The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 protect job applicants with disabilities from discrimination during the hiring process. The Acts also state that applicants with disabilities must be allowed reasonable accommodations so they can access application materials and participate in interviews and other hiring activities.
Financial aid directors often have professional discretion in dealing with unique situations. A student's disability can be a consideration for an extension of financial aid. The financial aid director and the disability support services person should discuss what time extension options are available given the student's unique situation.
Work-based learning opportunities can help students:
It is important to design the facility for users with a wide range of abilities and disabilities (e.g., visual, mobility, and hearing impairments; learning disabilities). Getting input from students with various disabilities about how to set up the computer lab can help ensure that specific student needs are met. Make sure that the computer lab offers access to equipment and software and to electronic resources. It is also important that staff are trained to work with students who have disabilities and understand how to use adaptive technology within the lab.
The Described and Captioned Media Program freely loans over 4,000 educational and general-interest open-captioned titles (on videotapes, CD-ROMs, and DVDs) to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, teachers, parents, and other individuals. In addition, several hundred titles are available for viewing online. No rental, registration, or postage fees are charged.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Asperger's Disorder, also referred to as Asperger Syndrome, was a term previously used to describe one of the pervasive developmental disorders. The diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) in 2013. Those previously diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder are now included in the broader category of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
My name is Maria and I am a distance learning instructor at a community college. A student who is blind enrolled in my course and told me that some of the content was inaccessible.
Specifically, the student pointed out that some course content was embedded in graphics images that she could not access using her text-to-speech system.
I added text descriptions for all of the graphics images in my course.
This case demonstrates the following:
School activities that may be particularly challenging for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), previously referred to as Asperger's disorder, include social interactions, noisy or disordered environments, intense sensory stimulation, and changes in expected routines. The unstructured parts of the school day, such as lunch, may present the greatest challenges. Many students with ASD have difficulty using a pencil and paper for writing.
Although some individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may find college overwhelming or too challenging, many students with autism do well in an academic environment, particularly if they have the opportunity to focus on areas of personal interest.
Yes, there are electronic mentoring programs that connect people with disabilities to peers and mentors via the Internet. Before joining an e-mentoring community, young people should obtain permission from their parents or guardians, who should check out the community and sponsor before allowing their children to participate. Apply Internet safety guidelines, such as those at SafeKids.Com.