Re: College ADA procedures

[Guest guest]

It is much easier to advocate via email. My son has different issues but we have a letter sent "from" my son before each class stating the issues and necessary accomodations.

( ) College ADA procedures

Well, our son finally decided to 'declare' his Asperger's with the College disabilities office. We met with a College Psychologist yesterday and discussed the various accommodations that he is entitled to due to the ADA.Our son has a very difficult time asking for help of any kind, and also hates the idea of being viewed as helpless. So, while the psych was asking if he might need help with this or that, he was acting as if he wouldn't need most of the help, and there I was, saying that I believe he could benefit from the assistance. lol In my opinion, it didn't seem as if he had many 'rights'... They did mention longer testing sessions in a less distracted environment and getting copies of screen presentations printed on paper. However there were some classes he has been interested in, or even tried to take previously and dropped, where group projects were required. Or presentations. He could not manage in those situations. The College Psychologist said that my son could contact the individual professors for any of these courses and see if he could substitute a written project or analysis (etc) for the group/presentation portions. However, he said it would be up to the individual professor to decide if he would make any of these accommodations. This presents a real road block for our son as he is very anxious about asking a professor for special provisions and would likely accept whatever the professor suggested, rather than discuss it further. I was told that the professor can apparently state that the accommodations "alter the structure of the course" and deny them on that basis. This leaves our son with trying to negotiate course content in these instances, difficult for an aspie with significant social issues.Any experience or suggestions with this topic would be greatly appreciated.thank youMelani

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[Guest guest]

Most college professors are pretty flexible with this stuff and will make

reasonable accommodations. I'd be shocked if more than one professor during a 4

year program refuses. They want the student to work hard in their class and to

learn. As long as your son isn't using it to avoid work, I think it would

rarely be a problem. Sure they are inflexible with students missing tests,

deadlines, or anything else involving a student avoiding work, but this is

different.

Even if the professor initially states 'no', I would write a follow up email

explaining the situation, and offering a solution that involves at least as much

and preferably more work. If he simply is unable to talk to the professor, then

maybe going the email route alone would work, but I think talking (even

awkwardly) helps. You could even sit down together and draft a good general

email letter explaining his situation.

I think the bigger problem will be in getting your son to ask for the help. If

he can manage it, he should talk to the professor, explain his disability, and

ask if there is anything else that he can do. Maybe he could work out a

creative work around to presentations like a tape recorder and words written on

posters...worst case scenario is that he'd get a " C " on the presentation.

-

PS If he can manage it, have him show up early to his classes and sit in the

front center. Professors are a lot more flexible when they know a student is

showing up and making a good effort.

>

> Well, our son finally decided to 'declare' his Asperger's with the College

> disabilities office. We met with a College Psychologist yesterday and

> discussed the various accommodations that he is entitled to due to the ADA.

>

> Our son has a very difficult time asking for help of any kind, and also

> hates the idea of being viewed as helpless. So, while the psych was asking

> if he might need help with this or that, he was acting as if he wouldn't

> need most of the help, and there I was, saying that I believe he could

> benefit from the assistance. lol

>

> In my opinion, it didn't seem as if he had many 'rights'... They did mention

> longer testing sessions in a less distracted environment and getting copies

> of screen presentations printed on paper. However there were some classes

> he has been interested in, or even tried to take previously and dropped,

> where group projects were required. Or presentations. He could not manage

> in those situations. The College Psychologist said that my son could

> contact the individual professors for any of these courses and see if he

> could substitute a written project or analysis (etc) for the

> group/presentation portions. However, he said it would be up to the

> individual professor to decide if he would make any of these accommodations.

> This presents a real road block for our son as he is very anxious about

> asking a professor for special provisions and would likely accept whatever

> the professor suggested, rather than discuss it further. I was told that

> the professor can apparently state that the accommodations " alter the

> structure of the course " and deny them on that basis. This leaves our son

> with trying to negotiate course content in these instances, difficult for an

> aspie with significant social issues.

>

> Any experience or suggestions with this topic would be greatly appreciated.

> thank you

> Melani

>

[Guest guest]

I don't have advice, but I think at least he is working on getting help, that is a step in the right direction. Hopefully he will have some understanding professors and he will get some accomodations.SuzanneSent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®From: iamgr8ful <iamgr8ful@...>Sender: Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:08:44 -0600< >Reply Subject: ( ) College ADA procedures Well, our son finally decided to 'declare' his Asperger's with the College disabilities office.  We met with a College Psychologist yesterday and discussed the various accommodations that he is entitled to due to the ADA.Our son has a very difficult time asking for help of any kind, and also hates the idea of being viewed as helpless.  So, while the psych was asking if he might need help with this or that, he was acting as if he wouldn't need most of the help, and there I was, saying that I believe he could benefit from the assistance. lol  In my opinion, it didn't seem as if he had many 'rights'... They did mention longer testing sessions in a less distracted environment and getting copies of screen presentations printed on paper.  However there were some classes he has been interested in, or even tried to take previously and dropped, where group projects were required.  Or presentations.  He could not manage in those situations.  The College Psychologist said that my son could contact the individual professors for any of these courses and see if he could substitute a written project or analysis (etc) for the group/presentation portions.  However, he said it would be up to the individual professor to decide if he would make any of these accommodations. This presents a real road block for our son as he is very anxious about asking a professor for special provisions and would likely accept whatever the professor suggested, rather than discuss it further.  I was told that the professor can apparently state that the accommodations " alter the structure of the course " and deny them on that basis.  This leaves our son with trying to negotiate course content in these instances, difficult for an aspie with significant social issues.Any experience or suggestions with this topic would be greatly appreciated.thank youMelani

[Guest guest]

Thank you for the reply.  I think that email is the way to go.  The disabilities office did give him a typed out letter explaining he is part of their program now.  He is going to try and give it to one of his current professors today, but he's all caught up in the possible things the professor might ask him and that he won't have a prepared answer.  The letter states the basics he agreed to ask for ...  extra time and a less distracted environment for exams.  But he is taking deep breaths and flip flopping on whether he will actually give it to the professor today. So ... we'll see.

I am giving the following information to illustrate the type of 'student' he is, and hope it isn't viewed in any other way.  He is in his 4th year and has a very high gpa. He has missed one or maybe two class periods in his 3 full yrs so far, and always shows up early but stands outside the door until a minute or two before class starts as the " constant chatter and cell phone calls " of all the students in the class bothers him.  (a little OCD about that)  And you are right, he would be willing to do more work, or a more extensive individual project, just to be able to take his needed classes.

But, he nearly always has to drop a class and redo his whole schedule during the first weeks of a semester; as soon as he learns a group project, class discussions, or multiple presentations are required.And, yes, the problem with him is having a back and forth discussion with professors.  He has been able to ask a question of them, but he does not 'discuss'.

I appreciate the help.  We have spent so long trying to get him to acknowledge the ASD and declare it with the appropriate office at his school. I had hoped that was the hurdle (fantasy thinking, I'm sure) , but now we have new hurdles. lol

thanks,MelaniOn Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 6:59 AM, bucaroobonzai2003 <bucaroobonzai2003@...> wrote:

 

Most college professors are pretty flexible with this stuff and will make reasonable accommodations. I'd be shocked if more than one professor during a 4 year program refuses. They want the student to work hard in their class and to learn. As long as your son isn't using it to avoid work, I think it would rarely be a problem. Sure they are inflexible with students missing tests, deadlines, or anything else involving a student avoiding work, but this is different.

Even if the professor initially states 'no', I would write a follow up email explaining the situation, and offering a solution that involves at least as much and preferably more work. If he simply is unable to talk to the professor, then maybe going the email route alone would work, but I think talking (even awkwardly) helps. You could even sit down together and draft a good general email letter explaining his situation.

I think the bigger problem will be in getting your son to ask for the help. If he can manage it, he should talk to the professor, explain his disability, and ask if there is anything else that he can do. Maybe he could work out a creative work around to presentations like a tape recorder and words written on posters...worst case scenario is that he'd get a " C " on the presentation.

-

PS If he can manage it, have him show up early to his classes and sit in the front center. Professors are a lot more flexible when they know a student is showing up and making a good effort.

[Guest guest]

Thanks.  They gave him a letter that he is to take to his professors and then discuss the options.  This is quite difficult for him.  I like your process MUCH better.  I'll ask the disabilities director if we can email these letters to the professors.

MelaniOn Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 9:30 PM, Debra Balke

It is much easier to advocate via email.  My son has different issues but we have a letter sent " from " my son before each class stating the issues and necessary accomodations.

[Guest guest]

Suzanne,I appreciate the encouragement and am hopeful as well!thank you, MelaniOn Wed, Dec 1, 2010 at 7:29 AM, <suzmarkwood@...> wrote:

I don't have advice, but I think at least he is working on getting help, that is a step in the right direction. Hopefully he will have some understanding professors and he will get some accommodations.

Suzanne

[Guest guest]

Try to get him to agree to simply email the professor before he decides against

a class and before he changes his schedule over some group project/presentation.

If he gets positive feedback from the professors, it should work itself out once

he starts doing this.

-

>

> >

> >

> > Most college professors are pretty flexible with this stuff and will make

> > reasonable accommodations. I'd be shocked if more than one professor during

> > a 4 year program refuses. They want the student to work hard in their class

> > and to learn. As long as your son isn't using it to avoid work, I think it

> > would rarely be a problem. Sure they are inflexible with students missing

> > tests, deadlines, or anything else involving a student avoiding work, but

> > this is different.

> >

> > Even if the professor initially states 'no', I would write a follow up

> > email explaining the situation, and offering a solution that involves at

> > least as much and preferably more work. If he simply is unable to talk to

> > the professor, then maybe going the email route alone would work, but I

> > think talking (even awkwardly) helps. You could even sit down together and

> > draft a good general email letter explaining his situation.

> >

> > I think the bigger problem will be in getting your son to ask for the help.

> > If he can manage it, he should talk to the professor, explain his

> > disability, and ask if there is anything else that he can do. Maybe he could

> > work out a creative work around to presentations like a tape recorder and

> > words written on posters...worst case scenario is that he'd get a " C " on the

> > presentation.

> >

> > -

> >

> > PS If he can manage it, have him show up early to his classes and sit in

> > the front center. Professors are a lot more flexible when they know a

> > student is showing up and making a good effort.

> >

>