Teaching Students with Disabilities
The University is committed to reflecting and respecting the diversity of students in all academic programs. This commitment translates into proactive services for providing the reasonable accommodations needed to ensure students with disabilities receive equal access to educational opportunities.
While the University is ready to provide reasonable accommodations, students must make an effort to advocate for and avail themselves of all services and agreed upon accommodations.
The University of New England is committed to reflecting and respecting the diversity of students in academic programs. This commitment translates into the need for proactive services that provide the reasonable accommodations needed to ensure students with disabilities equal access to educational opportunities.
Disabilities and the Law
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 are federal laws mandating the elimination of discrimination against people with disabilities, and requiring institutions such as 51°µÍř to provide reasonable accommodations to those who qualify. Reasonable accommodations will not be granted if they pose an undue hardship for the institution or a fundamental alteration to the program.
A person with a disability is anyone who either has, used to have, or is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially affects a major life activity (such as seeing, walking, working, or learning). A qualified person with a disability is someone with a disability whose experience, education, and training enable the person to meet program requirements, with or without a reasonable accommodation. An accommodation is any change in the learning environment, or in the way things are customarily done, that enables a person with a disability to have equal educational opportunities.
Some disabilities are readily apparent, such as mobility impairment or other physical limitations. "Hidden" disabilities, that are not usually noticeable through casual observation, include learning disabilities, chronic illnesses, hearing or visual impairments, and psychological disorders.
Despite physical, learning, sensory, or behavioral differences, students with disabilities are, first and foremost, students. Each comes to the University with a unique set of abilities and experiences. Although students with disabilities may learn in different ways or use different tools, these differences in no way imply that their capacity for college-level work is inferior or limited.
Students with disabilities who have been admitted to the University have matriculated through the same process and have met the same admissions requirements as other students.
Accommodating students with disabilities does not mean setting different standards for them than for the rest of your students. It may, however, mean:
- Modifying the way course information is presented
- Modifying methods of testing and evaluation to allow students to demonstrate what they know
- Allowing students to use assistive technology such as digital recorders or voice amplifiers
- Adapting administrative procedures or removing architectural barriers
Recent Legal Decisions
Lawsuits brought under the Rehabilitation Act or the ADA have created a growing body of case law clarifying the academic obligations involved in educating students with disabilities.
These cases have firmly established that the University must provide the accommodation once the student has self-identified as having a disability. Students are not required to assume the responsibility for securing a necessary accommodation. The University is required to provide reasonable accommodations for the disability when requested by the student so that the student has an equal opportunity to participate in the courses, activities or programs.
The University may not charge students for necessary accommodations as the expense of an accommodation such as a recorded text book or voice amplifier is rarely considered an "undue hardship" under existing law. In determining what constitutes an undue hardship, courts and regulatory agencies view the entire financial resources of the University rather than a single department or division's resources.
A classroom’s location must be changed to provide accessibility for a student with a mobility impairment. The University does not need to make every classroom accessible but must provide for the participation of students with disabilities when "viewed in its entirety."
Extended time is a reasonable accommodation for a student when it mitigates the functional limitations of a disability. The University is required to ensure that the student is provided additional time to complete tests or course work in order to provide an equal opportunity for the student unless the purpose of the assignment is to assess performance under time constraints.
The format of an exam may be altered if the testing procedure puts a student with a disability at a disadvantage based on the student’s documented disability, unless the purpose of the testing format is to measure a particular skill.
If a student with a visual impairment is enrolled in a class, the instructor or the office that coordinates academic accommodations must provide all handouts in an alternate format, normally the format requested by the student (for example: large print or electronic format). These handouts must be made available on the same day they are distributed to non-disabled students, provided that the student with a disability made the request in a timely manner.
Course material placed on reserve in the Library must be made available in alternate formats for students who have visual impairments and are enrolled in the course.
Academic freedom does not permit instructors to decide that they will not provide special aids and services for students in the classroom with documented disabilities.
Accommodations for testing must be provided for a student with a documented disability.
The University is not required to provide personal services (such as care attendants) or personal aids (such as wheelchairs or eyeglasses).
Pre-admission inquiries by the University as to whether an applicant has a disability are not permissible, however, professional staff from the Student Access Center are willing to meet with students prior to enrolling to discuss the accommodations process.
Developing a Partnership
The first step in teaching students with disabilities seems obvious — treat these students as you would all students. Students with disabilities present a wide variety of backgrounds, abilities, and academic skills. Despite good intentions, faculty sometimes treat students with disabilities differently. Revising your perceptions and attitudes is perhaps the most important accommodation for a student with a disability.
Encourage students to talk to you about their academic needs and challenges to the extent they are comfortable. The student’s own suggestions, based on his or her experience with the disability, will prove invaluable as you adapt your instruction to meet the student’s needs. Up to this point in their education, teams of specialists, classroom teachers, and parents may have planned any help needed by the student, on their behalf.
Unlike a K-12 setting, seeking disability accommodations in the college setting becomes the responsibility of the student. Students who fear possible discrimination on the part of faculty may find this responsibility difficult. Making a general announcement in class that you are willing to work with any student who needs accommodation for a disability can be greatly supportive.
Disabling Stereotypes
Negative attitudes toward students with disabilities are often more disabling than the disability itself. Negative attitudes are often based on the following myths and stereotypes about students with disabilities.
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| Students with disabilities who request accommodations are looking for a way to do less work. | Most students with disabilities have to work much harder than non-disabled students. Many disabled students don’t want to ask for help. |
| Providing accommodations means lowering academic standards. | The law does not require lowering standards for students with disabilities. Accommodations allow students with disabilities to meet the academic standards. |
| Accommodations give students with disabilities an unfair advantage over other students. | Providing accommodations simply “levels the playing field” for students with disabilities. Barriers created by a student’s disability must be removed in order to fairly evaluate the academic performance of students with disabilities. |
| If a student with a disability can’t perform like non-disabled students, they do not belong in college. | Students with disabilities have the same intellectual potential as non-disabled students. If they meet admissions and program standards, they are entitled by law to attend and receive accommodations. |
| Students with learning disabilities aren’t intellectually capable of doing college work. | By definition, students with learning disabilities have average to above average intelligence. The process by which they learn, not their ability to learn, is what is impaired. |
| Providing accommodations takes too much time for faculty and costs too much. | 90% of all accommodations require minimal time and money. Many of the teaching adjustments that help students with disabilities are strategies that help non-disabled students learn better, too. |
Communicating with Students with Disabilities
Effective communication that reflects respect for the individuality and dignity of students with disabilities is a prerequisite for effective teaching. Most people with disabilities prefer that others focus on their individuality, not their disability, unless it is the topic of discussion. The term “handicapped” is falling into disuse and should be avoided. The terms “able-bodied,” “physically challenged,” and “differently abled” are also discouraged.
- Avoid implying that people with disabilities are to be pitied, feared, or ignored, or that they are somehow more heroic, courageous, patient, or “special” than others, or that they are “abnormal.”
- Do not say: “Trina held her own while swimming with normal students.”
- But instead say: “Trina qualified for her Swimmer certificate last week.”
- A person in a wheelchair is a “wheelchair user” or “uses a wheelchair.” Avoid terms that define the disability as a limitation, such as “confined to a wheelchair,” or “wheelchair-bound.” A wheelchair liberates — it doesn’t confine.
- Avoid words like "victim" or “sufferer” to refer to a person who has or had a disease or disability. This term dehumanizes the person and emphasizes powerlessness. For example, refer to a “person with AIDS,” not an “AIDS victim,” or a “person who has cancer,” not “a cancer sufferer.”
Suggestions for Interacting with a Student with a Disability
- Speak directly to the person rather than to a companion or interpreter who is accompanying the individual.
- Offer assistance and only give that assistance if you offer is accepted.
- Give whole, unhurried attention when talking with someone who has difficulty speaking. When necessary, ask short questions that require short answers or a nod of the head. Don’t pretend to understand if you’re having difficulty doing so. Repeat what you do understand to confirm it.
- Be considerate of the extra time it may take a person with a disability to get things done and communicated. Let the person set the pace in walking and talking.
- When talking with someone who uses a wheelchair, position yourself at the person’s level, if possible. Don’t lean against the chair, it is an extension of the person’s body. Doing so may violate their personal space.
- When greeting someone with a severe loss of vision, identify yourself and others with you. Before walking with the person, alert them to your presence, then let the person take your arm. This will allow you to guide rather than propel the person.
Students With Disabilities at 51°µÍř
Identifying Students with Disabilities
A student with a disability is responsible for informing the University about the disability, requesting accommodations in a timely manner, and at his or her expense, providing current, appropriate documentation of the disability from a qualified medical or other licensed professional.
The student’s documentation and related information about his or her specific disability are regarded by law as confidential and are maintained in the Student Access Center. The Student Access Center coordinator is responsible for coordinating services for students with disabilities. The coordinator reviews the documentation to verify the student’s disability and need for accommodations. Faculty are not expected to evaluate the appropriateness of a student’s documentation. The role of a faculty member is to work with the student and the coordinator to eliminate barriers to the student’s education. If a student chooses to share information about his or her disability with a faculty member, the information must be treated as confidential and not disclosed to others.
A faculty member can neither suggest the presence of a disability to account for poor academic performance, nor ask a student if they have a disability. Should an instructor suspect that a disability negatively affects scholastic performance, the instructor can ask the student if they know the cause for the academic difficulty and whether the University can do anything to help. The instructor can then advise the student to avail themselves of the appropriate campus resource such as the Student Academic Success Center, the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, or the Student Access Center.
If a student asks you for accommodations because of a disability and has not already contacted the Student Access Center refer the student to our office. We can be contacted on the Biddeford Campus at (207) 602-2119, or on the Portland Campus for the Health Sciences at (207) 221-4650.
Registering with the Student Access Center
Students with disabilities who require accommodations must register with the Student Access Center and request accommodations in a timely manner prior to the start of classes or as soon as the disability becomes known. Students will be required to participate in an intake interview, complete an application and provide documentation from a qualified professional which supports the presence of a disability and the need for accommodations. After the intake interview and review of the student’s documentation, a coordinator of the Student Access Center will determine the student’s eligibility for registration. Upon determination of eligibility, the coordinator will complete an Accommodation Plan. This form will be signed by the student as acknowledgment of the granted accommodations. The Student Access Center will thoroughly review with the student:
- What accommodations will be provided.
- Why they will be provided.
- When they will be provided.
- Who is responsible for providing them.
- How they will be provided.
Responsibilities of the Student and Faculty
A student with a disability has the responsibility to:
- Self-identify concerning disability status to the Student Access Center in a timely manner.
- Provide disability documentation.
- Request necessary accommodations.
If Notified in Writing
A faculty member has the responsibility to cooperate with the Student Access Center in providing authorized accommodations in a reasonable and timely manner. Faculty should meet with any student who provides an accommodation plan to establish the means of providing accommodation. For distance learners, this contact can occur by telephone or Zoom. The coordinator arranges for most accommodations, such as relocating a class to an accessible location, arranging note-taking services, obtaining adaptive equipment, and providing course materials in alternate formats. Faculty are responsible for accommodations that involve only the faculty member and the student—for example, preferential class seating and extended time for the completion of course assignments.
If Not Notified in Writing
If a student requests accommodations without the authorized letter of request, the faculty member should refer the student to the Student Access Center. If the disability is visible and accommodations appear appropriate, the faculty member should also refer the student to the Student Access Center.
If You Question The Appropriateness of Accommodations
If a faculty member has questions about the appropriateness of certain accommodations, the Student Access Center coordinator should be contacted for further clarification. The faculty member should continue to provide accommodations while the issue is being resolved. When a student uses a digital recorder in the classroom the student is required to sign an agreement with the Student Access Center not to disseminate the recording or otherwise obstruct the copyright of the course content.
Students with disabilities have the first responsibility to report their needs to the faculty in a timely manner. The faculty can open the door to a student with a disability by including a statement on the course syllabus reminding them to inform faculty in