Perhaps the most
important instructional strategy recommended by Disability
Services is to include a statement on your syllabus inviting
students with disabilities to meet with you during office
hours to discuss accommodation needs. You may also want
to make an announcement during the first class to this
effect. Keep in mind Disability Services
cannot specify the type of disability a student has and it
is not appropriate to ask the student for this information.
It is recommended
faculty include the following statement in their syllabus:
Any student
with a documented disability needing accommodations is
requested to speak directly to Disability Services (mellinger@monm.edu
or 309-457-2257) and to the instructor within the first two
weeks of the semester. All discussions will remain
confidential.
In
addition, the following recommendations will enable the
students with disabilities in your classes to obtain
appropriate, timely accommodations and to create a learning
environment beneficial to all students:
1.
Keep all
disability-related material strictly confidential. At no
time should the class be informed a student has a
disability, except at the student's express request. All
disability information the student gives to the faculty
member is to be used specifically for the arrangement of
reasonable academic accommodations.
2.
Allow the
student the same anonymity as other students (i.e., avoid
pointing out the student or the alternative arrangements to
the rest of the class).
3.
Make available
a detailed course syllabus prior to registration. Essential
requirements of the course should be clearly stated.
4.
Announce
reading assignments well in advance for students who are
using audio materials or other alternative formats. It may
take a week to convert a book to e-text or to have it
delivered from Recordings for the Blind & Dyslexic.
5.
Start each
lecture with an outline of material to be covered. At the
conclusion of class, briefly summarize key points.
6.
Teach in a
multi-modal format to reach all learning styles. Combine
visual and auditory modalities when presenting lecture
material and then create experiential learning through group
work and hands-on application of the material.
7.
Provide an
adequate opportunity for questions and answers including
review sessions.
8.
When in doubt
about how to assist any student, privately ask him or her.
