Jane Jarrow

Paul, That's the key here -- fairness. It would NOT be fair if students with disabilities who needed more time for the same opportunity to show what they know were not provided with that chance. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Paul, I don't disagree. But being honest and being discouraging are two different things. Saying, "Most of the jobs out there require that you do _____" is fine. Saying, "You'll probably never get a job in this field because you can't ___" is something else! GRIN Dr. Jane Jarrow

ELIZABETH, Always nice to hear such success stories! Dr. Jane Jarrow

ELIZABETH, It sounds as though you are suggesting that the extra time gives students with disabilities an advantage but, hey, what the heck. They are paying for it, right? I hope you understand that the extra time is NOT an advantage. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Carlyn, I think the technology can go a long way toward presenting new opportunities, but there will still be places where the student's disability cannot be overcome in the TRADITIONAL way in which the activity is performed. The good news is that the technology often CAN provide alternative ways of using the knowledge and skills gained. Dr. Jane Jarrow

ELIZABETH, "It would not be fair to that student"??? I am not sure exactly what you mean by that, but it sounds as though you are suggesting that the student not be ALLOWED to do something stupid like going into the field of their choosing. I would be very careful here... Dr. Jane Jarrow

ELIZABETH, Do you believe you have that obligation, and give that same warning, to all students who are enrolled, or only to students with disabilities. If you give the warning to all students, that's fine. If you ONLY feel obligated to say that to students with disabilities, that's discriminatory! Dr. Jane Jarrow

Tim, I couldn't agree more. There are so many possible ways to use information and learning in our society. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Robert, You have found one of the first coping strategies often suggested for people with ADHD -- find a way to focus your attention, and multiple modality input is one of those ways. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Wayne, I used to think that, too -- until the first time I saw a child who was SO hyperactive that he was LITERALLY climbing the walls (picked him off the top of my bookcase three times in 20 minutes, as he used the shelves like steps on a ladder). I think, as a society, we are sometimes too quick to look for chemical solutions. But I don't discount the possibility of the problem being very real. Dr. Jane Jarrow