ADHD or learning problems used as a crutch
I have had students in the past who to me are useing learning disabilty as a crutch. The accommodation plan says to provide lecture notes and read the test to them. When the power point has a chart in it and there workbook requires them to fill in a blank chart, I must fill it in for them. But when the student must retreive answers from a technical manual and fill in the blank on a worksheet they can do it. The student can read and retreive information during class with no problems, but at test time they suddlenly cannot read or understand the same material. My blame on this problem goes to the school system wich only teaches the state test. Also in school nowadays very litle note taking is required or reading asignements are being handed out. As a result in secondary education they use the same excuse as before. I am teaching and preparing the student for a technical job. To my knowledge employers do not use accommodations for employes. All employes are required to preform with little or no help. If a new hire cannot read the work order or the technical manual, I cannot trust him to do the job safely or correctly. This use of a crutch throught school only sets them up for failure later in life. Unable to read or write with no medical condition is not a disability. Yet we see it used all the time,so the student is not left behind.
Robert,
It sounds as though there are either some unusual accommodations being assigned by the powers-that-be at your institution, or the rationale and format of those accommodations are not being explained to you clearly. Either way, while you may be on target in questioning the manner in which you are asked to accommodate the student, I hope you don't lose sight of the very nature of learning disabilities and the significant impact it can have on the functioning of a student in a traditional classroom. And, just for the record, the same laws that require equal access for students with disabilities (including learning disabilities) also require equal access for persons with disabilities in the job setting -- including appropriate accommodation. I think your argument may be with the accommodations being used at your institution. Please don't let your dissatisfaction with administrative issues make you too jaded about the legitimacy of the disability.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
While I am not saying that there are not students with real douctmented problems. I think that if the student has a accodmation plan that has been used all throught school a second evaluation should be needed in secondary education. The student may have out grown the plan, or has improved to a point to where it it no longer needed or may need a modification for new issues. With out this we have students that will use it to there full advantage. I have seen when I have been required to read a test to a student he tells me that reading is not nessary. We also see students that want all questions clarified and the answers clarified this gives them an advantage over the regular student who does not have this help. Keep in mind this is the same student that has no problem reading and filling out the worksheets required in class. But due to the plan we are scheduleing staff to cover the need when it is not needed. As for employers not hiring someone that cannot read or write. I am teaching technical and mechanical repair of vehicles. Would you like it if the technican who is about to diagnoise a problem with the air bag or ABS system on your car not be able to read and interpert the trouble shooting flow chart? Or not be able to follow the techinical manual to install brake components?
Robert,
Again, I would encourage you to have a frank discussion with the powers-that-be at your institution. Either they are not doing a good job of explaining the assignment of various accommodations, or they are not doing an adequate job of assessing the impact of disability in order to assign the right accommodations. Regardless, you will be pleased to know that current "good practice" guidelines suggest exactly what you do above -- that the decision to accommodate the student at the postsecondary level should be based on a CURRENT assessment of the difficulties the student is facing, not an evaluation done long ago.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Hello To everyone,
I have had students that have ADHD and the attention span was short yet I did not reserve the energy to give them the opportunity to state the obivious and that was that they had a disability. I often encourage my students to practice self-control and making certain they understand that they are responsible for their actions. Medication is required for the cases I have encountered and when they are taking their medications they are within their element of understanding and growing in the aspects of the classroom. My Question would be how do you illustrate to students that do not understand what is going on within the HIPAA guidelines.
Ginell,
I am confused. If I am reading this right, you are asking how you can discuss the student's disability with him/her and still stay within compliance re: HIPAA. But HIPAA doesn't pertain to issues of disability in the context we are discussing here. Can you clarify a little, please?
Dr. Jane Jarrow
In my experience I have also noted students who seem to utilize their IEP very inconsistiently. They seem to pick and choose when to "need" assistance. I know that there are instances where students really do need the IEP, however if there is a way to bend the system to their best interest there are students who will find a way. I do not care how diligent the "powers above" are, if there is a way to manipulate the system there will be a student who will find a way.
Sharon,
You are right, of course. The system isn't perfect and there will be students who abuse it. The best advice I can offer is to simply remind you that there are many more students with real potential, real disabilities, and real need. I would rather take the chance of a few "false positives" than to restrict accommodations to the extent that there are a great deal of "false negatives" -- students with disabilities who don't get the access they need.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I find many of my iep students really dont need all of the extra time and help. They uslually can do the labs with no problem. They have been told they need help so they believe it though. I encourage them to try without the help.
jasen,
Your statement is sufficiently broad as to raise eyebrows, and includes the kind of stereotyping that leads to lawsuits. I would tread very carefully if I were you. I am not sure what kind of labs you are speaking of (for example, chemistry labs? automotive labs?) and I am not sure what kind of "help" we are talking about. But to suggest that most requests for accommodation are a result of learned helplessness is to subtly suggest that there really is no such thing as learning disabilities or ADHD (at least, not with sufficient impact to warrant consideration). That is EXACTLY the kind of attitude this course was designed to dispel. If you "encourage them to try without the help" by saying, "I don't think you really need the extra time. Why don't you try it without the extra time on this exam and if you have a problem we'll talk about it for the next test," you are taking yourself and your institution down a very dangerous path. Students are easily intimidated into giving up their rights by the faculty member who questions their legitimacy. The Office of Civil Rights is not so easily intimidated, and facing them with this kind of statement/attitude will not be pleasant.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
