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Contact Information
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Latasha Williamson, Coordinator
Anderson Technical Building, room 209A
Phone: (270) 534-3406
Fax: (270) 554-9754
E-mail: lwilliamson0011@kctcs.edu |
Reasonable
Accommodations
For
college students with disabilities, academic accommodations may include
adaptations in the way specific courses are conducted, the use of auxiliary
equipment, and modifications in academic requirements. A college or university
has both the diversity of resources and the flexibility to select the specific
aids or services it provides, as long as they are effective. Such aids and
services should be selected in consultation with students who will use them.
Classroom
Accommodations
- Preferential seating
Seating in front, by door, helps reduce audio/visual distractions
- Beverages/Snacks permitted in class
Helps alleviate dry mouth or tiredness caused by medications.
Lecture accommodations
- Pre-arranged breaks
Helps student anticipate and manage anxiety, stress, or extreme restlessness
caused by medication.
- Tape Recorder
Alleviates pressure of notetaking, freeing student to attend and participate
more fully in class.
- Notetaker
Similar to above, having someone in class to take notes alleviates
anxiety of having to capture all the information; sometimes the anxiety of
attending class interferes with effective notetaking.
- Photocopy of another's notes
If notetakers are not available, then securing from another student
helps free him or her to attend and participate more fully in class.
- American Sign Language Interpreting (ASL)
Interpreters neither add nor delete from any interaction that takes
place. Everything that is voiced is interpreted into sign language and everything
signed by the student is voiced.
- Real-time captioning (C-print, CART)
Simultaneously converts the spoken word into printed format using computer
aided translation which appears on large screen or individual computer
monitors.
Examination accommodations
- Alternative format
Altering an exam from a multiple choice format to an essay format may help students
demonstrate their knowledge more effectively and with much less interference
from anxiety or a learning disability. Alternative format may be: large print,
Braille, color-coded text, audio (reader, tape/cd, or computer).
- Permit use of computer software programs or other technological assistance
Writing
may be difficult due to medication side effects that create muscular or visual
problems.
- Extended time
Allowing a specific extra amount of time, allows the student to focus on the
exam content instead of the clock, and lessens the chance that anxiety or other
symptoms will interfere with his or her performance. Extended time means allowing
the test-taker extra time to complete the test. The amount of extended time
should be correlated to the test-taker's disability or limitations. Common
examples of extended time include: time and a half, double time, and unlimited
time.
- Segmented
Dividing an exam up into parts and allowing student to take them in
two or three sessions over 1-2 days helps reduce the effect of fatigue and
focus on one section at a time.
- Distraction-Free Location/Individually Proctored
A non-distracting, quiet setting helps reduce interference from anxiety
or other symptoms or medication side effects.
- Increase frequency of tests or examinations
Giving student more opportunities to demonstrate knowledge creates
less pressure than having just a midterm or a fmal.
- Permit exams to be read orally, dictated, scribed or typed
Anxiety, other symptoms, medication side effects, or a learning disability
may interfere with mental focus, concentration, ability to retrieve
information, and/or writing capacity during a typical paper-pencil test.
Reducing the amount of external pressure and distractions gives the student
an equal opportunity to demonstrate his or her expertise without the disability
skewing the results.
- Reader
A reader is a person who reads the test to the test-taker. This person should
be familiar with the terminology or language used on the test. A reader does
not interpret, re-word, or explain the test. A reader reads the test directions,
questions, and answer choices to the test-taker.
- Scribe
A scribe is a person who writes down, or otherwise records, the test-taker's
responses. The scribe does not create answers for the test-taker or help
the test-taker identify correct answers. The scribe simply writes the test-taker's
answers down on the test or answer sheet.
Assignment accommodations
- Substitute assignments
Written exercises or other out-out class exercise may be necessary
for a student with a psychiatric disability to best demonstrate their grasp
of the required knowledge.
- Advance notice of assignments
Helps a student anticipate and plan time, energy, and workload, and
arrange for any support or academic adjustments.
- Delay in assignment due dates
A student may need to go into the hospital for week for a medication
check or a brief emergency; extra time on a due date might be all that is
needed for a student to pass the course. The delay should be specified; i.e.,
a new due date should be negotiated and formalized, not be left open-ended.
- Handwritten rather than typed papers
Relieves an additional source of pressure if student does not yet have
typing skills. The time tests and accuracy required in a typing course make
them a very high stress experience for students who are just returning to
school.
- Assignment assistance during hospitalization
Staying connected to a student during a course while he or she is in
the hospital may mean the student can finish the course as planned,
and not have to take an incomplete or withdrawal grade, lose their money,
or repeat the course again. (The exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms does
not necessarily preclude the student's ability to complete schoolwork, and
in some cases seems to help them leave the hospital sooner because they have
academic responsibilities to meet.)
- Use alternative forms for students to demonstrate course mastery
A student may be better at demonstrating his or her knowledge in ways
that don't require lots of writing (e.g., a narrative tape instead of a written
journal) or time pressure (an essay exam rather than only multiple choice,
or an extra paper if the student has not performed well on the exam due to
his or her disability).
- Textbooks on tape
May help a student whose vision or concentration interferes with their
reading ability.
Administrative Accommodations (Granted on a case-by-case basis)
- Providing modifications, substitutions, or waivers of courses, major fields
of study, or degree requirements on a case-by-case basis.
These adjustments should be considered on an individual basis, and
only if the changes requested would not substantially alter essential elements
of the course or program, or if courses are required for licensure)
- Provide orientation to campus and administrative procedures.
Increasing a student's familiarity with an environment and the system
help him or her to feel more confident and confident, and allow the student
to plan, strategize, anticipate trouble spots, and know where to go for assistance.
- Provide assistance with registration/financial aid.
Helping a student cut through red tape and coaching them thorough the
intricate but critical process of financial aid eliminates a potentially
debilitating amount of stress and hassle.
- Assistance with selecting classes and course load.
Early morning classes or high stress classes such as keyboarding could
set a student up failure.
- . Parking passes and Access to lounge
Anxiety and other psychiatric symptoms can physically and emotionally
prevent a student from crossing the campus or climbing several sets of stairs
or sustaining energy for a day of classes, when they would otherwise be capable
of attending class. These' supports make the environment more accessible
and "-friendly," and are usually cheap and easy to obtain.
- Incompletes rather than failures or withdrawals if relapse occurs.
If a student has finished most of the coursework but is unable to complete
the remainder before the semester's end, negotiating an incomplete usually
means that a student will not have to repay or retake the entire course in
order to finish it.
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