Disability Resource Center
University of Minnesota Twin Cities�
Accommodations, Access, & Inclusion for Students with Disabilities
College in the Schools Instructor Information Guide
Table of Contents
Social Model of Disability
Human beings are diverse in bodies and minds.
Abilities shift throughout our lives, settings, cultures, and roles.
Societies set up disabling structures to fit only certain bodies, minds, and abilities which excludes, allows violence, discriminates against, & stigmatizes some body/minds.
Disability
Natural human differences
+ Oppression and violence
Individual & cultural experience
Social Model
Shifting perspectives on disability
Image credit: Disabled And Here
Medical & rehab model perspectives
Social model & disability community perspectives
ADA Definition of Disability
The Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended states a disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities:
Sleeping Walking Standing
Seeing Hearing Breathing
Speaking Concentrating Self-Care
Learning Working Reading
ADA 1990; ADAAA 2008
What are the most common disabilities we work with?
Differences Between High School and College
High School (IDEA) | College (ADA) |
IEP or 504 Plan | Accommodation Letter |
Accommodations are determined by a team of Counselor, Parents/Guardians, Teachers | Accommodations are determined through the interactive process (student, faculty, and AC). |
Accommodations = Success; May modify course objectives | Accommodations = Access; Should not compromise essential course objectives |
School’s responsibility to share IEP or 504 Plan with teachers. | Student’s responsibility to request accommodation letter to be shared with instructors. |
Parents/Guardians are usually involved. | Parents/Guardians are not usually involved (unless you fill out a ROI form). |
Student Responsibilities
Instructor Responsibilities
All accommodation letters and DRC communication is through university email
Our Process:
Connecting with the DRC
Common Barriers and Potential Accommodations
Distraction, attention, worry, intrusive thoughts, noise, overstimulation
Difficulty with interpersonal interactions
Need for clear guidance, check-ins for independent processes / assignments
Distraction, difficulty sequencing information, or splitting attention
Barriers
Low-distraction testing environment
Student initiates participation
Regular feedback sessions with instructor
Peer note taker/slides in advance
Accommodations
NOTE: Accommodations are determined on an individual case-by-case basis, and are not tied to a specific diagnosis. The above barriers and accommodations are examples and may or may not be appropriate/reasonable even if a student is experiencing the specified barrier.
There is no “menu” of accommodations and a diagnosis doesn’t lead to a specific or the same accommodation as other students with the same diagnosis.
Resources
170 McNamara Alumni Center
200 Oak Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Thank You!