In-class accommodations are not the only way to assist students with disabilities at OSU. We recognize that many of our students rely on their academic and program advisors for guidance during their studies. Below are some useful advising tips for working with students with disabilities.
General Awareness
- Students are not required to disclose disability information their advisor, depending on their needs/comfort level they may or may not disclose information to you about their disability.
- Expect students with disabilities to meet same standards of performance, they are here because of their abilities
- Two people with the same disability can be effected very differently
- Students with temporary injuries may also be eligible to receive temporary accommodations through Disability Access Services
Best Practices
Questions to ask students experiencing academic issues:
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What specifically seems to be causing you the most difficulty (ex. studying, exams, focusing in class, etc…)?
Listen for specific behaviors that pose the greatest opportunity for the student that are uncommon for most students. Sometimes students begin to recognize specific academic struggles as their norm and may go undiagnosed for years.
While the following statements are not definitive indicators of a disability, they could be a sign that something else is going on for this student- It always takes me so much longer to finish my homework than my friends
- I have to read things several times and still don’t know what I’ve read
- I can’t take more than 9 credits and be successful
- I’ve always struggled in school
- I study for hours and know the information and then can’t show what I know on the test
- I never have enough time to finish my exam
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Have you struggled with this in the past?
If no, ask follow up questions to determine what has changed recently that may be impacting the student academically.
If yes, ask about strategies they used in the past, and how they helped. Some students with disabilities learn strategies that help them overcome obstacles in the K-12 system but they no longer produce the same results in college. -
Are you using any student service resources? What resources have you used?
If you are uncertain whether a student has a disability, mention DAS along with the other campus resources like the academic success center, tutoring services, or writing center. Include DAS as another campus resource that might be able to help them determine what else is impacting them academically.
Students Using DAS
If students list Disability Access Services as one of the resources they use, or disclose that they have a disability, some useful questions are:
- Have you registered with DAS for accommodations?
- Have you requested accommodations this term, and completed all of your requirements?
Students are responsible for managing their accommodations through their individualized online services account. If they choose to use eligible accommodations in a course their instructor is notified when the student submits the request in their individual online services account.
Students have the option of selecting what classes they would like to use eligible accommodations in, they are not required to use approved accommodations.
Things to consider when developing a schedule
- If the disability impacts mobility: it may be difficult for students to have courses scheduled back-to-back because the disability may impact the students’ ability to travel across campus quickly.
- If the disability impacts alertness or requires a student to take medication: If a medication affects a student’s ability to be alert during certain times in the day (i.e. in the morning) it may be helpful to take this into consideration during course scheduling.
- If a student has a learning disability/ADD/ADHD: The impacts of the disability may be lessened by the type of teaching style, course type, structure, and organization. If there are several different instructors teaching a course it may be worth asking the student if they have found a learning style that works best for them? Also, helping students find balance in a course schedule can help make the term more manageable. For example, a student with dyslexia may want to avoid taking several classes that require extensive reading and writing at the same time.
How do students register for accommodations with DAS?
- Students must submit an online registration form (link) and submit documentation of a disability from a qualified professional.
- DAS reviews the documentation and determines accommodations.
- Students are notified via email once the review process is complete. The email includes a list of accommodations that they are eligible for, and instructions to schedule an orientation (in person or over the phone) with a DAS advisor. The orientation must be completed before the student can use accommodations.
During a DAS orientation, students receive the following:
- Access to their personal DAS Online Services account.
- Information about and explanation of policies and procedures related to their accommodation.
- Walk-through of the accommodation request process.
- Demonstration of any assistive technology used for their accommodations.
Process for receiving accommodations
If students are determined eligible for academic accommodations, they are responsible for requesting them through their DAS Online Services account.
Students can access their account on the DAS website, http://ds.oregonstate.edu. They will need their ONID username and password to sign in. Once students register for classes with the university, their classes will automatically populate in their DAS account (this process can take 24-48 hours). They will need to click the boxes next to each class where they want to request accommodations. Next, they choose which of their accommodations they wish to use for each class. DAS advisors approve the requests and notify the course faculty via email. DAS and faculty collaborate to provide reasonable accommodations.