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How far should we go to assist those with special needs. I have had many students that have difficulty reading, writing and expressing their questions. I work with those that really show the desire but I have had a few that do not want to go the extra mile, and is quite satisfied with their substandard work. we have programs that assist the students with tests but i feel that has become a crutch for most. they rely having things done for them.
Hi Abigail,
Check with your Student Resources or Student Affairs office to find out what the policy is for your school. If your school follows the ADA guidelines then you can make accommodation for extended time to take tests if the students have identified that they have a disability and have filed a letter requesting accommodations when needed. You can set a policy that they will not receive any additional time to take a test unless they have secured permission from you in advance of the test.
There is no problem with granting the additional time if the students have identified that they will be needing additional test taking time. The key is making sure the students are getting the skills needed to be successful in the career area. Also, if state or national certification is required they are going to have to develop speed in test taking because many accrediting groups do not give any extra time.
Gary
If a student takes much more time than the average student to take a quiz or exam, is it okay to offer special accomodations for them or is this something they need to ask for. I have had, on several occasions, a student that will take more than an hour to complete a 15 question quiz (multiple choice & short answer) when most students complete the quiz in 15 minutes or so. Sometimes the students will admit that they have test anxiety. I would like to arrange special accomodations for them but am not sure if it would be out of line per your response above.
My thought on this is that we should all we can to help them at the time in the class but they also need something in place to help them over there difficulty reading or what ever the problem my be. They need the help to get over in and be able to do it on there own. I belive that they have lost this for high school and just pushed thought
Hi Kim,
Once a student that has had an IEP (Individual Education Plan) in high school graduates or turns 21 (ages out as it is called) they no longer are entitled to special education services. In order to receive any type of accommodation they have to self declare to the Student Services Office and/or the instructor. Until they do this they are not eligible to receive any accommodations. Once they self disclose that they have a disability to either the instructor or the Student Services Office they can receive accommodations under the provisions of ADA.
A way to protect the privacy of a student is to talk with them individually and ask them how you can be of help to them. Ask them what were the most effective adaptations or modifications when they were in high school and under an IEP. They can tell you and this will save much time in terms of you needing to discover what will work for the student. The most common accommodations are increased time and assistance with note taking if they have a reading and/or listening comprehension problem.
In many cases to help such a student I will provide guided notes or structured outlines. I make them up and give them to all students. That way everyone benefits from the handouts and the student with the disability is not set apart. I talk a lot with such students to make sure that they are making progress and getting the support they need. The key point is that they have to meet the requirements of the course so they can be successful in the field. I cannot drop from the course any requirements that are essential because to do so would be to turn out a student that does not have the needed competencies for career success.
Gary
There have been times where I have susupected that a student may have a learning disability, but the student may not be aware of this, or may not want to reveal this information to me or to the school. Many students leave high school and are ecstatic to leave behind the "special ed." or "resource" label. What degree of accommodation do you make in this situation, and how do you protect the student's privacy while still offering support and assistance?
Hi Steve,
I think we should do as much as we can for students that come into our classes with weak academic skills but have motivation to succeed. If they don't want to apply themselves then we have a different situation. I will treat them fairly and support them but that is all I can do for them.
I do provide guided notes and structured outlines for students to help them with their note taking. I know I can't overcome their deficiencies in reading and math in my course. I can help them as much as I can but I also know I have to cover the material in a set time frame and meet the standards of the field. So, some students may not make it in my course for that reason unless they go back and increase their basic skills and then try the course again.
Gary