READ | TEACHING @ | WHO STUDENTS ARE
Students with Disabilities
Students who are physically challenged may be relying on special transportation and may need special considerations. Instructors who are flexible about time and make sure that physical arrangements accommodate these students help them participate in higher education.
Students with physical and learning disabilities may require such considerations as extra time to take a test, a reader to read the text or test to them, or special equipment to compose written work. Ohio State's Office for Disability Services (see Appendix) provides services for students with a wide array of disabilities, such as learning disabilities, and mobility, visual or hearing impairments. Staff in the Office for Disability Services can advise instructors on what is reasonable to allow and how to refer students to appropriate support services. Often, however, students will be reluctant to ask for special arrangements. Instructors can help by notifying the entire class publicly, or stating in the syllabus, that any student who has need for test-taking or note-taking accommodation should feel free to discuss the matter with them.
Students with learning disabilities sometimes need extra encouragement to sustain their participation, but often do not want to be singled out for special attention. Instructors who try to be sensitive to maintaining a good balance between helping these students and not providing undue attention to the disability will help further their learning.
As with students with different learning styles, it helps students with learning disabilities and some physical disabilities to have information presented in a variety of ways, such as visually, orally, and kinesthetically. If necessary, supplementary sessions outside of class time can be scheduled for this purpose.
Fast Facts for Faculty
Information briefs entitled Fast Facts for Faculty, available via the website for Ohio State's Office of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Coordinator, have been designed to help college and university instructors improve the climate and quality of education for students with disabilities. Topics addressed by Fast Facts for Faculty include:- a sample syllabus diversity statement
- rights and responsibilities for faculty, students, and the Office for Disability Services
- an overview and recommendations regarding writing in the university, focusing specifically on the teaching and learning environment at Ohio State
- recommendations for teaching students with invisible disabilities, students with medical/mobility impairments, and students with sensory impairments
- guided notes (to help improve effectiveness of course lectures)
- guidelines for creating accessible content on the World Wide Web
- recommendations for coordinating internships for students with disabilities
- information and guidelines regarding the use of sign language interpreting in the classroom
- a description of universal design
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding educational access for students with disabilities
 back |
