Teaching Students with Physical Disabilities
There are many conditions, which may limit mobility and/or energy. The most common of these disorders are musculoskeletal disabilities such as total or partial paralysis, amputation or severe injury, arthritis, active sickle cell disease, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and Lyme disease. There are also respiratory and cardiac diseases, which are debilitating and may affect mobility. These conditions may also impair strength, speed, endurance, coordination or dexterity necessary for college life. Although the degree of disability varies, it is important to note that, for may reasons, there will be students who may have difficulty getting to or from class, performing in class, taking notes, and managing out-of-class assignments and tests.
Getting to and from Class
Students who use braces, canes, crutches, prostheses, scooters,
or wheelchairs, or who fatigue easily, often experience difficulty
moving about, especially within the time constraints imposed
by class schedules and accessible transportation. Transportation
problems, poor weather conditions, or elevator or wheelchair
breakdown may cause absences or lateness. Getting from classes
may pose similar problems, especially in cases of emergency.
Pointing out your building's evacuation plan to all of your
students, or including notice of it on your course outline,
is very wise. Please keep in mind that for all of the above
reasons; it may be unavoidable for the student to arrive late
for class.
Consider accessibility concerns at the very beginning of the semester. Discuss it with the student, and when necessary, with the Director of Accommodative Services.
Be prepared for a change of classroom or building, if no other solution is possible. This has at times been necessary on the Clarkson campus, and is a reasonable accommodation.
In Class
Some courses and classrooms may present certain obstacles
to the full participation of students who have physical disabilities:
In-class writing assignments and exams may pose difficulties in classrooms or labs; alternative formats and/or locations may be necessary.
Permit the use of a note-taker/tape recorder/lap top computer.
Allow in-class written assignments to be completed out of class, with the use of a computer or scribe, if needed.
If you are unable to provide the necessary, relevant accommodations contact the Director of Accommodative Services. Alternative testing accommodations can be administered for disabled students whose documentation states such a need, if significant lead time is provided in order to assure the availability of space, proctors, and/or appropriate equipment. Be certain to adhere to the Office of Accommodative Services Guidelines regarding testing accommodations.
Out-of-Class Assignments
Out-of-class and off-campus assignments or field work can
pose particular problems, if the student has difficulty
accessing
or using equipment, turning pages, reading, writing, or typing,
reaching book shelves, or traveling to a field site. Because
the completion of required work may be delayed, it may be
appropriate to extend deadlines or to grant "incomplete"
grades. Be certain to provide advance notice for assignments
and field trips. Be open to extending deadlines when the
underlying reason for the delay is the disability or illness,
or provide an alternate assignment. Also, be open to extending
deadlines as long as the assignment is not "watered
down"
or does not compromise course standards (to do that tells
the student that you do not think that he or she is capable).
