Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Leveling The Playing Field

Patricia, You can't promise equal success, only an equal opportunity to be successful on their own. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Leveling The Playing Field

Paul, You've gotten to the key at the end -- students with disabilities are more LIKE every other student than they are different. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Learning Disability

Bonnie, Remember that there is a difference between someone being a bad speller (of which there are many!) and someone who has a disability-related spelling problem. That having been said, you given us a really good strategy for helping students who are having difficulty with spelling, whatever the reasons. One of the reasons that HEARING the word out loud may help is because it allows the student to bring in the auditory modality in reminding them of the sounds (letters) in the word. The reason having the student SAY the word out loud may help is because it gives them… >>>

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Equal Access

Mark, Good point! Years ago, a popular disability awareness poster read, "Now is the best time to have cerebral palsy!" Their thinking was the same as yours -- with advances in modern technology and medicine, doors were open to people with disabilities in ways that had never been imagined. And that was some time ago. Today, less and less is outside the realm of possibility for most people. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Need to Know?

Nathaniel, That student lives with the possibility of an acute allergy attack all the time, not just in class. It is up to the student to decide how -- and to whom -- he wishes to reveal his condition. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

After the Classroom

Nathaniel, I think having and using referral sources is a great service. But I would be careful about "seeing disability" everywhere you look. It is not uncommon for instructors to assume that if a student is having difficulty in class, it is likely due to an undiagnosed disability. What does that say about students with disabilities, in general, other than the "assumption" that they will perform poorly. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Severity of Disability

Nathaniel, You are right -- and in a way, that is ironic. The student with a learning disability (that you cannot see) may be more significantly impacted in their academic progress than the student in a wheelchair -- who is just like every other student sitting down! Dr. Jane Jarrow

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Reality Check!

Mark, Inspecting the home is a visual, hands-on thing. What happens with the reports that are written by the people who do the home inspection? How are those reports useful, and to whom? Someone has to USE the information that comes from those home inspections. There are places where knowledge of the process may be useful even if you cannot perform the home inspection. Don't sell the process of gathering information short, even if that information will be used in nontraditional ways. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Leveling The Playing Field

Patrick, "...that equal opportunity does not equate to equal outcome." YES, YES, YES! And there is another piece that precedes it -- "equal treatment does not equate to equal opportunity!" Treating everyone the same does not mean that everyone has the same chance. And giving everyone the same chance doesn't guarnatee that all will have the same result, and that's OK! And THAT is what the laws are all about! Dr. Jane Jarrow

Jane Jarrow

Discussion Comment

Psychological Disability

Richard, Well said! There is great concern on campuses today about students with psych disabilities because of high profile cases such as Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois, and the Colorado theater shootings. In truth, most students with psych disabilities will never be identified and will successfully make it through their academic training. Their difficulties impact on no one but themselves. We cannot let stereotypes or generalizations color our treatment of individuals. Dr. Jane Jarrow