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DRC Learning Disabilities Extended Report

Students are responsible for providing documentation that supports the learning disability diagnosis and provides justification for the requested accommodation(s). Documentation should reflect the current impact of the learning disability in the student’s academic life and the functional limitations resulting from the learning disability (i.e.: an inability to take comprehensive course notes due to memory deficits). On a case-by-case basis the DRC will provide additional learning disability assessment for a student whose documentation is not current (3-5 years old) or does not meet the requirements for learning disability verification at the post-secondary level. Students requesting learning disability assessment to determine the presence of a learning disability must complete a comprehensive intake packet, which is reviewed by the DRC’s Educational Psychologist to determine eligibility for testing. Students can be self identified or referred to the DRC. All students are encouraged to meet with professional staff well in advance of the start of classes to discuss their academic needs and to set-up appropriate services.

One part-time Educational Psychologist is employed by the DRC to administer LD testing. Beyond testing, the Educational Psychologist conducts student “Intake Interviews,” interprets test results, writes formal Student Educational Plans, meets with students to explain and discuss student’s testing results, prescribes curriculum related accommodations, completes student applications for standardized exams such as: GRE, Occupational Therapy State Licensing Exam, Registered Nurse State Licensing Exam, CBEST, etc. Due to lack of funding, the LD Program does not provide educational therapy to students diagnosed with a specific Learning Disability or for students entering SJSU previously diagnosed; educational therapy is a critical component for student success and for learning outcomes. Funding continues to be a serious concern for the LD Program given that the DRC funds this program out of its General Fund, which has been dramatically reduced over the past years due to state budget cuts. The aforesaid concern will be compounded in the year 2007 as remediation courses will no longer be offered at CSU's under direction from the Chancellor’s Office. As is currently the situation, faculty, students and University programs are under the misconception that the DRC has “ample” funding to meet the needs of students requiring this specific type of support therefore referring a continuous flow of students for assistance. Moreover, faculty continues to refer students struggling with second language difficulties for LD testing. Given that all students referred for possible LD assessment meet with the Educational Psychologist, expenditures for this program will significantly increase without additional funding to the DRC’s general fund.

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Adaptive Technology Center Extended Report

Originally funded by a grant from the California Community Colleges Foundation, this adaptive computer lab opened its doors to students with disabilities in 1988 as the High Tech Center and continues today as the Emma E. Legg Adaptive Technology Center (ATC). The original High Tech Center employed two half-time staff and was located in Clark Library, the University’s main library. The DRC made the decision to locate the ATC within Clark Library based on inclusion for students with disabilities, direct proximity to library resources, and access to the ATC for students beyond DRC business operating hours. The ATC was available to DRC registered students as an “open lab” seven days a week in following the operation hours of Clark Library. For fifteen years, September 1988 until September 2003, the ATC operated in a room approximately 12 feet by 14 feet with 10 workstations. The room could only accommodate 5-7 students at any given hour and was open for training only between 10 am and 2 pm daily; evenings and weekends the room was un-staffed but open to students who worked independently. Even though space was limited, innovative, quality training was provided by virtue of well-trained dedicated staff committed to bringing access technology to the students and staff. Four Apple computers and one Kurzweil Reading Machine were used for training and open lab for 200 students. In 1992 six “high-end” PCs augmented the existing technology and in 1994 Internet access was implemented. These upgrades were funded solely by the DRC as grant funding was no longer available. Although the University did not provide the DRC with additional funding to maintain the ATC, the DRC took on this ancillary budget understanding the significance of the ATC and its need to maintain state-of-the-art technology and accessible furniture.

In response to an Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigation regarding access to technology for students with disabilities, Presidential Directive 98-02, Access to Technology and Computer Laboratories for Student with Disabilities, was instituted in 1998. PD 98-02 requires all University labs to provide appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities so that technology in all computer laboratories is accessible; PD 98-02 included standards for accessible workstations and the physical environment established by the DRC. Under the direction and support of the DRC, student labs across the University have become accessible to students with disabilities. The fluidity of training and technology use throughout campus allows students trained on this technology, both hardware and software, to independently use computer lab across campus.

In addition to training students and employees with disabilities, the ATC professional staff provides class presentations and hands-on experience at faculty requests. Tours are provided during DRC’s annual Community College Visiting Day and upon request.

Adaptive Technology Center Challenges

Both the professional staff and student technical assistants must possess a strong technology background as well as the ability to work with students with disabilities of all natures. As of Fall Semester 2003, in addition to two professional staff, the DRC hired six student technical assistants to provide technical assistance to students during all open hours including evenings and weekends (approximately 76 hours). This added support is extremely valuable to students whose schedules only allow them access to the ATC during evening and weekend hours. However, due to the nature of student hires, there are frequent changes in personnel, including work hours and the need for consistent in-service training.

The ATC currently faces budget constraints that will dovetail over the next several years affecting the maintenance and upgrading of the 60 computer workstations, as well as funding for student technical assistants. There is a current and on-going need for high-end computers capable of supporting newly developed adaptive software. The computers at these stations need robust Windows XP compatible hard-drives, net-workable color printers and scanners in order to maintain the current high level of training, it is imperative that this laboratory upgrade at least 15 workstations each year with state of the art computers to comply with legal requirements of assistive hardware and software for students and employees with disabilities.
Due to the rapidly changing software applications and hardware improvements there is a near constant tension for staff between obtaining the necessary knowledge and training on adaptive hardware/software and continuing to provide the highest level of training to a student/staff population which continues to grow in number.

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Sign-Language Interpreters and Educational Real-Time Captioners

Sign-Language Interpreters: For students who utilize sign language, Sign Language Interpreting is the most effective accommodation. Sign language, like spoken languages, is not universal. Students using American Sign Language (ASL) would not be able to understand other students using sign language from another country. In ASL, meaning is communicated through facial expression, body movements and manual signs. The classroom interpreter facilitates communication by translating spoken language into sign language. Interpreters cannot edit, interject opinions, offer advice or participate in class discussion. Interpreters must maintain utmost integrity when performing their function. Seventy-five percent of the sign language interpreters employed with DRC are RID certified (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf); this is an extraordinary percentage for a university setting as interpreters are not required to be RID certified. Interpreters employed at SJSU possess on an average approximately 10-15 years of interpreting experience in various settings. The RID National Testing System strives to maintain adherence to nationally recognized testing industry standards of validity, reliability, and equity. RID maintains affiliation with the National Organization of Competency Assurance (NOCA) which is the entity that sets national criteria for validity, reliability and fairness in testing and credentialing. To maintain RID certification, interpreters must attain CEU's to demonstrate continuing professional development in the area of interpreting. Aside from the RID requirements, each semester interpreters are evaluated by students and faculty members in order to ensure that the Deaf & HoH Program maintains the quality of services required for university-level material. The results of these evaluations are distributed to the employees allowing awareness of areas requiring further development.

Assistive Listening Devices

Assistive Listening Devices: Students who have residual hearing may benefit from an Assistive Listening Device (ALD) to enhance reception and reduce distortion. ALDs are used to improve the listening environment so that effective communication can take place. Last fiscal year the DRC owned ten state-of-the-art assistive listening devices. This year, the DRC purchased ten additional ALDs totaling twenty devices available for loan to registered Hard of Hearing students and employees. The DRC also purchased a new portable FM System on behalf of the University. With technical assistance from the Instructional Resource Center, the system was successfully utilized during Commencement 2003 and 2004. The new device produced static-free reception for individuals requesting this accommodation.

Notetaking Services

Deaf & HoH students also utilize notetaking services provided via the DRC. By collaborating with the Retention Program Specialist, Deaf & HoH students receive copies of lecture notes, lab notes and other information pertaining to a specific class in a timely fashion. Notetaking service is an important accommodation for the success of Deaf & HoH students; students are able to focus on interpreting/captioning services rather than concentrating on generating their own notes. Students utilize the notes as a supplement to information received during class lectures.

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Alternative Media Center Extended Report

The SJSU AMC in 1999 and for the next three years, was the only existing fully operational program producing alternative media in all of the twenty-three CSU's. The AMC is staffed part-time by two staff members with support from two student assistants. The AMC utilizes a cadre of state-of-the-art equipment and software in the production of alternative format. Printed or typed materials are converted to digital format and then translated into an appropriate media dependent on the individual accommodation, which is determined on a case-by-case-basis. The following types of media translation are provided: electronic text, Braille (including Nemeth, Braille for math; and Dancing Dots, Braille for music), graphics embossing, large print, and audio output. The AMC additionally produces alternative media for the campus community. AMC professional staff trains students and employees, using up to date technology, on accessing and reading their alternative media. Once the individual is trained, he/she can “read” their alternative media either at home or at the University. Students have the added convenience of using the same technology in the Adaptive Technology Center as the AMC is housed within the ATC.

The original population served through the AMC consisted of four students; today the AMC serves fifty students with disabilities in the following categories: blind, visual impairments, Learning Disability in the area of visual perception, quadriplegia, Cerebral Palsy and Muscular Dystrophy.

The AMC began building an electronic library as requests for textbooks are converted to electronic text; to date, the AMC library houses 450 electronic books on CD-ROM. This e-library allows the AMC to deliver curriculum required textbooks at the time of the student’s request. Publishers are contacted by the AMC for textbooks not available via the e-library, or are converted directly in the AMC to ensure students with access to the required print material in a timely manner.

Alternative Media Center Challenges

The AMC continues to experience difficulties in providing this service. As the number of users continues to increase, the AMC is challenged to meet the individual requirements of the users with limited number of staff and student assistants. AMC job duties were an addition to existing job duties of the two AMC professional staff. The additional job responsibilities require the staff to be educated and trained on the latest equipment, software, and laws applicable to alt media. As with the ATC, due to the rapidly changing software and hardware improvements there is a near constant tension for staff between obtaining the necessary knowledge and training on adaptive hardware/software, and the continuation to provide alt media while providing the highest level of training. Maintaining and training quality student assistants with technology backgrounds continues to be another challenge for the AMC. Student assistants receive numerous hours of training in the production of alt media, which can then be transferred to skills in the employment world. The AMC tends to loose student assistants to outside employment simply due to more competitive salaries. Yet another challenge for the AMC is working with publishers, especially out of state publishers, to obtain a “readable” alt format copy of their textbook. As with previous years, major publishing companies have systems in place to fill requests for electronic text. In general, however, these electronic files still need to be renamed and reorganized into a more logical file structure. Smaller publishers have no resources to fill requests; therefore, the AMC continues to produce those requested textbooks. Some publishers refuse to comply with the law and simply do not respond.

When publishers do not respond, or refuse to comply, SJSU is still legally obligated to provide the student with alternative format. The AMC must then produce the text. It was for this very reason the system wide CAM was established, to assist all twenty-three campuses in acquiring textbooks in alt format in a timely manner. However, CAM does not actually produce any textbooks; CAM merely houses a data base of all e-books for the twenty-three campuses which are than shared between campuses. The Chancellor’s Office requires each campus pay an annual CAM fee to support maintenance of the data base. This fee creates an additional budgetary hardship; DRC’s shared contribution to CAM this fiscal year is $5,000 (this fee does not guarantee that a book will be available). The operation cost to produce alt format continues to rise as new technology and supplies (i.e.: Braille paper, puffing paper) must be purchased to meet student needs.

 

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Retention Services Unit Extended Study

Students must meet with a DRC Counselor each semester to request services. This frequent interaction between student and counselor ensures appropriate accommodations for each individual course is not only prescribed, but also effective for student learning and access. All services and accommodations are recommended and prescribed on a case-by-case basis and must be tied to functional limitations presented by the student’s disability interfering with curriculum requirements. Services provided include, but are not limited to: priority registration, specific furniture placement in classrooms, accommodated exams, adaptive technology access for exams, private testing rooms; readers; scribes; note takers, lab/class assistants, and alternative format materials including enlarged type, Braille or electronic text. Services and accommodations are provided for all curriculum requirements including practicum, fieldwork, clinical work, university standardized exams (EPT/ELM, WST) etc. Depending on student needs, and curriculum requirements, there are times when DRC staff must become creative in prescribing and implementing accommodations.

Educational Assistants are hired and trained by the Accommodations Coordinator to assist in providing student accommodations. The DRC also loans out adaptive devices for classroom and off campus use; prior to checking out the equipment, the DRC trains students on the use and care of the equipment.

To ensure an appropriate testing environment, the DRC created a testing room that meets the needs for the diverse population of students with disabilities. The testing room is equipped with computers supporting adaptive hardware and software, semi-private rooms, various height workstations and desks, three distinct chair models to support physical needs, specialized lighting, and physical access. The negative aspect of the testing room is that the room only accommodates twenty students at a given time.

Providing accommodations requires a partnership between the student, faculty, DRC staff, and Educational Assistants. When any of the players fall short in their role it interferes with the delivery of the accommodation and jeopardizes the student’s academic performance.

The following list illustrates common difficulties encountered by the DRC Retention Services Unit in the delivery of accommodations:

o Students’ disability/ time management issues
o Professors’ unwillingness to work with the DRC and/or students with disabilities
o Difficulty in locating and hiring quality Educational Assistants
o Professors’ unavailability to students for signing of forms or discussing accommodations
o Limited space availability for testing during peak times, such as mid-terms and final exams
o Abuse of the system – The DRC works with the University to maintain academic integrity. Unfortunately, some students fail to adhere to the policies of the DRC and University.
o Delivery and return of exams – professor concerns regarding exam security
o Professor neglect in providing DRC with exams.

 

Retention Services Program – Faculty Linkages

o Collaboration with the Center for Faculty Development and Support (CFDS) to provide faculty members with teaching strategies to assist them in working with students with disabilities. A series of articles, web site links, and information are posted on CFDS’s web site and are easily visible and accessible to faculty members.
o Faculty and staff focused interviews were conducted to assess their concerns, experiences, and needs when working with students with disabilities.
o A faculty survey tool, entitled “An Assessment of Faculty Needs, Instructional Pedagogy, and Experiences in Working with College Students with Disabilities” was developed based on input and feedback from several faculty and staff members. 140 faculty members responded to the survey.
o Faculty focus groups are slated for mid Spring 2005 semester to follow up on survey comments. This program will produce an interactive faculty toolkit for working with students with disabilities and promote additional materials and services to assist faculty and staff in their efforts at bolstering retention and success of students with disabilities. The toolkit will directly address the needs and experiences of faculty and students expressed in the survey findings and concurrent faculty and student focus groups.

Additional Notes for Faculty Linkages.

Ushered by faculty retirements, more and ever-expansive disability education and training will need to be provided to new faculty members, many of whom may be unfamiliar with post secondary disability mandates and working with students with disabilities. So too, the new Campus Village residential community will result in more students residing on campus, living in close quarters with one another. As a result, the Retention Services Program will need to work even more extensively with University Housing to create a climate accepting of student differences and foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students. Lastly, additional program development funding will need to be secured to allow for the creation of the proposed Peer Mentor and Faculty Ambassador programs, for example.

In DRC’s recent survey, faculty expressed a desire for more resources and assistance in working with students with disabilities. Increased collaboration and partnering with campus entities will create a more seamless experience for students with disabilities and their peers alike. Students with disabilities who feel accepted, empowered, take ownership of their disability and disability needs, and experience sense of belonging within a campus community are more likely to embrace the dream of graduation. Innovative and wide-spread campus efforts may begin to narrow the graduation gap that currently exists between students with disabilities and their peers.

Retention Service Program – Campus Linkages

o The program collaborates with the Freshmen Orientation Team to heighten awareness about the increasing number of students with disabilities entering post secondary institutions and the need to incorporate disabilities into a broader conception of student differences and diversity.
o Campus marketing and educational programs to increase campus awareness about disabilities and disability-related issues
o Disability Awareness Week Events

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Academic Advisor Coordinator Responsibilities

The Academic Advisor Coordinator is knowledgeable in both University academic requirements and disability needs. The Academic Advisor takes into consideration the student’s disability functional limitations, as they relate to their learning and fulfilling curriculum requirements; this individualized advising provided the student with an educational plan for success. The information provided by the Academic Advising Coordinator must be clear, consistent with CSU/SJSU/ADA policies, and timely. The Academic Advising Coordinator needs complete access to the CMS computer system to access student’s educational information and general education checklists. This information is pertinent to fully advising the student. Presently, more training and access is needed.

Currently, the Academic Advising Coordinator is available by appointment, phone, or email to prospective and continuing SJSU students, parents, staff, faculty, high school counselors, community college advisors, state and private agencies. Prospective students/parents/high school counselors/community college advisors are provided information regarding:

o CSU admission requirements and SJSU special admission policies and procedures
o Particular major department requirements and prerequisites
o DRC services and accommodations
o SJSU programs and student services
o Disability management and independent living
o Academic skills and student survival techniques
o Disability documentation.

Continuing students are urged by the Academic Advising Coordinator to come in for advising on:

o general education
o English and Math remediation
o registration problems
o time management and academic issues
o withdraw or dropping coursework
o GPA/probation/disqualification
o Course/unit selection.

For the past 15 years, the Academic Advising Coordinator has served on SJSU’s Exceptional Admissions Committee. This committee reviews denied student’s personal information to make an informed decision as to whether a student would be academically successful if given an exceptional admission slot. Issues that the EAC members discuss and take into consideration are:

o Proficiency in English, Math, Public Speaking, and Critical Thinking
o English and Math remediation
o Potential and motivation to succeed
o Supportive recommendations
o SJSU’s services and programs would be adequate for student’s success.

The Academic Advising Coordinator sponsors a yearly outreach event each April. An invitation is sent to all the Disability Service programs at the surrounding community colleges inviting students to visit SJSU for the day. The DRC address the students’ and their accompanying counselors’ particular questions and assures them the transition from a community college to SJSU is possible.

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DRC Assessment Strategies

Information in the annual report is utilized to assist in preparation for the upcoming academic year for budget purposes, accommodation/service requirements and learning effectiveness. Information from the DRC Advisory Board and the Accommodation Review Board is employed towards the enrichment, development and learning outcomes for DRC programs and services. Bi-annual staff retreats focus on current needs, trends and strategic planning. Bi-annual faculty and student surveys provide pertinent information that is collected and complied to address areas of concern, as well as to develop and enhance existing services and accommodations. The DRC mission statement is revisited and modified as needed to coincide with DRC’s strategic plan. To maintain up-to-date information pertaining to student populations, DRC professional staff attends conferences, training and workshops. All program coordinators, under the direction of the Director, are responsible for annual self-evaluation of their individual programs which operate in juxtaposition with the overall operations of the DRC. The DRC has in place a formal grievance process for both the students and faculty; therefore providing them with the opportunity to question and have a voice should the need arise. The Accommodations Review Board (ARB) was established in 1997, to ensure compliance with state and federal legislation. The ARB acts as both a campus advisory body with oversight responsibilities and as a dispute resolution body.

External measures are used in conjunction with the aforementioned internal measures to assist in directing the DRC. External measures are guided by both state and federal laws (ADA, Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, §67302 California Education Code), Chancellor’s Office System Policy for the Provision of Accommodations and Support Services to Students with Disabilities, 2002 -2004 Chancellor’s Office System Audit, PD97-03 Accommodations for Students with Disabilities, PD 98-02 Access To Technology and Computer Laboratories for Students with Disabilities, (Fair Employment Housing Act (FEHA), and the Association of Higher Education and Disability (ADEAD).

 

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