Discuss the exam format, location, supervision options, and time limit with the student and disabled student services staff. You or a teaching assistant could arrange to supervise the test or the disabled student services office could provide a test proctor as an accommodation.
If the student has a documented disability, is registered with the campus disabled student services office, and requires the adaptive technology to access the test, using a computer is an accommodation not an advantage. The student and disabled student services staff can work with you to assist with setting up the test accommodations, determining the test location, and providing a test proctor if needed.
It is best to set up a private meeting with the student and state that you have noticed she becomes very anxious in response to stressful academic situations. Ask the student what support measures she would find helpful in reaching his optimal performance. Do not ask her if (or suggest that) she has a disability, but encourage her to make use of a list of campus resources (that may include the disabled student services office) that she might find appropriate.
There are several electronic options to consider. Online discussions can facilitate communication between students. Consider having students post their work on the web and allow peer review and discussion of papers, assignments, and lab results. A few ground rules and participation requirements can be set to keep the discussion relevant and active. In addition, email exchanges with professionals, students on other campuses, and community members can extend learning beyond your campus.
Yes. It is most helpful if all speakers identify themselves by name prior to responding to a question or making a discussion comment. Any demonstrations or visual aides will also need to be verbally described.
In most cases, a student who is blind will type written assignments on the computer. The assignments can then be submitted online via the same methods as their sighted counterparts, as long as those methods are designed in a way that is accessible to students' assistive technologies.
Students who are blind can also submit materials in print form, or via email, flash drive, or via file-transfer service, depending on the preferences of the student and instructor. Sometimes, particularly during tests, students may also dictate short answers to a reader who will handwrite responses.
When writing text or equations on the board or in PowerPoint, it is important to clearly say aloud what is being written. When mathematical expressions and formulae are involved, attention to detail, such as capitalization and the placement of parentheses, is crucial. If graphs are presented, the features relevant to the material being covered should be described during the lecture. Avoid vague terms such as "this", "that", "here", and "there".
To accommodate students with low vision, use large print for text and handouts. While size will depend upon the needs of the individual, large print is usually defined as 16 to 18 point bold type depending on the typeface used. A standard Roman typeface, using upper and lower cases, is more readable than italicized, oblique, or condensed fonts. To enlarge print from standard 12 point original text to 16-18 point, use a 150-165% enlargement setting on a copier or printer.
Additional ways to accommodate students with low vision include:
AccessSTEM delivers presentations on the University of Washington campus, at partner institutions, and to other stakeholder groups- often using materials found at the AccessSTEM Resources. To inquire about a presentation to your organization, contact doit@uw.edu. Examples of recent AccessSTEM presentations are shared below.