I think at that time it's best to talk about the accomodations that can be made to help the student do what they need to do not how it's to specifically be done.
Sue,
Oh! I see. I DID misunderstand your earlier reference (sorry about that!). Yes... helping ALL students to be realistic in evaluating their strengths, weaknesses, and interests is always a positive step.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
That is not at all what I intended! I think it's great that we do NOT assume any disability. The weekly self reflections are for the student's own benefit. Any student is able to self reflect and come to his or own idea of their learning abilities. My intention is a positive one in which the students often surprise themselves as they reflect and determine their successes when they may have questioned their abilities. I love to see the self discoveries!
Sue,
It sounds as though you are suggesting that if a student is struggling in class, it is likely because of a disability. And if the student has a disability, he/she WILL struggle in class. I'm hoping that isn't what you intended to suggest, as either kind of assumption can lead to some inappropriate responses.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I know at our school, we often do not have the information about a disability. However, as the student begins to perform in the classroom, it becomes obvious that he or she has some form of disability. A weekly performance log is good for the student to complete a self-reflection for the week and often will come to the conclusion on his own that he will need to rethink his choice of program.
You are very good at this! (SMILE) You are right, again. We cannot know what THIS person with a disability will be able to do until we talk to them, explain what needs to be done, and explore appropriate accommodations. THEN, if it turns out that there is simply no way the task can be safely and effectively accomplished, we talk about other options. But not until we have had the substantive conversation.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
No matter when we learn of the disability, we must try to find ways to give the student the appropriate access to the training so that they can enjoy the benfits of that training. If the person has a disablity that would absolutely prevent them from completing certain tasks during training (even with the appropriate accommodation)then we would have to discuss this with them. The key is the communication and interaction with the student in order to determine what limitations they may have or what accommodations they feel they need, before rushing to judgement on whether or not they can successfully complete the tasks/training.
Deborah,
That's the time to begin the interactive process of determining what reasonable accommodations can be put in place to help that student reach his/her goal. The fact that they need some accommodation to achieve the same outcome doesn't mean that the same outcome cannot be attained. That's really the whole intent of the law -- the allow people with disabilities to have a chance to show their ABILITIES, rather than being excluded from the chance to try because of their DISabilities.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
