Working with Students with Disabilities
Overview
Faculty and staff with disabilities add to the diversity of the university community. In order to create an inclusive campus, it is important to be aware of architectural, attitudinal, communication, and program barriers that may exist, and to remove or lessen those barriers to insure individuals with disabilities meaningful access to the programs, services, and benefits offered at Oregon State University. The biggest barriers people with disabilities often face, and the hardest barriers to remove, are the attitudes and assumptions of others.
For more information on working with students with disabilities, please visit the Faculty Information page on The Americans with Disabilities Act.
Information on DAS Services
- Alternative Formats
- Alternative Testing Services
- Notetaking Services
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing Access Services
General Awareness
- Be careful not make assumptions about an individual based on his or her disability.
- Life experiences, combined with the nature and duration of a disability, strongly influence the educational adaptations developed by people with disabilities.
- People with disabilities are impacted in a variety of different ways. Two people with the same disability may require very different accommodations.
- Individuals with non-visible disabilities have needs that are just as real as those of persons with visible disabilities.
- Expect students with a disability to meet the same standards of performance as all other students. They are here because of their abilities, not their disabilities.
- All information about a person's disability is confidential. If having a discussion with a student about his/her needs, move to a private area.
Communication
- Speak to the person with a disability as you would to any person. Focus on the person, not the disability.
- A person with a disability may appreciate assistance. However, it is advisable to ask first.
- Use "person first" language. (e.g., person who uses a wheelchair, student who is blind).
- Speak directly to an individual with a disability and not to an interpreter or an attendant.
- Individuals who are blind are not generally hard of hearing. Don't raise your voice when speaking.
- When speaking with persons who have speech impairments, do not finish their sentences to save time and do not pretend to have understand what they're saying if you haven't. It is fine to ask someone to repeat themselves.
- When speaking for any extended period of time with a person who uses a wheelchair, sit down so that you are at the same level.
Resources