Advising Students
With Disabilities
Tips for the Non-DSS Advisor
October 6, 2005
Becky Osborne, Assistant Director
Student Support Services
Danville Area Community College
Agenda
Important Trends
 Brief Overview of ADA & Section 504
 General Do’s & Don’ts for Advisors
 Types of Disabilities – Planning for
Success
 Special Issues for Advisors
 Building Bridges Within Your Institution
 Resources for Advisors
 Final Thoughts, Comments, Concerns

Important Trends
SWD in Post-Secondary Ed:
A Few National Statistics
Important Trends




Number of SWD in higher education is
increasing:
 1978
<3% of full-time freshmen
 1998
9% of full-time freshmen
SWD are less likely to complete a degree or
certificate within 5 years
SWD perceive there to be barriers to their
success in higher ed
71% of all postsecondary SWD enroll in
community colleges
College SWD by Category
(4-yr institutions)
NCES, 2000
Blind/VI
Chronic Health
16
15
Orthopedic
7
1
3
TBI/Speech
9
0
20
40
Hearing
40
Learning
Disabilities
DACC - Fall 2005
Types of Disabilities
50
49
Deaf
Hard of Hearing
Ortho/Mobility
Visual
LD
Hearing
Borderline MI
Chronic Health
TBI/Speech
Psychiatric
Other
40
30
20
10
0
11
4 5 8 5
5 7
4 8 3
Legal Overview
ADA
&
Section 504
Americans with Disabilities Act
Title II

Was passed into law on July 26, 1990

Is an extension of the Civil Rights Act of 1963 to individuals with
disabilities

Objective was to end discrimination against individuals with
disabilities, resulting in their full inclusion in American society

Was intended to strengthen the scope of Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended in 1974

No otherwise qualified individual
with a disability shall, solely by
reason of his/her disability, be
excluded from the participation in,
be denied the benefits of, or be
subjected to discrimination under
any program or activity of a public
entity.
Otherwise Qualified
Meets the academic and technical standards
requisite to admission or participation, with
or without:

Reasonable modifications to rules, policies,
or practices

Removal of architectural, communication, or
transportation barriers

Provision of auxiliary aids and services
Person with a Disability
Any person who:

Has a physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life
activities, including walking, seeing, hearing,
speaking, breathing, learning, and working;

Has a record of such an impairment;

Is regarded as having such an impairment.
Institutions of Higher
Education Must

Make their programs, services, and facilities
accessible to individuals with disabilities who
are otherwise qualified in the most integrated
setting possible, unless doing so would cause
the institution undue hardship or expense.

Provide reasonable accommodations to
individuals with disabilities who are otherwise
qualified, unless doing so would alter the
fundamental nature of the program, service, or
activity.
Incentives to Comply with the
Legislation


Individuals with disabilities who feel they have
been discriminated against solely on the basis of
their disability are encouraged to go through the
grievance procedures established at their
institutions.
Ultimately, the individual may file a complaint
with the Office of Civil Rights. OCR will
investigate the charge and make a ruling.
Institutions found guilty of discrimination risk the
loss of federal funding.
Academic Accommodations

Individuals with disabilities must selfidentify and provide appropriate
documentation to Disability Support
Services to be eligible for academic
accommodations/adjustments. These
accommodations must be reasonable and
must not alter items within the course or
program considered essential.
What types of accommodations
might be requested/allowed?

Priority registration

Reading lists or syllabus in advance of semester start date to
permit time for transferring to an alternative format (large
print, books on tape, etc.)

Preferential seating (in front, near an exit, without glare from
windows, etc.)

Tape recording of lectures and class discussions (see
Agreement for Permission to Audio-Tape Lectures)

Use of a notetaking device in class or assistance in obtaining
a peer notetaker
Accommodations list, continued








Lab assistant in classroom
Change the location of a class to an accessible area
Reduced course load (see Handbook For SWD)
Testing accommodations (scribe, reader/tests on tape,
extended time, distraction-reduced environment, enlarged
print, word processing software with speech access,
calculator)
Sign language interpreter in classroom
Speak facing the class during lectures, provide written
supplement to oral instructions/directions
Use of an amplification system
Extra time for SWD to get from one class to another
General Do’s &
Don’ts for Advisors
Tips to Keep in Mind
Advising Do’s

Think in terms of “ability” rather than “disability”

Encourage all students to develop self-advocacy skills

Invite student to self-disclose a disability by:


Posting a sign in your office stating, “Students with documented
disabilities may be eligible for academic accommodations.”
Ask, “Is there anything about you that I should be aware of in order to
help you be most successful in college?”

Discuss any special requirements of their funding source (e.g. PELL,
State Vocational Rehabilitation office)

Be alert to signs of immature career decision making (e.g. may major
in special education regardless of individual talents/ability)

Make appropriate referrals to the DSS office or other depts. on
campus
Advising Don’ts

Don’t ask, “Do you have a disability?” or
say, “You must register with Disability Support Services.”

Avoid discussing the student’s needs anywhere other than
a private place.

Avoid counseling swd to avoid certain majors due to
perceived limitations.

Don’t fail to inform swd about applicable technical
standards
Caution!



The text of the ADA
requires institutions to
approach student
needs on a case-bycase basis.
Having said that, some
generalizations can be
made based on the
type of disability(-ies)
involved.
These generalizations
are NOT to be applied
in a “cookbook”
fashion.
Types of Disabilities
Helping SWD
Plan for Success
Advising Students with
Visual Disabilities



May advise via electronic
means to facilitate
communication
May require print materials
in alternative format (e.g.,
large print) or the use of
screen reader software (e.g.
JAWS)
May need extra time to
travel between buildings
Advising Students who are
Deaf/Hard of Hearing




May advise via electronic
means, using TTY, or with
assistance of an interpreter
May rely on lip reading;
face student when speaking
May exhibit poor
vocabulary and syntax
(ESL)
Caution--late registration
may create major barriers
to success
Advising Students with
Mobility/Chronic Health Concerns
May need:
 reduced course load
 more time to move
between buildings
 to avoid early a.m.
classes
Keep in mind:
 weather extremes may be problematic
 student may be relying on public or para
transit system (start late or end early)
Advising Students with
Hidden Disabilities




The number of college students with hidden
disabilities (e.g. learning, ADD/HD, psychiatric) has
risen dramatically.
Keep in mind that students may be reluctant to
disclose a hidden disability; fear stigma that
comes with label. Many see college as a time to
“start over” or be same as classmates.
Be aware of indications that suggest student may
have a disability (e.g. high school transcript,
demographic info from placement test).
May need to pair more difficult classes with those
somewhat less demanding.
A Word About Temporary
Impairments
Students with temporary impairments
(surgery, injuries, etc.) are not
covered under Section 504 and the
ADA.
There is no legal requirement to provide
accommodations in these situations.
Refer these students to your DSS office
for an evaluation of temporary
services that may allow them to stay
in school.
Special Issues for
Advisors
Technical Standards
Course Substitutions
Reduced Course Load
Athletes with Disabilities
Distance Learning
Technical Standards




Some programs of study may have technical
standards to which all students must comply.
All students should be given a copy of these technical
standards BEFORE committing to that major/field of
study (e.g. nursing, radiology, physical therapy, law
enforcement, fire science, etc.).
Use of an informed consent form signed by student is
recommended (see Appendix N, The Policy Book,
LRP,2000).
Although controversial, SWD may be excluded from
these programs if they are unable to meet the required
technical standards with or without accommodation.
Course Substitutions




Not required by law; if refused, a deliberate
process of determination & a written
rationale are necessary for OCR review
Swd may be eligible for a course
substitution if the course is deemed by
faculty to be a non-essential part of the
overall curriculum in that program of study
Courses considered “essential” are not
eligible for substitution.
Examples:


math
foreign language
Reduced Course Load




Your institution may have a policy allowing
eligible swd to take a reduced course load
while retaining their full-time status.
This usually means that the student can be
considered full-time with 9, 10, or 11 hours.
Does NOT change the federal financial aid
regulations and may impact other types of
funding as well (e.g. Voc Rehab, WIA, etc.).
Not all insurers honor this accommodation.
Athletes with Disabilities
Awd may petition the NCAA, NJCAA
for special status as a Certified
Disabled Athlete.
 This status allows a student athlete to
retain eligibility with 9, 10, or 11 credit
hours.
 Explicit requirements are contained in
Article V, Section 4.J of the NJCAA
Bylaws regarding eligibility.

Distance Learning & SWD
Online resources & other options for
distance learning have opened up
new possibilities for swd.
 Challenges:

Early registration is a must
 Web accessibility is not a given
 Some swd (e.g. ADD/HD) may not be
suited to the online learning
environment

Building Bridges Within
Your Institution
FERPA vs. HIPAA
FERPA vs. HIPAA

The protocol for handling disabilityrelated information will be determined
by your institution.

Is it educational information (falls
under FERPA)?

Or, is it medical information (falls
under HIPAA)?
Building Bridges

Handling disability-related matters are
part of your overall networking
strategy with other campus depts.
Ask student, “Is there anything I
should know to help you be most
successful this semester?”
 Request recommendations from DSS
to promote student success
 Sign appropriate release forms as
required

Resources for Advisors
www.dacc.edu/sss/aresource.php
Final Thoughts,
Comments, & Concerns