Accommodating Students with Psychiatric Disabilities

Al Souma,

Disability Support Services

Seattle Central Community College

DO-IT, University of Washington

What is Mental Illness?

Mental illness is a term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders causing severe disturbances in thinking, feeling, relating and functional behaviors. These disorders result in substantially diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.

Postsecondary Students with Disabilities

More than 400,000 students enrolled in U.S. postsecondary institutions report having a mental illness or emotional disturbance.

(National Center for Education Statistics, 1999)

ACCOMMODATION

THE

REMOVAL OF

BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION

The Emphasis is on ACCESSNOT on outcome

Laws Requiring Reasonable Accommodations

1973 Rehabilitation Act, Section 504

1990 Americans with Disabilities Act

Symptoms of a Mental Health Problem

Chronically missing class Assignments consistently late Extreme highs or lows in mood, anxieties Problem concentrating, remembering Marked personality change Confused or disorganized thinking Thinking or talking about suicide Denial of obvious problems

Major Depression

Mood disorder Depressed mood over long period Lack of pleasure in activities Thoughts of suicide Sleep and appetite changes Low self esteem Feeling guilty and/or worthless

Bipolar Affective Disorder

Previously Manic Depressive Disorder Mood disorder Revolving periods of mania and

depression Either grandiose, euphoric, highly

productive/creative, or depressed, withdrawn, hopeless

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Anxiety Disorder Exposure to traumatic event Flashbacks Dissociations

Schizophrenia

Thought Disorder Delusions, hallucinations, paranoia Difficulty with daily functional tasks Poor interpersonal relationships Concrete thought processing Need for structured routine

Anxiety Disorders Generalized Anxiety Disorder

� Excessive worry in general

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder� Consuming fixation and ritualistic behaviors

Panic Disorder� Overwhelming physiological event

Social Phobias� Incapacitating fear of social interactions

Specific Phobias� Intense fear of specific object, event

Medication Side Effects

Drowsiness Fatigue Excessive thirst Blurred vision Hand tremors Initiating Interpersonal contact

Functional Limitations

Screening out environmental Stimuli Sustaining concentration Maintaining stamina Handling time pressures and multi-tasks Interacting with others Fear of authority figures Responding to negative feedback Responding to change Severe test anxiety

Strategies for Inclusion in College

Teach to various learning styles--visual, auditory, kinesthetic

Increase experiential learning activities Increase knowledge and acceptance of

mental illness Be prepared to set behavioral limits Know campus mental health resources Work cooperatively with students Assist students with time management

Principles of Accommodation

Address individual needs Respect student’s desire for

confidentiality Engage in joint problem solving Make all accommodations voluntary Review accommodations periodically Be flexible in enforcing policies Identify accommodations clearly

Accommodations are NOT Reasonable if they...

Pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others

Make substantial changes in essential elements of the curriculum

Require substantial alteration to educational opportunities/course objectives

Pose undue financial or administrative burden

Possible Classroom Accommodations

Preferential seating, near door Assigned classmate as assistant Beverages permitted Prearranged or frequent breaks Tape recorder, note taker Early availability of syllabus, text Text, assignments in alternate formats Personal and private feedback

Possible Examination Accommodations

Change in test format � (Written to oral and vise versa, dictation,

scripted, typed)

Permit use of computer software Exams in alternate format (portfolio, demo)

Extended test taking time Individual proctoring Separate, quiet room for testing Increased test frequency.

Possible Assignment Accommodations

Substitute assignments in specific circumstances

Advance notice of assignments Allow assignments hand written Written rather than oral, or vise versa Change format: drama, role-play,

sculpture Assignment assistance--ask Extensions on assignments

Resources ADA: American Disability Association (1-800-514-0303

(voice) TTY 1-800-514-0383)

Anxiety Disorder Association of America (http://www.adaa.org/)

AHEAD (http://www.ahead.org)

Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (http://WEB.bu.edu/sarpsych)

DO-IT The Faculty Room (http://www.washington.edu/doit/faculty/)

Judge Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (http://www.bazelon.org/)

Office of Civil Rights: Region 10 (206-220-7900)

National Alliance for the Mentally ill (NAMI) (http://www.nami.org)

National Institute of Mental Health (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/)