Jane Jarrow

Mark, I was always taught that we lead by example. So long as you continue to treat students with disabilities as students first -- capable students -- sooner or later the other students will come around. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Sara, It is always good to hear stories about people who succeed through sheer guts and determination. It sounds as though your friend had something more. The success he achieved in the military may have given him both the confidence and the focus needed to push himself to new highs. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Sara, What kind of information do you think would be useful to have, Sara? If there is a logical reason for needing more information in order to better assure meeting the student's need, it would generally be forthcoming. But generally speaking, knowing the accommodations that are needed is enough. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Sara, You have identified the sticking point, but also the hope. The student, because of disability, may not be able to practice within the field in the TYPICAL way, but if he/she has all the education and background, there may be nontraditional ways to put that education and information to use. Look at all the jobs that people have today that didn't exist 10 years ago, but have been brought about by advances in technology! Dr. Jane Jarrow

Sara, Yes -- but why? The answer is because the law does not offer protection based on a "sliding scale" of severity, and no one condition gets priority over another. You either ARE a person with a disability or you are not. If you are, you are entitled to all the protections of the law.\ Dr. Jane Jarrow

Valerie, The question was meant to be rhetorical. You were meant to disagree with me! In fact, it is NOT up to us to decide that a student will or will not be ALLOWED to enroll in a program based on our assumptions about their likelihood of getting hired. We owe it to students to be honest about what we see the obstacles being. And then we owe it to students to let them make their own decisions. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Terry, You have just articulated the very reason that we feel comfortable in providing extended time for students with disabilities who need it. In spite of what SEEMS to be the logical conclusion (that everyone would do better if they had more time), that really isn't the case. For those without disabilities, either you know the info or you don't. For students with disabilities that interfere with either their processing time or their response mechanism, extra time is necessary to assure equal access. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Terry, Maybe YOU should be facilitating this class! (GRIN) You are right on target once again. There used to be a disability awareness campaign that centered around the word disABILITY (presented just that way) to remind folks that people with disabilities still had the ABILITY to do lots of things. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Terry, I couldn't agree with you more -- and that is a GREAT example of how being honest with students about difficulties you can potentially foresee gives them the opportunity to make informed decisions without taking the decision-making from their hands. And that's for ANY (every!) student, not just students with disabilities. Dr. Jane Jarrow

Don, I would agree. There is an old saying in management circles: "In a bureaucracy, the way to get things done is to make YOUR problem THEIR problem." Works for me! GRIN Dr. Jane Jarrow