Supporting and Accommodating Students with

Disabilities

Boris Vukovic

January 24, 2012

Paul Menton Centre

Trends

• Increase in # of students with disabilities registering with PMC

• Reflects Carleton’s increased enrollment

• Increased awareness of disability services available

• Increase # of those with non-visible disabilities (e.g. mental health) identifying for services

• Increase in parental involvement and expectations

• Increasing number of students with disabilities successfully graduating from undergraduate programs and gaining admission to graduate and professional programs

What is a Disability?

What is a disability? (OHRC)

• a physical/medical disability, or physical reliance on

service animal or on remedial appliance or device

• a mental impairment or a development disability

• a learning disability

• a mental health disorder

• an injury or disability under the Workplace Safety and

Insurance Act, 1997.

Focus on environment, not the individual

AODA

AODA – Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act

• Make Ontario accessible by 2025

• Develop accessibility standards

1. customer service

2. information and communications

3. built environment

4. employment

5. transportation

• Enforce accessibility standards

• Uniqueness of the law

Carleton Students with Disabilities

Visible vs. Non-Visible

Visible (hearing, vision,

mobility) 12%

Non-Visible (learning, attention,

psychiatric, medical,

head trauma)

88%

Impact of Disability

• Processing of information

• Attention and concentration

• Task completion and managing deadlines

• Self-regulation

• Social interaction and behaviour

PMC Services

Accommodations

• Evaluate disability documentation

• Determine appropriate accommodations

Support Services

• In-house Learning Support and Counseling

• Notetaking services

• Assistive Technology (AT): Access & Training

• LD/ADHD screening

• Tutoring Services (writing & content tutors)

• Other on-campus and off-campus resources

What are Accommodations?

…NOT modifications to fundamental skills or

knowledge (essential requirements)

…NOT intended to guarantee success for the

student

…NOT intended to make it “easier” compared

to classmates

…ARE modifications to the ways of student

engagement with course material or

conditions of test taking

…ARE intended to level the playing field

Common Accommodations

Tests/Exams

… extended time, quiet location, computer,

Assistive Technology/ AT: text reading

software, voice recognition software…

Classroom

…record lectures, volunteer notetaker, FM

system, priority seating…

1. Student self-identifies, provides formal disability

documentation, and meets with a PMC Coordinator

2. Coordinator & student determine appropriate

accommodations based on documentation, student’s

experiences, and course format & evaluation

methods

3. Coordinator emails Letters of Accommodation

(LoAs) to Instructors, cc’d to student. (Student is

encouraged to print letter and bring to Instructor

during office hours.)

4. Instructors are encouraged to pass on the LoA or

relevant information to the TAs.

Accommodation Process

Confidentiality

PMC, Instructors, and TAs have a Human

Rights Obligation to maintain confidentiality

PMC cannot discuss details or the specific

nature of a student’s disability without written

consent

Students are obligated to identify only their

accommodation needs to Instructors. They

are not required to disclose the nature of

their disability.

McIntyre Exam Centre

• Managed by SES to support Instructors for in-class

exams

• Equipped with proctors, computers, AT, ergonomic

equipment, and separate rooms

• “First-come, first-served” (2 weeks notice advised)

• If request cannot be filled, SES can reserve (not

proctored) space from classroom pool (if indicated on

online booking form)

• Provides “readers” or “scribes”

• Instructors may reserve space online through Carleton

Central under Faculty Services

Discussion

• Inquiring about or addressing suspected

disability

• Students with behavioural difficulties

• Accommodations for tutorials/labs/group

work

• Urgent matters

• Pedagogical guidelines

Considerations for Group Work

• Student may disclose a disability

• Ask the student about potential difficulties

and accommodation needs

• Student might NOT disclose

• Speak to the student one-on-one, as with any

other student – do not make prior

assumptions

Considerations for Group Work

• Establish clear ground rules for discussion.

• Provide electronic supplementary

course/discussion materials.

• Give clear descriptions of visual materials.

• Paraphrase questions and answers and

highlight key points throughout discussions.

• Create options for electronic discussions.

Considerations for Group Work

• Plan for flexibility and options

• See opportunities instead of challenges

to your plans

• Be ready to consider exemptions and

alternative means of participation

• Know the resources and contact

persons

Warning Signs

What you may observe or become aware of:

• A sudden drop in grades;

• Increased absences from class, labs, discussion

groups, or tutorials;

• Lack of participation in class discussions, organizations

or activities the student is usually involved in;

• Isolation from friends or classmates;

• Missed assignments or the inability to complete

assignments;

• Loss of interest, lack of energy or difficulty

concentrating.

Warning Signs

• Sharing personal problems with you;

• Disruptive or unusual behaviour, aggressiveness, emotional

outbursts or crying;

• Changes in appearance: unkempt, weight change, decline in

personal hygiene;

• Excessive fatigue;

• Illogical or confused thinking or writing;

• Increased use of alcohol or recreational drugs.

Anything else? Examples from your experience?

Student Mental Health Framework

The situation is URGENT if:

• The student’s behaviour is threatening or

highly disruptive

• The student makes serious verbal threats

• The student is incoherent or uncontrollable

• The student is making direct or indirect

reference to suicide

Student Mental Health Framework

If student is on-campus, dial 4444 to connect with University

Safety.

If student is off-campus, dial 911 and notify University Safety

4444.

If unsure if off-campus situation warrants a 911 call, consult

the Crisis Line at 613-722-6914.

If student is present and potentially suicidal and you are

comfortable, accompany student to Health and

Counselling, M-F, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

After hours, contact University Safety at 4444. A call may be

made to our contracted after-hours service provider.

Keep your department head informed of the situation

General Guidelines

Mobility disabilities:

• Choose accessible location for meetings

• Tables high enough for a wheelchair

• Room to move around

• Modify tasks based on student’s mobility

General Guidelines

Deaf or Hard of Hearing:

• If student is speech-reading

• Gain attention, face the student, maintain eye contact,

• Be aware of your facial expressions, and speak normally

• Rephrase often, most students cannot speech-read

100%

• Student using ASL may have difficulties with English

(similar to an ESL student)

• Avoid idioms, puns, jargon, play on words and context-

specific references to spoken language

• Student may struggle with reading, writing,

comprehension

• Use one mode of communication at a time

• Do not yell

General Guidelines

Blind or Low Vision:

• Verbalize all visual information: pictures, graphs,

illustrations

• Use rich and specific descriptions for your actions or

gestures

• If student can use large print, write all information

accordingly; ask student about appropriate size and

contrast

• You may need to provide supplemental materials in

alternative format; consult the PMC.

• Allow student to record group work sessions

• Ask the student about suitable lighting and avoid noisy

environments

General Guidelines

Psychiatric disabilities:

• Highly varied population, non-visible conditions, may

not disclose disability

• Minimize stress and pressure when organizing work

• Allow extra time for processing and review often

• Be patient in communication and interaction, student

may not actively participate

• Stay focused on the task, do not feel you need to

provide counselling support

General Guidelines

Learning Disabilities / ADHD:

• Use multi-sensory materials/aids.

• Review material often; highlight key points and concepts.

• Break lengthy concepts/tasks into shorter segments.

• Work on one problem or question at a time.

• Pause between ideas/concepts. Allow time for

processing.

• Pace your speech and speak clearly. Repeat instructions/

explanations.

• Ask questions to check for understanding frequently.

• Relate new material to concepts already learned.

• Conduct your group sessions in a quiet location without

distractions.

Pop-quiz!!! • George, has disclosed to you he has a Bipolar

Disorder.

• You have received a Letter of Accommodation from

PMC for George with 50% extra time for exams.

• You have noticed George misses labs and tutorials.

• The day before the lab test he asks you for a one-on-

one review of the lab and tutorial material.

Contact

Contacts

www.carleton.ca/pmc

613-520-6608

5th floor Unicentre, room 500

Boris Vukovic, M.Ed.

boris_vukovic@carleton.ca

Sonia Tanguay , M.Ed

Sonia_tanguay@carleton.ca