SUPPORTING GREATEXPECTATIONS

Recognizing, Understanding, and Working with Students with

Disabilities

OVERVIEW

DSS assists Cypress College by providing services and accommodations for students with disabilities to support their student success and to meet the requirements of federal and state non-discrimination laws, including Sections 504 and 508 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

DSS Director: Celeste Phelps

Services are available tostudents, but it is thestudents’ choice toparticipate in DSS.

IN COLLEGE…

320 Other (Autism, ADHD)229 Learning Disability176 Psychological Disorders (Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar)85 Mobility (includes stroke, spinal cord injury, back injury)65 Developmentally Delayed48 Hearing Impaired (Deaf, Hard of Hearing)21 Visually Impaired (blind, low vision)25 Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)11 Speech or Language Disorders (expressive/receptive,

stutter)_____980 !

Categories of Disabilities and How Many Students Were Served by

Cypress College DSS (2014-2015)

Accommodations are determined on an individual basis and arebased on valid documentation provided by the student. TheCounselors & LD Specialists review each file to ensureaccommodations are appropriate for the student. When astudent meets with a Counselor, they will review the servicesand how to access them.

SERVICES/ ACCOMMODATIONS

Accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

Extra Time on Exams

Note Taking Services

Priority Registration

Use of an Audio Recording

Device

Extra Tutoring Time in the

LRC

Adaptive Hardware & Software

Adjustable Tables

Access to our High Tech Center

Academic Counseling

Disability Management

DSS Counselors: Marisa Lehmeier, Deborah Michelle

LD Specialists: Dr. Dawn Decker, Lisa Yates

DEAF SERVICESWhat does Deaf Services do?

Work with students with hearing impairments

Coordinate sign language interpreting services

Provide workshops and professional

development for the interpreters

Act as a liaison to help faculty understand how

to use an interpreter

Special Project Coordinator for Deaf & Hard of Hearing

Services: Sandra Garcia, sgarcia@cypresscollege.edu

Signs that point to the possibility of a disability (LD , psych, etc.):

Hyperactive or impulsive behavior DistractionUneven achievement Poor memoryGets lost easily Difficulty in grasping abstract ideas

Misses discussion points Takes long to answer questions

Cannot read or write Can verbalize but can’t write well

at an age-appropriate level Difficulty expressing thoughtsCannot relate events in Has poor self-concept

proper sequence Difficulty following directionsShort attention span Responds w/out thinkingPoor auditory or visual memory Difficulty thinking in logical and

Difficulty predicting time orderly fashion

to complete task Either late or very early for appts

Difficulty with math Gives up easily

How do I introduce the student

to the idea of a possible

Learning or other disability?●A student may be ready to hear about a possible learning or other disability if s/he:*is asking questions about why she is not learning more quickly.*repeatedly expresses frustration about his lack of progress.*asks you what you think the problem is.*makes leading comments such as: “I’m always so dumb at math. My mother always said I would never be good at school because I’m just dumb like my dad.”

How to conduct this conversation:*Approach discussion in private, but positive manner.*Tell student that you are concerned with all students in your program.*Tell the story of your observations slowly and allow student to consider the info.*DO NOT offer diagnosis of LD or other disability.*Ask if s/he ever received services for the same problem in high school.*Show some info you’ve gathered and observed. Ask what s/he thinks.*Provide the student with a DSS brochure.

Other suggestions on how to have discussions with students?

The Instructor’s …..“QUICK-ASSESS CHECKLIST”

Before you refer a student to DSS, use your Quick-Assess Checklist to evaluate students’ success level….

Great for students with and without disabilities!

1. Is the student doing her homework?2. Does the student have his text book?3. Is the student coming to class on time or leaving early?4. Has the student used tutorial services?5. Has the student visited during office hours?6. Has the student utilized study groups? 7. How much time does the student spend studying for the class (outside of college)? 8. Ask the student about her motivation for being in your course and what excites her about the class.9. Help the student see “the big picture” of how your particular class is a stepping-stone to other courses (foundation to college level).

Tips for Organization

What the instructor can do:

◦ Provide a detailed syllabus with due dates, etc.◦Encourage monthly calendars and daily schedules.◦Encourage sticky notes for variety of purposes. i.e. tasks to be done.◦Ensure learner is clear about what to do and how to do it.◦Make sure learner has skills and knowledge to do task.◦For large projects, provide timelines with checkpoint dates along way.◦Give reminders of upcoming checkpoints.◦Keep due dates visible on board.◦Provide explicit teaching on how to organize personal space for working.◦Teach how to use charts for organizing.◦Help learner develop checklists.◦Provide non-distracting, quiet classroom.◦Allow use of spell-checkers, proofreaders, and calculators.

Tips to share with Math Students

◦Read the problem (carefully & thoroughly).◦Draw and label math problem & steps.◦Write a list of what you know and what you don’t know.◦Try writing a sentence about how you understand

the problem & solution.◦Estimate the answer (if you can).◦Label the answer(s).◦Check your work and answers.◦Write clearly (neatly).◦Practice tests in textbook.◦Practice look-away or recite method (self-quizzing).◦Visit instructor during office hours.◦Rework math problems in textbook & homework assignments.◦Study goals (daily & weekly).◦Repetition.◦www.khanacademy.org◦Math videos by Professor Larry Perez at Saddleback College

www.saddleback.edu/faculty/lperez◦Search YouTube for Mucho Math.

Student’s Rights & Responsibilities

They have the right or responsibility to:

◊ Request accommodations through the DSS Program.

◊ Provide the Professor with the appropriate DSS paperwork, e.g. “Accommodations & Services Agreement”, “Testing Accommodations” in a timely manner.

◊ Take classes for which they are eligible.

◊ Not use approved DSS accommodations.

Faculty Rights & Responsibilities

You have the right to:

◊Expect the same quality of work from students with disabilities.

◊Refuse an unauthorized accommodation.

◊Expect the same standard of behavior from students with disabilities.

◊Preserve the principles of academic freedom and maintain highest level of standards without impinging on the basic

civil rights of students with disabilities.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

• When using visual aids, be as descriptive as possible. Avoid using words like “this” or “that”

• Reduce visual clutter & visual distractions in classroom.

• Have learner sit in place away from visual distractions.

• Have learner sit close to you so s/he can easily hear you.

• Reduce stress on learner’s visual processing of print by: enlarged text, uncluttered organization, use of headings, color coding, boxes around text, highlighting, underlining, double spacing of text, use of arrows, clear copied materials

• Write clearly on board.

• Show only one paragraph or picture at time.

• Use clear, concisely written instructions or directions.

• Ask learner to read aloud only when s/he offers to.

• Allow the use of tape recorders.

• Have learner sit in quiet part of classroom away from sound distractions.

• Encourage outlining & underlining to provide additional visual input.

• Maintain good eye contact with learner.

• Reduce amount of noise in classroom.

• Enunciate clearly.

• Provide sufficient time to answer questions. (non-LD=3-4 seconds; LD=up to 10 seconds)

• Use signal words: “first”, “finally”, “this is important”

• Use repetition.

• Use board or flipchart.

• Provide printed outline of lesson.

• Keep discussion groups small in number. Easier for LD to follow conversation with fewer people

DID YOU KNOW…?

People with visual impairments see curved font easier than detailed font.

◦ I bet all students can read the curved font

Many DSS students are allowed to tape record lectures.

◦ I bet all students could benefit from this option.

Many DSS students are allowed extra time on tests.

◦ I bet all students could benefit from extra time.

There are licensed therapists in the Health Center

Captioned materials is a legal requirement

A DSS Handbook for Faculty is on our website

THINK “UNIVERSAL DESIGN”

What works for a few, may benefit many