Academic Accommodations Research Articles

Tic-Related School Problems: Impact on Functioning, Accommodations, and Interventions

Children with Tourette's syndrome (TS) are statistically overrepresented in special education classes; however, the extent to which tics contribute to such placement is unclear. In this article, the results of a survey of parents or guardians of 71 children and adolescents with TS are described within the broader context of discussing the impact of tics and educational practices. One half of the respondents reported moderate to significant tic-related academic impact, and 48% reported moderate to significant tic-related peer problems. Peer education and in-school counseling were generally not offered nor provided. In the minority of cases where behavioral interventions for tics were reported, contingent aversive consequences were reported to be ineffective or counterproductive, while positive reinforcement for modifying tics reportedly produced some successful results. The identification of research-validated academic accommodations and increased involvement of school psychologists are suggested as necessary and potentially helpful supports for students with TS and their teachers.

Cognitive functioning in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis

To examine cognitive functioning in children with multiple sclerosis (MS). The authors examined the neuropsychological profile of 37 children with a diagnosis of clinically definite MS and assessed the associations between cognitive function and clinical features. Of 37 children and adolescents evaluated, 35% demonstrated significant cognitive impairment. Cognitive functioning was strongly related to several clinical variables, including current Expanded Disability Status Scale, total number of relapses, and total disease length. The consequences of MS adversely affected academic functioning in over a third of the children. Cognitive deficits occur in children with multiple sclerosis. Comprehensive treatment planning should involve recognition that they may require academic accommodations for their education.

University quality of life and learning (UNIQoLL): An approach to student well-being, satisfaction and institutional change

Institutional self-evaluation is becoming increasingly pertinent as the student population becomes more diverse and higher education institutions become more customer focused. This paper describes the philosophy and early stages of a large-scale institutional self-evaluation project, based at and funded by the University of Leeds. UNIQoLL (UNIversity Quality of Life and Learning) aims to monitor student well-being over time, on a university-wide basis. It explores students' perceptions of strengths and weaknesses in the university's academic and service infrastructure and the relationship of these perceptions to student well-being. It aims to 'close the loop' by facilitating change in academic and service infrastructure in the light of emerging findings in order to enhance the student experience. The focus on student psychological well-being in addition to satisfaction, the longitudinal approach and the university- wide scope make UNIQoLL unique as a system of institutional self-evaluation. A pilot study in which 23 departments ( n =3667 students) participated is described to illustrate the procedures and underlying philosophy of UNIQoLL. Selected findings from two pilot surveys are presented to illustrate the potential of the project in providing relevant and useful information for academic departments, university support services and university managers. Illustrative data relating to academic issues, accommodation, student finances and student well-being are presented. Long-term success of an institutional self-evaluation project like UNIQoLL depends on the active cooperation of and ownership of findings by departments, students and university agencies. It also needs procedures to be sufficiently rigorous to generate robust findings and yet be sufficiently manageable to be feasible and sustainable.

The Impact of Academic Accommodations on Final Grades in a Postsecondary Setting

The purpose of this study was to determine whether postsecondary students with learning disabilities (LD) and/or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) experienced a differential increase in end-of-term grades when they used academic accommodations required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), with verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores serving as a baseline predictor. There is little empirical evidence to confirm or refute the effectiveness of accommodations for postsecondary students with LD and/or ADD, highlighting the need for more statistical and comparative studies to clarify if these students benefit from specific ADA-related academic accommodations. In this study, students with ADD and LD plus ADD experienced a significant boost in grades after using accommodations, though there were mixed results for students with LD.

A Deal with the Devil: Practicalities vs Academic Accommodations in Teaching First Year Poetry Writing at Malaspina University-College

I have lost count of the number of first year CW poetry students who have come up to me at about mid-semester and announced with innocent sincerity: “I didn’t know it was this hard to write a good poem!” I do know that the realisation of the effort in art and craft involved in poetry grows steadily with students in each succeeding year of CW workshops. I also do not know if a future Nobel Prize poet will emerge from a lonely garret somewhere beyond any CW class, or whether they will have taken a degree in CW at a University where a “deal” has been struck with the academic world. But despite all the academic accommodations involved in teaching CW poetry writing, I do know that many, many students who have taken CW classes will certainly appreciate the books of poetry which are published, attend poetry readings, and have a life-long appreciation of the tremendous demands of art and craft involved in writing a fine poem.

Chronic Illness and Academic Accommodation: Meeting Disabled Students' "unique needs" and Preserving the Institutional Order of the University

Chronic Illness and Academic Accommodation: Meeting Disabled Students' "unique needs" and Preserving the Institutional Order of the University

Social Work Admissions and Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

ABSTRACT The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) protects students wth disabilities from discrimination by academic and professional programs in higher education. A student with a disability cannot be denied admission to an educational program because of his or her disability if the student is otherwise qualified. This means that a student with a disability who is qualified for an academic or professional educational program cannot be denied admission to a program based solely on the student&s disability. This educational requirement mandated by the ADA applies to all educational fields including social work education. The purpose of this study was to explore how social work programs are dealing with these requirements in their admission and academic accommodation procedures. Twelve social work programs located in the mid-western United States participated in the study. Representatives of each of these programs were given an in-depth interview focusing on their admissions process, academic accommodations, and general topics related to social work education and disabilities. All programs taking part in the research were accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The CSWE is the national accreditation body for social work education within the United States.

Disability Services and College Students with Psychiatric Disabilities

Abstract Weiner (1999) has suggested that the process of accepting a disability and its associated limitations is often protracted for students with psychiatric disabilities, thus leaving many students unable to fully participate in services or in the design of academic accommodations. This research examines the relationship between psychiatric disability identity and use of academic accommodation services for 57 undergraduates with psychiatric impairments who are experiencing problems in their academic functioning. Willingness to utilize services was related to students' identification as having a psychiatric disability. Social work interventions are needed to support students in accepting psychiatric disabilities while concurrently crafting necessary accommodations.

Assessment of upper extremity role functioning in students.

Upper extremity symptoms associated with use of computers and other upper extremity activities are common in students. Research on these disorders requires psychometrically sound measures of health-related student role function; no such measure is available currently. Based upon input from students and clinicians, we developed a 10-item scale to measure student health-related role function. The measure was administered as part of a survey of 193 undergraduates at one university. A follow-up survey was administered 1 month later. The student health-related role function questionnaire was assessed for internal consistency, ceiling effects, convergent and discriminant validity, and responsiveness to self-reported change in functional status. Eighty-two percent of students who were given the survey completed it and 65% completed a follow-up survey 1 month later. The new measure was reliable (Cronbach's alpha 0.87). Forty-six percent of respondents reported "no difficulty" on all items of the health-related student role function measure while 64% reported "no difficulty" on all items of a generic upper extremity functional status measure. This finding indicates that the new measure was better able to detect functional limitations; it had a less prominent ceiling effect. The new measure had moderately high correlations with measures of symptom severity and pain, documenting convergent validity. It distinguished students who utilized clinician services, medications, or academic accommodation from students who did not utilize these resources, documenting discriminant validity. The measure was responsive to self-perceived change, as demonstrated by a highly significant association (P < 0.0001) between changes in score over a 1-month follow-up and students' perceptions of whether they had improved in functional abilities after the month, deteriorated or remained stable. The student health-related role functioning measure is reliable, valid and responsive to change. It is an appropriate measure for research on upper extremity symptoms in students.

Social Work Admissions and Academic Accommodations for Students With Disabilities: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) protects students with disabilities from discrimination by academic and professional programs in higher education. A student with a disability cannot be denied admission to an educational program because of his or her disability if the student is otherwise qualified. This means that a student with a disability who is qualified for an academic or professional educational program cannot be denied admission to a program based solely on the student's disability. This educational requirement mandated by the ADA applies to all educational fields including social work education. The purpose of this study was to explore how social work programs are dealing with these requirements in their admission and academic accommodation procedures. Twelve social work programs located in the mid-western United States participated in the study. Representatives of each of these programs were given an in-depth interview focusing on their admissions process, academic accommodations, and general topics related to social work education and disabilities. All programs taking part in the research were accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The CSWE is the national accreditation body for social work education within the United States.

Coordination of Rehabilitation Services in Higher Education for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities

In today’s technologically advanced society, post-secondary education is a necessity to obtain stable positions with competitive salaries and adequate benefits. Many young adults with psychiatric disabilities have the cognitive abilities and academic skills to attend and complete college; however, they face significant barriers in achieving these goals. This article describes the barriers experienced by young adults with psychiatric disabilities attempting post-secondary education and the navigation of these barriers. The role of the disability services office in the provision of academic accommodations, service coordination with other on-campus and off-campus agencies, promotion of self-advocacy skills, psychological support, and one-to-one coaching to facilitate completion of a degree program is also discussed.

Achieving Occupational Role: Accommodations for Students with Disability

The purpose of this paper is to describe background and strategies utilized by occupational therapy educators in conjunction with Disabled Students Services personnel and students with disabilities to effect academic accommodations that will enhance their chances for success in academia and subsequently in the practice of occupational therapy.

The Academic Support Program at the University of Michigan School of Medicine.

The University of Michigan has a support program aimed at early identification, remedial plans, and appropriate academic accommodations for at-risk students in under-graduate colleges and graduate and professional schools. Since 1994, the medical school has formally taken part in this program. Medical students at risk for academic failure (e.g., repeated failure in academic course work, licensure examinations, clinical examinations) are automatically referred to their academic counselors in the Student Programs Office of the medical school. Once a referral is made, the student is evaluated at the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities to identify problem areas. The office makes appropriate recommendations for interventions or accommodation. Tutoring, academic assistance, and other services are available through the medical school, specific divisions of the medical center, and the community. The Student Programs Office acts as a liaison between community and university assistance programs and between the student and the medical school. During the first four years of the program, 28 medical students were identified through it; of these, 24 (86%) were underrepresented minorities. Most (21) were referred during the first and third years of the curriculum. After a range of services for a variety of problems, 26 (93%) of the 28 students either graduated or continued to progress in their studies; the other two left the medical school for academic reasons.

Achieving Occupational Role: Accommodations for Students with Disability

The purpose of this paper is to describe background and strategies utilized by occupational therapy educators in conjunction with Disabled Students Services personnel and students with disabilities to effect academic accommodations that will enhance their chances for success in academia and subsequently in the practice of occupational therapy.

College Students with Attention Deficit Disorder

The population of students on college campuses diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is rapidly increasing. This article provides current information regarding the definition and diagnosis of ADD in adults and can assist counselors, advisors, faculty, student affairs administrators, and disability support staff with the determination of appropriate academic accommodations and support services, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Recommendations for networking with faculty and devising study strategies for students are proposed.

College Students with Attention Deficit Disorder

The population of students on college campuses diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is rapidly increasing. This article provides current information regarding the definition and diagnosis of ADD in adults and can assist counselors, advisors, faculty, student affairs administrators, and disability support staff with the determination of appropriate academic accommodations and support services, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Recommendations for networking with faculty and devising study strategies for students are proposed.

Toward the Formation of a “Cultural Mosaic”: A Case Study

This study describes an intervention designed to promote integration between Ethiopian and Israeli students (N = 93) in Grades 2 to 5 and adaptation of these immigrants to school norms of behavior and to discipline. The metaphor of “cultural mosaic” was used for describing the goal state. To achieve a comprehensive school reform, the curriculum was enacted on four levels: individual student, school and classroom, staff, and community (parents and local council). The intervention effects were evaluated in three domains via questionnaires, interviews, and observations – the domains being the academic, behavioral, and personal-social realms. Four stages were identified in the process: an opening stage, the euphoria stage, the setback stage, and the final stage of a new equilibrium. Results suggest that both the natives' and the immigrants' needs and difficulties have to be attended to in each of the stages. The social domain was found to be the most salient in the integration process, although integration within it may take less time and be more feasible than academic accommodation.

Brown v. Board of Education and the Americans with Disabilities Act: Vistas of Equal Educational Opportunities for African Americans

INTRODUCTIONPrior to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by Congress in 1990, persons with disabilities occupied a similar position in status to African Americans during the period of de jure segregation. Individuals with disabilities did not typically enjoy equal access to traditional American institutions and amenities such as public schools, transit services, hotel and restaurant accommodations, entertainment venues, and employment opportunities. Thus, discrimination and denial were common experiences for members of the disabled community. Comparable to the emancipation ideals of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954), the ADA is aimed at dismantling discriminatory practices that deprive persons with disabilities of the freedoms afforded nondisabled citizens.The significance of the ADA is reflected in the sheer number of persons that it potentially protects. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), there are 43 million persons in the United States with a chronic or permanent impairment resulting from disease, injury, or congenital malformation (Adams & Benson, 1990). In comparison to the percentage (8%) of White Americans with disabilities, a much larger percentage (14%) of African Americans have one or more disabilities (Bowe, 1992). Bowe reports that an African American with a disability is more likely to be female, to have less than a high school education, and to be unemployed. Only 18% of African American with disabilities were employed in 1990, and they earned less than $10,000 a year on the average (Asbury, Walker, Maholmes, Rackley, & White, 1991).Given these statistics, it can be suggested that African Americans with disabilities experience the most severe underemployment, unemployment, undereducation, and miseducation compared to other disability groups. Thus, the empowerment objectives of the ADA have particular importance for African Americans with disabilities. Establishing a mandate of reasonable accommodations is one means of achieving the empowerment objective. A goal of the ADA's reasonable accommodations provision is to greatly increase the number of students with disabilities in primary, secondary, and postsecondary education. Reasonable accommodations may include providing academic program accommodations such as signers in the classroom, providing- students with learning disabilities additional time to complete tests, and obtaining special equipment for those with hearing impairments (Miles, Russo, & Gordon, 1991).As Russo, Harris, and Sandidge (1994) note, Brown and its progeny spawned an era of equal educational opportunities for African Americans. It demolished the separate-but-equal doctrine of Jim Crow segregation and endeavored to ensure equity in student representation, teacher training, pupil-teacher ratios, and physical plant facilities through integration (Salamone, 1986; Tushnet, 1994). Subsequently, Brown's initial thrust for equal educational opportunities has been strengthened by the ADA and other laws against discrimination on the bases of race and disability.The unique status o being African American and having a disability places one in the position of benefitting directly from both Brown and the ADA. An abundance of information exists chronicling the solidification of Brown, defining its meaning for African Americans, and describing implementation strategies. However, there is a paucity of literature examining how the ADA can improve the educational opportunities of African Americans with disabilities. Thus, since the ADA is the most sweeping antidiscrimination legislation since the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is especially crucial for educators and human service professionals to be familiar with how the mandates of the ADA can be utilized to achieve educational equity and to improve professional preparation for African Americans with disabilities.The purpose of this article is threefold. …

Legal Watch: The Academic Accommodation of Disabled Students

Legal Watch: The Academic Accommodation of Disabled Students

Students with learning disabilities

AbstractPostsecondary education bas become an option for increasing numbers of individuals with learning disabilities. College personnel must be prepared to provide academic adjustments and accommodations for the members of this growing population.