STUDENTS WITH DIABILIY NEED THE HANDICAP THAT THEY ARE GIVEN. IT DOES TAKE THEM LONGER TO GET THE QUESTION UNDERSTOOD, WHETHER IT IS READING IT OFF BRAIL OR HAVING SOMEONE READ IT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT. STUDENTS WHO ARE FULLY FUNCTIONAL CAN COMPLETE THE TEST IN THE GIVEN AMOUNT OF TIME.
Sheritha,
That's an interesting twist in the way this is usually phrased. People complain that students with disabilities get an unfair advantage when given extra time. You flipped that around to suggest that students WITHOUT disabilities have an unfair advantage when extra time is NOT given to those with disabilities. Hmmm... I like it! I may have to steal that!
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I think that only students without a disability benefit from extended time. Students with a disability don't benefit at all. The extra test time given to them only puts them on an same playing field with those of us without a disability.
Sidorva,
That is generally what happens. The accommodation is generally assigned as "time and a half" or "double time" and the actual amount is determined based on what is provided in the standard administration of the test. What we DON'T give is "unlimited time." Everyone has SOME limit to the time allowed. It is simply that for these students, the limit is extended because of the impact of their disability.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Those are my sentiments exactly! Extra time would not matter if students have not learned the material. Extra time would not also matter if the students with the accommodation have not learned the material either. However; if the student does know the material, the extra time given them to have equal access to make an A is helpful.
In the case of a timed test, could the student with the accommodation just receive the percentage of time given for the accommodation added to the time given for the task?
Theresa,
Spot on. You have just given exactly the right reasoning behind the granting of the accommodation.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Not all students would do better if they had extended time. Plenty of students are able to finish within the given amount of time, so adding more time would neither hurt or help them. Students who need extra time to be able to read through the test or have someone else read it to them will need the extra time just because they can't get through the test in the same amount of time as a regular student. Students who need accommodations are not getting the accommodations for success, they are getting it to have an equal chance at showing what they learn.
Xavier,
I certainly can't argue with that!
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Ashley,
You seem to have missed the point here. How much time is allotted for any test, by any faculty member, is arbitrary. It is simply the amount of time the faculty member allows for students to finish the test. The idea is that all students will have the same opportunity to demonstrate their skills/learning. For students with some disabilities, in order for them to HAVE the same opportunity, they need additional time. Go back and review the concept again, please.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I feel that a student should get the time they need to be sucessgul with their exams, even if the time is considered excessive to some, if the student benefits from the time, then it needs to be allowed.
Yes, all students would do better if they had extended time, however, there is a time limit, and there really is not much that can be changed about that. The instructor can either cut down the material to accommodate for time or provide more time to the students, but that all comes into play with if the students have enough time, pending conflicting class, work, etc. schedules and if the instructor has enough time as well. Therefore, it is truly unfair on all playing fields to allow time extensions to one group of students and not another.
gail,
I certainly can't argue with that philosophy! GRIN
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I don't believe in times tests. A student should have the time they need to take a test. Many students are not identified as LD and may benefit from " extra" time to take a test. I teach in PA in an elementary school and the PSSA tests are not timed. The teacher/ proctor does not go on to the next section of the test until all students are finished. This is my philosophy. One student may take only 15 minutes to take a test, another may take 45 minutes, they both deserve the opportunity to have the time that they need.
Amanda,
Hmmm... I think you have the right answer for the wrong reason! It is NOT true that most students could benefit from additional time during tests. For students with disabilities, the "requirement" of extra time exists *because* they have a NEED.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
This is a very sensitive topic and I think it should be decided based upon the situation, student, and type of test given. It is true that most students could benefit from additional time during tests, however for some students the need for additional time is more than a need, it is a requirement because of their particular disability.
Dan,
This is true. There are a variety of reasons for why students -- all students -- use varying amounts of time in order to finish a given exam. The issue at hand is that all students have ENOUGH time to show what they know... that is why we don't collect exams from all students when the first student is finished. Just because THAT student finished quickly doesn't mean that all students should be expected to finish within the same time limit. It is for that reason that we sometimes give extended time to students with disabilities. We want them to have ENOUGH time to show us what they know.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Not all students need extended time for testing, as evidenced by watching a room of students taking an exam. Some students finish quite quickly, especially if they are well prepared, understand the material, are sure of their answers, etc. Some may finish early because they are just guessing on the exam, and do not feel that any extra time would improve their results.
Helena,
I am not sure how comfortably you are buying into the concept -- "for a few minutes to students with certain disabilities" sounds a little sketchy -- but I think you are on the right track. "Fair" doesn't always mean "the same."
Dr. Jane Jarrow
i think it would be fair to extend the time for a few minutes to the students with certain disabilities. i feel that students without disablities would probably do the same with the set time. Normally, with testing you either know it or you dont. As far as students with a disability they have other factors playing against them.
Andrea,
That's a great parallel -- one I have used myself to make the point. When I am arguing the use of a calculator for someone with a math disability, I sometimes say, "this student needs a wheelchair for his math skills -- and that is exactly what the calculator provides. He is just as disabled as the paraplegic, and just as unable to make it to and through class without appropriate equipment."
Dr. Jane Jarrow
