AccessComputing

Autism spectrum disorders and Asperger syndrome are neurological disorders characterized by significant difficulties with the use of language in social situations, poor social skills, and the presence of unusual and repetitive behaviors. Students with autism spectrum disorders or Asperger syndrome have normal intelligence and, in some cases, may demonstrate exceptional skills or talents in a specific area. But the social and communicative problems associated with these disorders often make social interactions, relationships, and participation in group situations difficult.

Attention deficit disorder is a neurological impairment characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity. Individuals may be diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A diagnosis of ADD or ADHD is typically made by psychoeducational or medical professionals following a comprehensive evaluation.

Accommodations

Typical accommodations for students with ADD or ADHD include:

Psychiatric or mental health impairments, which range from mild depression to chronic disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, are “invisible” disabilities that can present challenges in an academic setting. Students with mental health impairments may have difficulty receiving, processing, and recalling information during times of stress; side effects from medication may impact their attention, memory, alertness, and activity level. The episodic and unpredictable onset and recurrence of illness can affect their class attendance or student employment.

Simply put: Computer labs need to be accessible to all users. Students with disabilities need equal access to the lab’s building/facilities, lab staff, physical space and printed materials, computers and software, and electronic resources.

Applying principles of universal design to computer labs can facilitate equal access. Universal design means designing your facility for a broad range of users, including students with a wide range of hearing, visual, mobility, and learning impairments.

Taking tests can be particularly challenging for students with disabilities. Difficulties vary greatly, depending on the disability and the type of test. Individual students and disability service personnel are the best source of information about successful testing accommodations.

General accommodation strategies for testing students with disabilities include:

Some students with disabilities face challenges participating in group discussions and other interactive activities. Specific needs vary greatly. However, there are general teaching strategies for group discussions that benefit all students, including those with disabilities. These strategies include:

Some students with disabilities face challenges in large lectures. Because the types of difficulties vary, individual students are the best source of information about their specific needs.

There are general teaching strategies for lectures that benefit all students, including those with disabilities. These strategies include:

For students with disabilities, participating in academic activities may be challenging. Some students may need multiple accommodations to meet requirements in various lecture, lab, and discussion activities. Flexibility and effective communication between students, parents, support staff, and instructors are the keys to implementing successful accommodations.

Work-based learning experiences can help students make career decisions, select courses of study, develop job skills, and network with potential employers. For students with disabilities, work-based learning experiences provide a unique opportunity to explore different, job-related accommodations, and to practice disclosing their disabilities and requesting accommodations from employers.

For many students with disabilities, written assignments and exams present significant difficulties. Mobility impairments may make writing physically difficult, while visual impairments may impact a student's access to standard word processing programs and computers. Research (e.g., accessing library resources) and the writing process (e.g., spelling and grammar) may also be difficult due to mobility, hearing, language, or learning disabilities.