Serving Students With Disabilities at NJCU - New Jersey City ...

Serving Students with Disabilities at
New Jersey City University
The Office of Specialized Services
Jennifer Aitken-Director, Office of Specialized Services
Tracy Amerman-Chair, Department of Special Education
Alissa Koval-Dhaliwal, Psychologist, University Counseling Center

Definition of Disability in the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Mental or Physical Condition
• Substantial Limitation
▫ Significantly restricted as to the condition, manner, or
duration compared to the condition, manner, or duration
under which the average person in the general population
can perform that same major life activity.
• Major Life Activity
▫ Major life activities include but are not limited to: caring for
oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating,
sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking,
breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking,
communicating and working.

Section 504 of
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
protects the rights of individuals with disabilities in
programs and activities that receive federal funds.
Section 504 provides that: “No otherwise qualified
individual with a disability in the United States . . .
shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be
excluded from the participation in, be denied the
benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under
any program or activity receiving Federal financial
assistance . . .” 1
1
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. 794

Higher Education and Disabilities in NJ
• No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by
reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be
denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a
public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity.
• Otherwise Qualified-A person must be able to meet the technical
and academic qualifications for entry into the school, program, or
activity in order to be considered otherwise qualified.

Obligations in Higher Education
Institutional
• Provide reasonable
accommodations for the
student’s known disabilities
• Demonstrate a good faith
effort to provide the student
with meaningful access
Student
• Self identify that she/he has a
disability
• Provide appropriate
documentation of disability
• Request accommodations

Documentation Required by the University
▫ Medical Records
▫ Psychiatric Evaluation
▫ Results of Diagnostic Assessment
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Psychological Evaluation (WAIS)
Educational/Learning Assessment

Serving Students & Faculty
Accommodations: Testing
• Distraction limited
environment
• Spell-check or hand-held
speller
• Word processing for essay
exams
• Extended time (in face to
face and online courses)
• Calculator
• Text-to-speech software
for reading support
Reasonable Accommodations

Serving Students & Faculty
Accommodations: In the Classroom
• Sign language interpreter
• Assistive listening systems
• Providing hand-outs in electronic format
• Note-taking support:
▫ Student note-takers
AlphaSmart/NEO/dana
▫ Tape-recording lectures
Pulse Pen

Serving Students and Faculty
Accommodations: Assignments
• Installing special software in
computer labs and/or libraries:
▫
▫
▫
▫
Screen magnification for a student
with visual impairments
Talking word-processing for
students with learning disabilities
Scan/read systems for students with
learning disabilities or visual
impairments
Making course web sites (or online
course systems) accessible

Serving Students and Faculty
Assistive Technology
• Ways we work with students and faculty
▫ Teaching students to use technology as
a reasonable accommodation
▫ Partnership with Adaptive Technology
Center for NJ Colleges at TCNJ
The College of New Jersey:
Adaptive Technology Center
For New Jersey Colleges

Breakdown of Disabilities
Physical Disability/Mobility Impairment
Visual Impairment
Hearing Impairment
Psychological/Psychiatric/Spectrum Disorders
Learning Disabilities

What is a Learning Disability?
• A learning disability is a neurological disorder.
• Students with LD have average to above average intelligence and
demonstrate a discrepancy between potential and achievement.

Common Learning Disabilities
• Dyslexia – a language-based disability in which a person has trouble
understanding written words. It may also be referred to as reading
disability or reading disorder.
• Dyscalculia – a mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult
time solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.
• Dysgraphia – a writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form
letters or write within a defined space.
• Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders – sensory disabilities in
which a person has difficulty understanding language despite normal
hearing and vision.
• Nonverbal Learning Disabilities – a neurological disorder which
originates in the right hemisphere of the brain, causing problems with
visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational, evaluative and holistic
processing functions.

Challenges These Students May Face
Recall
Reading Comprehension
Reading Fluency
Organization
Time Management
Anxiety
Spelling
Social Challenges

Psychological/Emotional/Spectrum Disorders
Bipolar Disorder
ADD/ADHD
Depression
Anxiety Disorder
Schizophrenia
Asperger Syndrome
Autism

Challenges These Students May Face
Extreme Anxiety
Confusion
Extreme Emotional Responses
Off Topic Behavior
Off Task Behavior
Egocentricity
Social Challenges

HOW CAN THE COUNSELING CENTER HELP
YOU?
• We can discuss with you:
▫ Concerns about student behavior
▫ Strategies for classroom management
▫ Questions about mental health diagnoses
▫ You may also visit our website at:
http://web.njcu.edu/dept/counselingcenter for additional
information and resources.
▫ We cannot discuss whether a particular student is or has been a
client of the Counseling Center unless that student has provided
us with written permission to release the information to you.

HOW CAN THE OSS HELP YOU?
• We can discuss with you:
▫ Appropriate accommodations
▫ Policies and procedures
▫ Individual cases
▫ Disability-specific questions
▫ Legal responsibilities of colleges/universities
▫ Documentation requirements
▫ Teaching strategies to assist all learners
• You may also visit our website at:
http://web.njcu.edu/programs/oss for additional information
and resources.
• We cannot discuss a particular student’s disability or status in
OSS unless the student self-disclosed to you.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
• Syllabus Statement (e.g., If there is any student in this class
who has special needs because of learning disabilities or other
disabilities please contact the Office of Specialized Services @ 201-
200-2557)
• Make Appropriate Referrals
• Be Firm
• Be Consistent
• Establish clear guidelines
• Try to avoid last minute changes
• When possible use multisensory approach

Remember
• Be sensitive, provide reasonable supports, but
always maintain academic and behavioral
standards.