Taking a proactive approach
Course advisers who are approached by a
student with a disability may wish to encourage the student to contact
the Disability Officer if they haven't already done so.
Hartmann and Redden (1985) also suggest
that academic staff make a statement at the first class or session of
the semester to encourage students to identify their needs early.
This statement, at the beginning of the
session, will encourage students to feel that the university is serious
about considering their needs. It can be reinforced on the course outline
at the beginning of each course and the Disability Officer may be able
to assist with the appropriate wording.
For example:
I would appreciate hearing from anyone
in the class who has a disability which may require some special arrangements
during the semester. The university offers a range of services and supports
for students with disabilities, but it is important that these be negotiated
early in the semester. If students require special arrangements such
as seating, testing or other provisions, please see me after class,
or contact the Disability Officer.
Confidentiality and duty of care
Although support for students with disabilities
is an integral part of the responsibility of academic staff, students
may not wish to disclose that they have a disability; or, having disclosed
to the Disability Officer or a staff member, they may not wish anyone
else to know.
If this seems inappropriate, unwise or
unsafe, staff may wish to ask the student to reconsider, or to discuss
the matter with the Disability Officer. Staff members have a duty of
care to all their students.
Where students are thought to have a disability
or to be in some need of assistance it is appropriate to take them to
one side and ask quietly whether they do. Both parties will feel more
comfortable in such situations if privacy and confidentiality are assured.
Establishing a good rapport with the
students
- Ask open questions and take the time
to listen properly, without interrupting or finishing their sentences.
For example, ask what interested them in taking the course.
- Don't rush. Hurrying things can be
counter-productive, especially when there are commun- ication problems.
- Be sure your body language indicates
that the student has your full attention.
- Focus on the student's abilities, interests
and strengths rather than the disability.
Encourage the student to be open about
concerns or problems
- Ask about any concerns the student
may have about studying at university.
- Recognise that students may still be
feeling their way at university and ask them to let you know if they
encounter any problems.
- Ask them to tell you which parts of
the course they may be likely to have problems with as a result of
their disability.
- Ask them for suggestions for overcoming
any identified obstacles.
Respect the fact that the students are
in control of their lives and must make their own decisions
- When discussing aspects of the course
that may present problems, ask students if they can suggest ways to
get around them. For example, use of visual materials such as graphs
and diagrams in a course being attended by a person with a vision
impairment, or the use of audiovisual materials for a student who
is deaf or hearing impaired.
- Find out whether they have met with
the Disability Officer to discuss any special needs they have or support
they require.
Assessing each student's requirements
While there may be students who appear
to have the same disability, or do in fact have the same disability,
their individual needs may be vastly different.
Students who have recently acquired a disability
may still be coming to terms with the effects of the disability, which
may be temporary or permanent. Either way, they may still be finding
out what learning strategies are most appropriate.
A student who has returned to university
before their condition has stabilised may be experiencing difficulty
adjusting to their situation, either emotionally or physically.
Not all disabilities are obvious–for example,
hearing impairment, some kinds of vision impairment and learning disabilities.
Some medical conditions may at times be particularly disabling without
being visible. These include cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, epilepsy
and mental illness.
See Parts C and
D.
Some students have multiple disabilities.
Depend-ing on the nature and progression of the illness or injury, conditions
such as diabetes, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, acquired brain
injury or multiple sclerosis may be accompanied by secondary impairments
- in mobility, vision, speech or coordination.
Adjusting to the student's communication
style
- If the communication seems awkward
because you have had little experience with that student's particular
disability before, acknowledge that you are on a learning curve.
- If the student communicates through
an interpreter, make sure you address and make eye contact with the
student directly rather than with the interpreter.
- If the person has a carer, introduce
yourself to the student who then may introduce their carer or interpreter.
- Address your remarks to the student;
avoid speaking to the carer or interpreter about the student in the
third person.
See also Part C
for specific information about communicating with students with particular
disabilities.
Flexibility and understanding
Students with disabilities may have many
barriers to deal with. Understanding the reasons for late or irregular
attendance, or particular habits, and being flexible in applying attendance
rules will be helpful to many students with disabilities.
Inaccessible building or room
If a lecture or tutorial room is not wheelchair
accessible, it may be necessary to relocate the lecture so that students
in wheelchairs or with other mobility impairments can attend.
Understanding lateness
Students using a wheelchair or other equipment
may have difficulties getting to lectures on time. If they rely on public
transport to get to and from university there may often be delays, even
when taxis have been booked in advance. If they have to cross the campus
it may simply take them longer, and there may be obstacles to access
along the way.
Irregular attendance
This may be due to the erratic nature of
the disability or problems with medication, or the need for hospitalisation.
Some disabilities such as muscular dystrophy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis
and some mental illnesses may have symptoms that come and go. In their
acute phase the symptoms may be particularly disabling.
Understanding special needs
Some medical conditions, and some medications,
can cause:
- chronic weakness and fatigue
- impairments to memory
- restlessness
- tiredness
- sleepiness
- incontinence
- chronic pain
- anxiety.
Depending on the condition, some students
may require:
- special chairs and tables in lectures
or tutorials
- regular drinking or eating in classes
- frequent toileting
- frequent breaks
- permission to come and go from the
room
- special arrangements in order to hear
or see, for example, reserved seating or access to a hearing loop.
Some medical treatments can also have severe
and unpredictable side effects that absorb most or a lot of the student's
energy and time for a period.
