My name is Scott. I am a 19-year-old engineering student with muscular dystrophy. I use a powered wheelchair for mobility. An important part of the first year of my engineering program involves work on computer-aided design programs in the engineering computer lab.
John has a learning disability which affects auditory processing. Like many students with invisible disabilities, such as learning and psychological impairments, he is sensitive to the attitudes and perceptions of fellow classmates and instructors regarding his need for a notetaker in class. He is reluctant to announce this need among his classmates, fearing perceptions of preferential treatment, invalid reasons, and negative stereotyping (e.g., that he is lazy or stupid).
I'm Ken, a sophomore studying child psychology. I have an expressive language disability and I'm also a very poor speller.
This semester, two of my psychology courses require written exams. Even though I do all right with multiple choice and short answer tests, I have a hard time completing written exams that are timed. For my assignments I use a word processor with the grammar and spell checker options rather successfully. However, a computer will not be available for my exams.
My name is Caryn. I am an 18-year-old freshman entering a small private university. I am studying the visual arts and eventually plan to attend graduate school for a masters in fine arts.
My name is Robbie and I am blind. I have been using computers for several years and consider myself "computer-proficient". I access the computer via a combination of speech output (Jaws for Windows™) and a dynamic Braille display. I am presently enrolled in the Computer Programming program at the local community college. One of the courses required in the program is Database Concepts. The Database Application used in this course is Microsoft Access, an application that is run under Microsoft Windows™, a point-and-click environment.
The exam must be accessible to the student with a disability. If the exam in its existing format is not accessible (e.g., a printed exam is not accessible to a blind student) you are required to work with the student and disabled student services staff to provide appropriate accommodations (e.g., a reader or scribe, a Braille or electronic version of the test).
Discuss the exam format, location, supervision options, and time limit with the student and disabled student services staff. You or a teaching assistant could arrange to supervise the test or the disabled student services office could provide a test proctor as an accommodation.
If the student has a documented disability, is registered with the campus disabled student services office, and requires the adaptive technology to access the test, using a computer is an accommodation not an advantage. The student and disabled student services staff can work with you to assist with setting up the test accommodations, determining the test location, and providing a test proctor if needed.
Contact the disability student services office. They can provide a copyright release form to safeguard materials. You can also request that all recorded materials are erased at the end of each quarter or semester.
It is best to set up a private meeting with the student and state that you have noticed she becomes very anxious in response to stressful academic situations. Ask the student what support measures she would find helpful in reaching his optimal performance. Do not ask her if (or suggest that) she has a disability, but encourage her to make use of a list of campus resources (that may include the disabled student services office) that she might find appropriate.