A Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance - Psychiatric

What you should know about Your Students with Disabilities

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What you should know about Your Students with Disabilities

Students share information about what the wish their faculty knew about students with disabilities.

Invisible Disabilities and Postsecondary Education

FeedsImporter — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 04:16:34 +0000

Invisible Disabilities Postsecondary Education (PDF-302KB)

Accommodations and universal design

Many students on postsecondary campuses have disabilities that are not easily noticed. This situation can lead to misunderstandings. As articulated by Beatrice Awoniyi, director and assistant dean for the Student Disability Resource Center at Florida State University, "You may look at a student and you say, you know, you look like every other student in the class, what do you mean you need note-taking? What do you mean you need extra time on the test? It might not be apparent to you as a faculty member that a student has a disability, but that disability may impact their participation in the class."

Sometimes, students with invisible disabilities are perceived as lacking in intelligence, or as not paying attention. That happened to Nate before he was diagnosed with a learning disability: "They'd look at me and they'd be like, oh, well, you're faking, you're playing around, you're just not trying hard enough or something. But I was trying." Another student, Jesse, states, "My father has learning disabilities and actually his mom does too, so there's a history there and my parents kind of wondered if something was going on. But the school kept saying, 'He's just a little slow, he'll pick it up.' So by the end of second grade I still couldn't read at all."

Types of Disabilities

Invisible disabilities include

Asperger syndrome;
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders, or ADHD;
brain injury;
learning disabilities;
psychiatric conditions;
seizure disorders; and
Tourette syndrome.

The number of college students with these types of disabilities continues to grow. As predicted by Al Souma, a Disability Support Services counselor at Seattle Central Community College, "There's a very good chance that we'll be seeing a lot of these students in our classrooms over the years. Now, with the new wave of psychiatric medications that are out there, students are finding that they are able to concentrate better and participate in classroom activities more than ever before."

Invisible disabilities may affect the way a student processes, retains, and communicates information. A student may not be able to screen out distractions, making it hard to focus; may not have the stamina for a full class load; or may not be able to interact well with others. Anxiety may make it difficult to take tests or to approach professors with questions. All people experience their disabilities uniquely. Students who have the same medical diagnosis for their condition may have different abilities and disabilities and different accommodation needs. It is important to work with each individual to figure out what's best in a specific situation.

Professors may have safety concerns about students with particular disabilities, such as seizure disorders. It might feel to them like too much responsibility. However, as reported by Sharon Bittner, director of Academic Support Services at Des Moines Area Community College, "Students with seizure disorders often control their seizures well with medication, so [professors are] really not going to see frequent seizures in the classroom. It is important, however, for an instructor to know what to do in the event of a seizure. And if the student discloses and says, 'I have a seizure disorder,' then it's very easy for the disability services officer to talk with him and say, 'What would you like for your instructor to know?'"

There might also be concerns about psychiatric conditions. What if a student has an outburst? What if his behavior disrupts the class? Audrey Smelser, counselor and disability specialist at National Park Community College, says that on her campus, "We would encourage faculty to refer those students who have some outburst in class to the counseling center for us to work with them on stress management and appropriate behaviors, just as we would any other student."

Familiarity with conditions such as Asperger or Tourette syndrome can help faculty feel more comfortable with a student's occasional lack of social skills. Linda Walter, director of Disability Support Services at Seton Hall University, explains, "Sometimes students with Asperger's don't have the filter to be able to stop asking questions if there are certain things that they want to know. So they may monopolize a lot of class time and one of the things that we really try to work on is a signal where the professor can let the student know that, 'You've asked enough questions, and I will help you, but it's just not going to be now.'"

Accommodations

Students with invisible disabilities may or may not need accommodations in a college classroom. If they do, it's the students' responsibility to self-disclose, provide documentation of the disabilities, and request accommodations. However, they may choose not to let anyone know about the disability and just try to "make it on their own." This approach can be stressful for both the student and the professor. Suzanne Tucker, a Disability Resource Office coordinator at Southern Connecticut State University, adds, "There are times [when] faculty are frustrated with students because they self-disclose later in the semester. They don't [disclose] at the initial start of a semester. And [faculty] often will come to the disabled student service person and say, 'Why didn't this student disclose? Why did they wait 'til they did badly on that first exam?' And I think, you know, there's not one answer."

College students with disabilities should contact the disabled student services office on campus before they start classes. Staff there will typically check documentation of the disabilities, determine appropriate accommodations, and give the students letters authorizing those accommodations. Beatrice Awoniyi explains, "What we look into is, how does that disability affect that specific person for that specific class? And then we make a determination of what types of accommodation will be reasonable and what will be appropriate. Not all accommodations are reasonable and not all accommodations are appropriate."

An accommodation is not appropriate if it would

make a substantial change in an essential element of the curriculum,
alter course objectives,
impose an undue financial or administrative burden to the institution, or
pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

If an accommodation request seems unreasonable, a compromise could be discussed between the professor, the student, and the disabled student services staff. For example, as Rebecca Cory, research coordinator at DO-IT reports, "[At Wells College] I was working with a student who had Tourette Syndrome, which is a disability that causes her to experience some physical and vocal tics. And this student was taking a chemistry class, and was working with a chemistry professor, and the professor was concerned that these physical tics may cause a hazard in the chemistry class, in the laboratory specifically. And so we worked with this professor and the student to get a lab situation that was not going to be a problem for the student. We replaced the glassware with plastic when we could, and with Pyrex when we could, and we paired the student with a lab partner, so that if there was a chemical that the student might have difficulty handling, in case she had a physical tic during the handling of it, the lab partner would handle those specific chemicals and the student was still working in a situation that was safe, and she could learn what she needed to learn."

Students with disabilities have the right to confidentiality. If a student appears to be struggling in class, but hasn't requested accommodations, the professor is not advised to ask if a disability is involved. But there are acceptable ways to offer assistance. You could suggest resources on campus, such as tutoring or instructional centers, and include disabled student services as one of those resources. A proactive approach is to include a statement on your class syllabus, inviting students to talk with you about any disability-related concerns. For example, you could say: "If you wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact me as soon as possible." This will make students with disabilities more comfortable discussing accommodations.

A student may request accommodations for the classroom, assignments, and exams. Some commonly-requested classroom accommodations include

seating near the door to allow taking breaks;
alternative note taking: tape recorder, note taker, or a copy of instructor's notes; and
early availability of syllabus and textbooks.

Assignment accommodations include

advance notice,
additional time for completion,
feedback and assistance in planning workflow,
choice of written or oral presentation, and
assistance during hospitalization.

Accommodations for exams include

alternate format: multiple choice, essay, oral, presentation, role-play, or portfolio;
use of adaptive computer software such as speech recognition;
extended time for test-taking;
taking tests in a separate, non-distracting room; and
a scribe, reader, or word processor for exams.

In some cases, accommodations may extend beyond the classroom. For example, a medical student might eventually need to do clinical work. An individual discussion of options may be necessary.

Universal Design of Instruction

Good teaching can minimize the need for accommodations. By using principles of universal design in your instruction, you'll maximize learning for all students in your class. Universal design means that you take steps to effectively teach to a diverse audience. Expect that characteristics of students in a class will come from a wide range of ethnic and racial backgrounds, represent more than one gender, and include a wide range of disabilities, abilities, and learning styles. Universal design strategies are usually not difficult to employ. For instance, as you're designing your course you might think of alternative assignments for students—they might write a paper, they might give a presentation, or they might put together a portfolio to meet a requirement in class. These alternatives work well for students with a variety of learning styles and backgrounds, including those with disabilities.

Planning your curriculum with universal design in mind can reduce or eliminate the need for accommodations later, and that's helpful for both faculty and students. Meryl Berstein, director of the Center for Academic Support at Johnson & Wales University, reports, "If you're designing your class work so that it will be accessible to all students in class, it might take a little bit longer for you to do that initially. But the benefits of [preparing] to you, as well as to the student, will be reaped later. Because once you've done it, you've done it. You are not going to have to re-invent the wheel."

Other elements of universal design that may be particularly helpful to students with invisible disabilities include

multiple methods of delivery, including lectures, discussion, hands-on activities, Internet-based interaction, and fieldwork;
providing printed materials and electronic resources that summarize or outline lecture content;
encouraging a variety of ways for students to interact with each other and with you, such as in-class discussion, group work, one-on-one meetings, and email;
providing feedback periodically as an assignment is being completed; and
including questions on tests that require a variety of responses, such as multiple choice and essay.

As explained by Beatrice Awoniyi, "When we adopt the principles of universal design, we minimize the amount of accommodations that we're going to need, and students who are in the class who have disabilities may not even have to ask for accommodations. Of course, that doesn't mean that we're not going to have anyone requesting accommodations; we just limit the number of accommodations that we have to provide."

Additional Resources

For more specific information about working with students who have learning or psychiatric disabilities consult the following publications at www.washington.edu/doit/brief-category/academics

The following websites include more comprehensive information:

LD OnLine
www.ldonline.org/
National Institute of Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov/

For more information on universal design in education, consult The Center for Universal Design in Education at www.washington.edu/doit/programs/center-universal-design-education/overview or the resources available at www.washington.edu/doit/resources/popular-resource-collections/applications-universal-design; of particular relevance is the video and publication entitled Equal Access: Universal Design of Instruction at www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php?vid=13. Additional videos can be found at www.washington.edu/doit/videos/index.php; of particular relevance are the videos entitled Invisible Disabilities and Postsecondary Education and Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology.

��ԭ�� DO-IT

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of ��ԭ��, and the U.S. Department of Education. DO-IT is a collaboration of UW Information Technology and the Colleges of Engineering and Education at the ��ԭ��.

Grants and gifts fund DO-IT publications, videos, and programs to support the academic and career success of people with disabilities. Contribute today by sending a check to DO-IT, Box 354842, ��ԭ��, Seattle, WA 98195-4842.

Your gift is tax deductible as specified in IRS regulations. Pursuant to RCW 19.09, the ��ԭ�� is registered as a charitable organization with the Secretary of State, state of ��ԭ��. For more information call the Office of the Secretary of State, 1-800-322-4483.

To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.

For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, request materials in an alternate format, or to make comments or suggestions about DO-IT publications or web pages contact:

DO-IT
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Founder and Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.

DO-IT Funding and Partners

Acknowledgment

The publication was developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE #P333A050064. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI)

FeedsImporter — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 01:25:01 +0000

Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI Access)

Offers online training on accessible information technology for persons with disabilities.

If a student experiences extreme anxiety, how can I be supportive without lowering academic expectations?

FeedsImporter — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 19:04:54 +0000

It is best to set up a private meeting with the student and state that you have noticed she becomes very anxious in response to stressful academic situations. Ask the student what support measures she would find helpful in reaching his optimal performance. Do not ask her if (or suggest that) she has a disability, but encourage her to make use of a list of campus resources (that may include the disabled student services office) that she might find appropriate.

What are some of the functional limitations related to mental illness?

FeedsImporter — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 19:03:57 +0000

The following functional limitations related to psychiatric disabilities may affect academic performance and may require accommodations (Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, 1997).

Difficulty with medication side effects: side effects of psychiatric medications that affect academic performance include drowsiness, fatigue, dry mouth and thirst, blurred vision, hand tremors, slowed response time, and difficulty initiating interpersonal contact.
Screening out environmental stimuli: an inability to block out sounds, sights, or odors that interfere with focusing on tasks. Limited ability to tolerate noise and crowds.
Sustaining concentration: restlessness, shortened attention span, distraction, and difficulty understanding or remembering verbal directions.
Maintaining stamina: difficulty sustaining enough energy to spend a whole day of classes on campus; combating drowsiness due to medications.
Handling time pressures and multiple tasks: difficulty managing assignments, prioritizing tasks, and meeting deadlines. Inability to multi-task work.
Interacting with others: difficulty getting along, fitting in, contributing to group work, and reading social cues.
Fear of authority figures: difficulty approaching instructors or TAs.
Responding to negative feedback: difficulty understanding and correctly interpreting criticism or poor grades. May not be able to separate person from task (personalization or defensiveness due to low self-esteem).
Responding to change: difficulty coping with unexpected changes in coursework, such as changes in the assignments, due dates, or instructors. Limited ability to tolerate interruptions.
Severe test anxiety: such that the individual is rendered emotionally and physically unable to take the exam.

What are examples of psychiatric diagnoses?

FeedsImporter — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 19:03:57 +0000

A student with a mental illness may have one or more of the following psychiatric diagnoses (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).

Depression

This is a mood disorder that can begin at any age. Major depression may be characterized by a depressed mood most of each day, a lack of pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, thoughts of suicide, insomnia, and consistent feelings of worthlessness or guilt.

Bipolar Affective Disorder (BAD, previously called Manic-Depressive Disorder)

BAD is a mood disorder with revolving periods of mania and depression. In the manic phase, a person might experience inflated self-esteem, high work and creative productivity, and decreased need to sleep. In the depressed phase, the person experiences the symptoms of depression (see above).

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

BPD is a personality disorder that includes both mood disorder and thought disorder symptoms. This diagnosis has both biological and environmental determinants. Individuals diagnosed with BPD may have experienced childhood abuse and family dysfunction. They may experience mood fluctuations, insecurities and mistrust, distortion of perceptions, dissociation, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, and limited coping skills.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a thought disorder that can cause a person to experience difficulty with activities of daily living and may include delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia. Schizophrenic individuals typically demonstrate concrete thought processing and appreciate structure and routines.

Anxiety Disorders

These are mood disorders in which the individual responds to thoughts, situations, environments, and/or people with fear and anxiety. Anxiety symptoms can disrupt a person's ability to concentrate and focus on tasks at hand. Symptoms may be in response to real or imagined fears. Specific anxiety disorders include Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social and Specific Phobias, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

What is a mental illness?

FeedsImporter — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 19:03:57 +0000

"Mental illness" refers to the collection of all diagnosable mental disorders causing severe disturbances in thinking, feeling, relating, and/or functional behaviors. It can result in a substantially diminished capacity to cope with daily life demands.

A mental illness is a hidden disability; it is rarely apparent to others. However, students with mental illness may experience symptoms that interfere with their educational goals and that create a "psychiatric disability." These symptoms may include yet are not limited to the following:

Heightened anxieties, fears, suspicions, or blaming others
Marked personality change over time
Confused or disorganized thinking; strange or grandiose ideas
Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things
Extreme highs and/or lows in mood
Denial of obvious problems and/or a strong resistance to offers of help
Thinking or talking about suicide

For more information on mental illness and typical accommodations for students with mental illness, consult Academic Accommodations for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities.

Sean and Computer Science: A Case Study on Accommodations for a Psychiatric Disorder

FeedsImporter — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 19:03:31 +0000

Background

I am a computer science major, and my name is Sean. I have a psychiatric condition called Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I was first diagnosed in grade school by a child psychiatrist. I also have some social phobias and physical tics, but the OCD is what most affects my academic work. I take medication that controls some of my symptoms.

Access Issues

In high school I did not request accommodations for my OCD. I was mostly in advanced placement courses, and I was afraid people would not understand some of my unusual behaviors that I really couldn't control or eliminate. Preparing for exams and taking exams were the biggest challenges in school. Part of my disorder involves constant recurring thoughts and excessive worrying about knowing all of the content from each class lecture and the textbooks. One big problem for me is my need to constantly check if everything is OK (e.g., checking that I didn't make any mistakes on a paper; checking that the teacher received my papers; rechecking my answers on exams numerous times, to the point that I often can't complete exams). This compulsive thinking slows down my work, especially when time is limited. I'm pretty bright, and I think that helped get me through exams in high school and do well in my classes.

Right away, college was very different for me. There were more exams, the exams were more difficult, final exams were longer, and there was more reading material for me to obsess about. I especially obsessed about my computer science classes, because the exams were very detailed and complex, making it easy for me to get bogged down. I did poorly on my exams and failed two courses the first quarter.

Solutions

I told my computer science professor about my OCD, and he called the disability services office. I had no idea that there was anything they might be able to do for me. I found out that there were other students like me with nonvisible disabilities. The disabled student services counselor told me that, according to my documentation and our interview, I was eligible to use testing accommodations (up to double the time for exams in my case). She told me that they recommended this as one means to help me manage my condition and still take exams but did not provide a guarantee I would be successful at exams. She informed my professors that I was eligible for extended time on exams, and I began taking exams in the disability services office.

The counselor also suggested that I do some work in the learning skills center to learn new test-taking skills and perhaps reduce my anxiety about exams. This helped me to develop more effective ways to prepare for and take tests. The counselor also helped me locate a psychiatrist in the community who specializes in treating people with OCD, since the doctor in the student health center could not see me every week.

Conclusion

This case study illustrates the following:

There are accommodation strategies for psychiatric disorders, which a growing student population on postsecondary campuses have.
There are college students with psychiatric disorders who can effectively manage a disability while taking classes.
Students with psychiatric disorders may also need other on-campus or community services, such as therapists, psychiatrists, learning skills specialists, and tutoring, in addition to disability-related accommodations.
Faculty play an important role in responding or following up on student issues and referring students to campus departments for assistance.
It is important to build faculty awareness about disability resources on campus for students with psychiatric disabilities.

Campus Housing: A Case Study on Accommodating a Short-Term Need

FeedsImporter — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 19:03:31 +0000

Background

Eric is a sophomore with a psychiatric disability who lives in campus housing. He takes medication for symptoms of Schizophrenia. He experienced an increase in his disability-related symptoms during winter term.

Access Issue

It was expected that Eric's increase in symptoms would continue until his medication was adjusted and took effect. His behavior began to alienate his friends, and his roommate requested to move out. He met with his doctor, who adjusted his medication and verified Eric's need for temporary access to a private room in campus housing. The physician indicated that this would be necessary until his medication stabilized the symptoms of his mental illness and he could better self-manage his condition.

Solution

Eric obtained updated documentation from his psychiatrist regarding his disability and gave a copy to the disabled student services director. The disabled student services director wrote a letter to the housing director to explain the situation. The housing director agreed to allow Eric to remain in his double room without a roommate for the rest of the semester because there were no private rooms available.

Conclusions

This case illustrates the following:

Students, housing staff, and disabled student services staff can work together to come up with accommodations for a student in a temporary situation.
Students with disabilities may need temporary or long-term accommodations in campus housing.
Students are responsible for providing documentation to justify short-term or long-term accommodations.

Michael and Depression: A Case Study in Collaboration and Disability Awareness

FeedsImporter — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 18:59:16 +0000

Background

My name is Michael. During spring quarter, I experienced a depressive episode. This episode negatively impacted my concentration, short-term memory, and stamina. My grades suffered as a result.

Access Issue

I had not previously been diagnosed with depression nor was I receiving accommodations through the disability services office at school. However, I received services through the counseling center. My instructor noticed that I was not keeping up in the course and reached out to me. He recommended that I explore using on-campus tutoring and/or disability services and consider whether I should withdraw from the class or receive an incomplete.

Solution

After this conversation, I visited the disability services office and was able to receive accommodations based on documentation that I provided from the counseling center. Using a notetaker, extended time on tests, and tests in a separate, quiet environment, I was able to improve my grade in the course.

Conclusion

This case study illustrates the following:

Collaboration among faculty, student resources, and the disability services office is important.
Faculty and staff can refer students who are struggling to a variety of resources on campus, including tutoring centers, counseling centers, disability resource services, and computer labs.

A Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance - Psychiatric

What you should know about Your Students with Disabilities

Invisible Disabilities and Postsecondary Education

Types of Disabilities

Accommodations

Universal Design of Instruction

Additional Resources

����ԭ�� DO-IT

Acknowledgment

Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI)

If a student experiences extreme anxiety, how can I be supportive without lowering academic expectations?

What are some of the functional limitations related to mental illness?

What are examples of psychiatric diagnoses?

Depression

Bipolar Affective Disorder (BAD, previously called Manic-Depressive Disorder)

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Schizophrenia

Anxiety Disorders

What is a mental illness?

Sean and Computer Science: A Case Study on Accommodations for a Psychiatric Disorder

Background

Access Issues

Solutions

Conclusion

Campus Housing: A Case Study on Accommodating a Short-Term Need

Background

Access Issue

Solution

Conclusions

Michael and Depression: A Case Study in Collaboration and Disability Awareness

Background

Access Issue

Solution

Conclusion

��ԭ�� DO-IT