SUPPORTING
GREAT
EXPECTATIONS
Recognizing, Understanding, and
Working with Students with
Disabilities
OVERVIEW
DSS assists Cypress College by providing
services and accommodations for students with
disabilities to support their student success and
to meet the requirements of federal and state
non-discrimination laws, including Sections 504
and 508 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of
1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA).
DSS Director: Celeste Phelps
IN COLLEGE…
Services are available to
students, but it is the
students’ choice to
participate in DSS.
Categories of Disabilities and How Many
Students Were Served by
Cypress College DSS (2014-2015)
320
229
176
85
65
48
21
25
11
_____
980 !
Other (Autism, ADHD)
Learning Disability
Psychological Disorders (Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar)
Mobility (includes stroke, spinal cord injury, back injury)
Developmentally Delayed
Hearing Impaired (Deaf, Hard of Hearing)
Visually Impaired (blind, low vision)
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
Speech or Language Disorders (expressive/receptive,
stutter)
SERVICES/
ACCOMMODATIONS
Accommodations are determined on an individual basis and are
based on valid documentation provided by the student. The
Counselors & LD Specialists review each file to ensure
accommodations are appropriate for the student.
When a
student meets with a Counselor, they will review the services
and how to access them.
Accommodations may include, but are not limited to:
 Extra Time on Exams
 Note Taking Services
 Priority Registration
 Use of an Audio Recording
Device
 Extra Tutoring Time in the
LRC
 Adaptive Hardware & Software
 Adjustable Tables
 Access to our High Tech Center
 Academic Counseling
 Disability Management
DSS Counselors: Marisa Lehmeier, Deborah Michelle
LD Specialists: Dr. Dawn Decker, Lisa Yates
DEAF SERVICES
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What does Deaf Services do?
Work with students with hearing impairments
Coordinate sign language interpreting services
Provide workshops and professional
development for the interpreters
Act as a liaison to help faculty understand how
to use an interpreter

Special Project Coordinator for Deaf & Hard of Hearing
Services: Sandra Garcia, [email protected]
Signs that point to the possibility of a
disability (LD , psych, etc.):
Hyperactive or impulsive behavior
Uneven achievement
Gets lost easily
Misses discussion points
Cannot read or write
at an age-appropriate level
Cannot relate events in
proper sequence
Short attention span
Poor auditory or visual memory
Difficulty predicting time
to complete task
Difficulty with math
Distraction
Poor memory
Difficulty in grasping abstract ideas
Takes long to answer questions
Can verbalize but can’t write well
Difficulty expressing thoughts
Has poor self-concept
Difficulty following directions
Responds w/out thinking
Difficulty thinking in logical and
orderly fashion
Either late or very early for appts
Gives up easily
How do I introduce the student
to the idea of a possible
Learning or other disability?
●A student may be ready to hear about a possible learning or other disability if s/he:
*is asking questions about why she is not learning more quickly.
*repeatedly expresses frustration about his lack of progress.
*asks you what you think the problem is.
*makes leading comments such as: “I’m always so dumb at math. My mother always
said I would never be good at school because I’m just dumb like my dad.”
How to conduct this
conversation:
*Approach discussion in private, but positive manner.
*Tell student that you are concerned with all students in your program.
*Tell the story of your observations slowly and allow student to consider the info.
*DO NOT offer diagnosis of LD or other disability.
*Ask if s/he ever received services for the same problem in high school.
*Show some info you’ve gathered and observed. Ask what s/he thinks.
*Provide the student with a DSS brochure.
Other suggestions on how to have discussions with students?
The Instructor’s …..“QUICK-ASSESS CHECKLIST”
Before you refer a student to DSS, use your Quick-Assess Checklist to evaluate
students’ success level….
Great for students with and without disabilities!
1. Is the student doing her homework?
2. Does the student have his text book?
3. Is the student coming to class on time or leaving early?
4. Has the student used tutorial services?
5. Has the student visited during office hours?
6. Has the student utilized study groups?
7. How much time does the student spend studying for the class (outside of
college)?
8. Ask the student about her motivation for being in your course and what
excites her about the class.
9. Help the student see “the big picture” of how your particular class is a
stepping-stone to other courses (foundation to college level).
Tips for Organization
What the instructor can do:
◦ Provide a detailed syllabus with due dates, etc.
◦Encourage monthly calendars and daily schedules.
◦Encourage sticky notes for variety of purposes. i.e. tasks to be done.
◦Ensure learner is clear about what to do and how to do it.
◦Make sure learner has skills and knowledge to do task.
◦For large projects, provide timelines with checkpoint dates along way.
◦Give reminders of upcoming checkpoints.
◦Keep due dates visible on board.
◦Provide explicit teaching on how to organize personal space for working.
◦Teach how to use charts for organizing.
◦Help learner develop checklists.
◦Provide non-distracting, quiet classroom.
◦Allow use of spell-checkers, proofreaders, and calculators.
Tips to share with Math Students
◦Read the problem (carefully & thoroughly).
◦Draw and label math problem & steps.
◦Write a list of what you know and what you don’t know.
◦Try writing a sentence about how you understand
the problem & solution.
◦Estimate the answer (if you can).
◦Label the answer(s).
◦Check your work and answers.
◦Write clearly (neatly).
◦Practice tests in textbook.
◦Practice look-away or recite method (self-quizzing).
◦Visit instructor during office hours.
◦Rework math problems in textbook & homework assignments.
◦Study goals (daily & weekly).
◦Repetition.
◦www.khanacademy.org
◦Math videos by Professor Larry Perez at Saddleback College
www.saddleback.edu/faculty/lperez
◦Search YouTube for Mucho Math.
Student’s Rights & Responsibilities
They have the right or responsibility to:
◊ Request accommodations through the DSS Program.
◊ Provide the Professor with the appropriate DSS
paperwork, e.g. “Accommodations & Services Agreement”,
“Testing Accommodations” in a timely manner.
◊ Take classes for which they are eligible.
◊ Not use approved DSS accommodations.
Faculty Rights & Responsibilities
You have the right to:
◊Expect the same quality of work from students with
disabilities.
◊Refuse an unauthorized accommodation.
◊Expect the same standard of behavior from students with
disabilities.
◊Preserve the principles of academic freedom and maintain
highest level of standards without impinging on the basic
civil rights of students with disabilities.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
•
When using visual aids, be as descriptive as possible.
Avoid using words like “this” or “that”
•
Have learner sit in quiet part of classroom away from
sound distractions.
•
Reduce visual clutter & visual distractions in classroom.
•
Encourage outlining & underlining to provide
additional visual input.
•
Have learner sit in place away from visual distractions.
•
Maintain good eye contact with learner.
•
Have learner sit close to you so s/he can easily hear you.
•
Reduce amount of noise in classroom.
•
Enunciate clearly.
•
Provide sufficient time to answer questions. (nonLD=3-4 seconds; LD=up to 10 seconds)
•
Reduce stress on learner’s visual processing of print by:
enlarged text, uncluttered organization, use of headings,
color coding, boxes around text, highlighting,
underlining, double spacing of text, use of arrows, clear
copied materials
•
Write clearly on board.
•
Use signal words: “first”, “finally”, “this is important”
•
Show only one paragraph or picture at time.
•
Use repetition.
•
Use clear, concisely written instructions or directions.
•
Use board or flipchart.
•
Ask learner to read aloud only when s/he offers to.
•
Provide printed outline of lesson.
•
Allow the use of tape recorders.
•
Keep discussion groups small in number. Easier for
LD to follow conversation with fewer people
DID YOU KNOW…?
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People with visual impairments see curved font easier
than detailed font.
◦ I bet all students can read the curved font
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Many DSS students are allowed to tape record
lectures.
◦ I bet all students could benefit from this option.
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Many DSS students are allowed extra time on tests.
◦ I bet all students could benefit from extra time.
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There are licensed therapists in the Health Center
Captioned materials is a legal requirement
A DSS Handbook for Faculty is on our website
THINK “UNIVERSAL DESIGN”
What works for a few, may benefit many