Services for Disabled Students: Challenges and Solutions at a Distance

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Services for Disabled Students Challenges and
Solutions at a Distance
WCET Annual Conference November 12, 2004
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Support and Retention
Janet McCann Learning Center Director Washington
State University South Central Washington (Yakima)
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Who Is in Charge?

• Campus disabled student services?
• Distance learning support staff?
• Course design support?
• Technology services?
• Faculty?

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Campus Disabled Student Services?

• Pro
• Expert in ADA and other relevant requirements
• Policies and procedures in place
• Established relationships with faculty and
  administration
• Con
• Not familiar with distance learning pedagogy and
  student service challenges
• No experience with providing off-campus services

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Distance Learning Support Staff?

• Pro
• Experience in DL support
• Partnerships in place
• Con
• Funding rarely supports full-time dedicated
  disability staff
• Not formally trained or as experienced in
  disability requirements

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Course Design Support?

• Pro
• Trained in best practices for learning
• Experience in designing for the web
• Established relationships with faculty
• Con
• Can only provide the expertise needed for course
  design not student support
• Not always fully aware of changing technologies
  for the disabled

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Technology Services?

• Pro
• Aware of ADA and other requirements for disabled
  students
• Already providing technological disability
  support in labs
• Con
• Not used to providing tech support at a distance
• Not involved in teaching and learning development
  or requirements

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Faculty?

• Pro
• Already accustomed to providing on campus
  disability support
• Best able to identify alternative assignments
  that meet their course objectives
• Con
• May not have a lot of DL experience
• Often do not have a high level of technical
  expertise
• Do not provide student support services

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Answer

• Coaching/Advocacy model
• Provides one point of contact for students,
  faculty and staff
• Proactive retention strategy
• Promote DL disability awareness on campus
• Coordinates collaboration between departments
• Liaison between student, college and disability
  agencies and support groups

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Point of Contact

• No one likes the run around
• No one has all the answers
• Clearing house for questions, complaints and
  suggestions
• Quality control
• Promotes responsibility for staff, faculty and
  students

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Although access to accommodations is guaranteed
under the law, it is a frustrating, embarrassing,
unpleasant, stigmatizing and unending process for
students with disabilities.
Field. S., Sarver, M. Shaw, S.
Self-Determination A key to success in
postsecondary education for students with
learning disabilities.
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Retention

• Specialized academic advisor
• Awareness of distance learning programs and
  course requirements
• Coordination of development of appropriate
  assessments and teaching styles to accommodate
  disability
• Proactive contact
• Spotting early signs of trouble
• Coaching in good learning practices and student
  responsibilities
• Reinforcement of available services
• Advocate with faculty and staff

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Campus Awareness

• Provide representation for disabled students on
  campus committees or groups
• Facilitate targeted meetings for faculty and
  staff on various types of disabilities and their
  particular challenges in the context of DL
• Encourage campus disabled student groups to
  include DL students

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Coordinate Collaboration

• Identify specialization of each department
• Ensure clear policies and procedures are in place
• Encourage regular meetings to identify problem
  areas
• Serve as a resource and sounding board for staff,
  faculty and students
• Promote coordinated evaluations

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Liaison

• Bring administration into the process
• Administration recognition is essential to
  bringing all of the partners on board and
  providing adequate funding
• Collaborate with outside agencies that provide
  services to the disabled and make them part of
  the college team for student success
• Identify other colleges, schools, businesses and
  nonprofit agencies that can help provide
  proctoring, internships, practicum and other aid
  to disabled students in their communities

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Coaching/Advocacy Model

• Demands accountability from all participants in
  the process
• Students
• Faculty
• Staff
• Disability services and agencies
• Accountability
• Problem Solving
• Success