requires diagnosis by a professional who can interpret the appropriate tests to determine if a student has a learning disability. A learning disability is commonly recognized in adults as a deficit in one or more of the following areas: reading comprehension, spelling, written expression, math computation, and problem-solving. Many adults with learning disabilities may also have language-based and/or perceptual problems. Persons with learning disabilities often have to deal not only with functional limitations but also with the frustration of having to “prove” that their hidden disability may be as disabling as a disability that is visually obvious.

Accommodations May Include

No student will need all of these, and specific accommodations are based on a careful review of the diagnostic information that is on file in the Student Access Center.

General

Course substitution for non-essential course requirements in major

Reading

• Audio books or access to alternative formats and text-to-speech technology
• Reader
• Note Taking
• Audio recorder
• Peer note taker

Writing

Word processor with spell check

Testing

• Extended time
• Proctored testing in a quiet, separate area
• Use of text-to-speech and/or speech-to-text technology on exams 
• Student respond orally to essay test
• Alternative type of exam
• Scribe
• Blank card or paper to assist in reading
• Calculator
• Word processor
• Math calculator for a student with a disability in the area of math processing. (The Educational Testing Service is now allowing the use of a standard four function calculator as an accommodation during the SAT.)

Visual impairments include disorders in the sense of vision that affect the central vision acuity, the field of vision, color perception, or binocular visual function. Legal blindness may be caused by tumors, infections, injuries, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetes, vascular impairments, or myopia. The effect of visual disabilities varies widely. Some students may use a guide dog, others a white cane, while others may not require any mobility assistance. Students who have low vision may rely on residual vision with the use of adaptive equipment such as magnification devices or closed-circuit television.

Accommodations May Include

• Reading lists or syllabi in advance to permit time for transferring into alternate format.
• Text books ordered in the preferred medium of the student.
• Seating in the front of the class without glare from windows.
• Audio recording of lectures and class discussions.
• Note taking devices such as pocket braille computers.
• Handouts in the medium that the student prefers.
• Clear black print on white or pale yellow paper for students with visual impairments.
• Testing accommodations: taped tests, reading of tests, scribe, extended time, separate testing area, enlarged print, computer word processing software with speech access.
• Materials presented on the board or computer projector read out loud.
• Lab assistance
• Advance notice of class schedule changes.
• Service animals

ALTERNATE FORMAT OF PRINTED MATERIAL FOR STUDENTS WITH BLINDNESS OR VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS INCLUDE

• Audiotape
  • Some textbooks can be ordered on tape from Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic: (800) 221-4792. When they aren’t available from this source, the University is responsible for obtaining an accessible version compatible with assistive technology. This requires advanced planning and your timely book orders are appreciated. 
• Large print
  • Standard sized materials can be enlarged on a copier using 11" x 17" paper.
• Computer File
  • Convert the text of materials to ASCII format.
• Braille
  • Adaptive equipment will be necessary to provide alternate format in braille; however, braille is usually the least requested alternate format for students with blindness.

More individuals in the United States have a hearing impairment than any other type of physical disability. A hearing impairment is any type or degree of auditory impairment, while deafness is an inability to use hearing as a means of communication. Hearing loss is measured in decibels and may be mild, moderate, or profound. Since much learning is acquired orally, persons born with a hearing loss may have language deficiencies and exhibit poor vocabulary and syntax. Because they do not hear environmental noises and day-to-day conversation, students who are hearing impaired or deaf miss a great deal of crucial information usually learned incidentally by non-hearing-impaired students. Many students with hearing loss use hearing aids and rely on speech reading. Under the most favorable conditions, only 30 to 40 percent of spoken English is distinguishable on the lips even by the best speech readers. Some students may require an interpreter. Faculty should be aware that sign language does not provide a word-for-word translation of the English language and that students using an interpreter may still miss information.

Accommodations May Include

• Seating in the front of the classroom.
• Written supplement to oral instructions, assignments, and directions.
• Visual aids 
• Instructor repeating questions asked by other students.
• Notetaker for class lectures.
• Test accommodations: extended time, separate place, proofreading of essay tests, access to word processor, interpreted directions.
• Unfamiliar vocabulary written on the board or on a handout.
• Amplification system
• Interpreter seated where the student can see both the interpreter and the lecturer.
• Excess noise reduced as much as possible to facilitate communication.

Tips For Communication

• Face the class, not the board, when teaching.
• Restate questions/comments from other students in class so all have the opportunity to hear what was said. 
• If an ASL interpreter is present, direct your remarks to the student, not the interpreter.
• Before speaking, attract the student’s attention with a cue such as a tap on the shoulder or a wave.
• Speak clearly and naturally without exaggerating lip movements or volume.
• Avoid standing in front of a light source like a window—the glare from behind makes it difficult to read lips.
• Avoid chewing gum or otherwise obstructing the area around your mouth with your hands or other objects that interfere with speech reading.
• Provide the interpreter prior to each class with information about technical terms, special vocabulary, and names to be used.

Psychological disabilities cover a wide range of disorders such as neuroses, psychoses, and personality disorders. The majority of psychological disorders are controlled using a combination of medications and psychotherapy. These medications may result in side effects, such as drowsiness or disorientation, which can affect academic performance. Students with psychological disabilities present some of the most difficult challenges to the college professor. Like students with other disabilities, their impairments may be hidden or latent, with little or no effect on their learning.

Accommodations May Include

• Extended time for exams, and/or taking exams in a quiet testing area with a proctor.
• Notetakers, readers, or audio recorders in class.
• Flexibility in attendance requirements in cases of documented health-related absences.

However, a student is required to make up missed assignments and tests.

Behavior

A psychological disability does not necessarily mean a risk exists to self or others. However, some students with psychological impairments may exhibit negative behavior such as indifference or occasionally disruptive behavior. In the event of disruptive behavior, the following measures may be necessary:

• Discussing the inappropriate classroom behavior with the student privately, directly, and forthrightly, delineating the limits of acceptable conduct.
• Referring the student to the Counseling Center if you sense that discussion with the student would not be effective, or if the student approaches you for therapeutic help.
• If the disruptive behavior continues, please refer to the UNE Student Code of Conduct. Students with disabilities are required to meet the same standards of acceptable conduct as all other students.