Adult Students With Disabilities

1. Adult Students With Disabilities Denise North Disabilities Services Director Metro Technology Center

2. The Laws • Americans with Disabilities Act • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act They complement each other and often overlap each other in what they cover and how to document information.

3. Admission to School and Program • Questions or statements regarding disabilities on any forms prior to admission are prohibited • Admission staff should not ask questions regarding disabilities prior to admission. • If accommodations for testing are requested prior to admission, this information is confidential. • Good Rule of thumb is “Don’t ask – don’t tell”

4. Otherwise Qualified Issues to consider in this difficult decision: • The ability of the individual to meet the program requirements • The legitimacy of those program requirements • The essential nature of the program • The substance of the accommodation requested and the alternatives considered

5. Factors to Consider for Placement • Interest • Past work history or volunteer work • Aptitude • Learning style • Inventory results • Test scores

6. Self Disclosure of a Disability • The student must self disclose • The disclosure can come in many forms • Up front, at the beginning of class • After a difficult assignment or test • During a discussion with class or instructor Staff can not ask but need to know procedure if student discloses.

7. Suggested Procedure • Student self disclosed disability • Staff refers to Student Services or Administration • ADA Coordinator opens discussion with student regarding disability and documentation of disability • Documentation is provided and evaluated by ADA Coordinator. (considerations: age of test, doctor’s certification, degree of disability, relevancy to program)

8. Suggested Procedure Cont. • If documentation is appropriate, then set up meeting. • Attendance at meeting should include: • Student • Instructor • ADA coordinator • Administrator • Outside agency if appropriate • Other individuals as deemed necessary by team

9. Suggested Procedure Cont. • Items to address on 504 Plan • Basis for determination of the disability • How the disability affects a major life activity • Reasonable accommodations • Signatures of ALL team members

10. Reasonable Accommodations This is a case by case situation. Be aware that if an accommodation is made in a program, then a precedent has been set. When discussing accommodations, consider what is realistic in an accessible workplace and try to work within these constraints. The word “reasonable” is the key. Look at the core competencies of the program and be firm on them.

11. Realistic Expectations • If the student can not meet all of the competencies of the program, can he/she meet enough to earn a living doing a specific set of them in their community? • Are the accommodations made in the classroom ones that a supervisor would be willing to make? • Does the client have the skills to ask for the accommodations needed?

12. Reasonable Accommodations Cont. Common accommodations that should not affect the core competencies of most programs: Extra time (not unlimited time, but extended time) Scribes Reader (books on tape, computer software, person) Deaf interpreter Frequent breaks Alternate testing site Instruction given in multiple ways

13. What If Things Don’t Work Out? • Communication is the key • 504 Plan should be a working document • Work with the student but don’t compromise program integrity • Documentation is everything • Must be observable behaviors, objectively written • If it is not written down, it did NOT happen

14. Discussion Denise North Disabilities Specialist Oklahoma Dept. of Career and Technology Education 405-743-5138 dnort@okcareertech.org