Jane Jarrow

David, Yours is an interesting answer, because you recognized that the individuals ADHD may effect the non-work aspects (at least, not the pieces they were hired to do) of their performance, and that their failure to adhere to work expectations may impact on their ability to hold a job, even if they are really good at the job itself! You are absolutely right -- but it is a side of the problem that rarely gets discussed. Just as we tend to focus on issues of attention in the classroom or attention on tests (when discussing ADHD in education), how the… >>>

David, Being honest and upfront about the challenges students may face, based on your observation of their performance in classes (with, as you suggest, all appropriate accommodations in place) is never a problem in my mind. The problem only comes when the "you probably can't be successful in this field" discussion comes before the student ever enters the program, before you have seen the student in action, and before the student has an opportunity to show what he/she can do. Being honest about what you see is good teaching. "Being honest" about assumptions (which are generally based on stereotypes) is… >>>

Todd, You are right... students with ADD may be hindered by too much time. That might also be true of a student who was OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). But I think the broader question here is whether the typical -- nondisabled -- student would do better if he/she had extra time (and, thus, wouldn't it be fairer to give everyone the same time). And the answer to THAT question is "no." Evidence suggests that if the test is constructed so that the typical student can finish within a given time period, extended time won't help. If you don't know the… >>>