Supporting students with disabilities in addition to hearing loss

1. Supporting students with disabilities in addition to hearing loss Susan Ackerman Disability Services Director Rochester Institute of Technology smacst@rit.edu 585.475.6988

2. Objective of today: Give you information and invite conversations about: • Purpose of academic adjustments • Types of additional disabilities • Communication of adjustments • Disability Service Agreement (DSA) • Delivery of adjustments • Management of student needs • (Request process for adjustments) • (Determination of adjustments)

3. RIT Disability Services Office Location: SAU room 1150 Staff: • Susan Ackerman- Director • Shelley Zoeke- Asst. Director • Alyson Jones- Staff Assistant

4. Purpose of academic adjustments • Make sure students are not discriminated due to their disability • “Level the playing field” • Insure equal access  (Access; not success)

5. Genetic syndromes NTID students have • Usher’s Syndrome • NF1 and NF2 • Waardenburg Syndrome • Charge Syndrome • Charcot-Marie-Tooth • Goldenhar Syndrome • ……and others…….. Other medical concerns • Cerebral Palsy

6. These students usually have complicated situations • Involve multiple systems • “Comorbid”- more than one diagnosis Getting correct adjustments in place sometimes takes time • Incomplete documentation • College setting is different from K-12 • Student is now responsible to advocate

7. Disability  Adjustments(Accommodations, alterations, modifications…)How is the student’s functioning affected? What do they need for equal access? • Academics (on the DSA) • Tests, classroom • Housing • Dietary • Transportation

8. What adjustments does the student need? • Listed on DSA What adjustments is the instructor required to provide? • Listed on DSA What else is the instructor required to do? • Nothing What else should the instructor do? • Good question……….

9. Key point……… Student has to communicate with instructor

10. Or should this be stated: Student and instructor have to communicate

11. What else should the instructor do? • Provide extra help inside, outside class • Refer to support personnel • Refer to DSO How can the instructor meet the needs of everyone in the class? • Universal design • Sound teaching strategies • Be flexible and use common sense?

12. Classroom ideas, standard practices • Chair arrangement? • Instructor stay in one place while lecturing? • Classroom lights left on; instructor in lit area; instructor not in front of window? • Students speaking-central location, take turns, identify themselves? • Dark, legible print on white board? • Printed and projected materials- print quality, white space, no clutter? • Use myCourses- materials posted before class?

13. What if the DSA is incomplete? • Please refer the student back to the DSO • “You are having trouble with XXXXX; go talk to DSO about that”. • Please communicate your thoughts, observations with DSO- we invite your input – we may contact you….. • Please do not tell students the specific adjustment you feel they need; allow us to make that determination

14. Example: Student with Usher’s Syndrome Functional concerns stated by student: • Deaf • Usher’s Syndrome • poor night vision Information provided by student: • Regular size print OK; reading OK • Can’t see small print on board • Prefer dark colors on board

15. Student with Usher’s (con’t) Request made by student: • Trouble seeing print on the board (need someone to take notes) • Trouble seeing in the dark (need guide)

16. Student with Usher’s (con’t) Documentation: “Special Education Eligibility Report” • Diagnosis of Usher’s; Deafblind; significant visual field reduction, night blindness • Problems with: projected materials; materials with lack of high contrast; classmates signing in discussions; adjusting to changes in lighting; night vision; daytime and nighttime mobility • Able to read regular print now, but vision will most likely decline

17. Student with Usher’s (con’t) Adjustments: (originally and added over time) • Academic (established early in first semester) • Low vision monitor, LV interpreter, LV “assistant” • Dark print on whiteboard • Note-taking • Housing • Single room (added year 3) • Transportation • Use of AVS (added year 2)

18. Examples of other adjustments used by students with Usher’s Syndrome • View videos on laptop or monitor in close proximity to seat • Photograph notes on board • Assistance with performing tasks for chemistry lab • Class materials made available on specific color of paper, electronically

19. Academic adjustment request process • Submit a request to Disability Services Office: • Hard copy or online form (www.rit.edu/dso) • Submit documentation to DSO: • Diagnosis • Description of current level of functioning • Suggestions for accommodations • Discuss request with Susan or Shelley in DSO

20. Disabilities in addition to hearing loss • Learning Disabilities (LD) • Attention Deficit Disorders (ADHD, ADD) • Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) • Medical conditions (such as Cerebral Palsy, genetic syndromes, cancer survivor) • Mental healthconditions (such as diagnosed depression, bi-polar) • Vision impairments (blind, Deaf-blind, low vision)

21. Documentation for additional disabilities • Learning Disabilities: a recent psychological evaluation • ADHD: recent psychological evaluation or letter from treating physician • Autism Spectrum Disorders: recent psychological evaluation and/or letter from treating qualified professional • Medical or mental healthconditions: letter from treating physician or qualified professional • Vision: vison report Send this to the RIT Disability Services Office