Transcript Accommodating Students with Psychiatric Disabilities

Accommodating Students with
Psychiatric Disabilities
Al Souma,
Disability Support Services
Seattle Central Community College
DO-IT, University of Washington
What is Mental Illness?
Mental illness is a term that refers
collectively to all diagnosable mental
disorders causing severe disturbances in
thinking, feeling, relating and functional
behaviors. These disorders result in
substantially diminished capacity for
coping with the ordinary demands of life.
Postsecondary Students with
Disabilities
More than 400,000 students enrolled in
U.S. postsecondary institutions report
having a mental illness or emotional
disturbance.
 (National Center for Education Statistics, 1999)
ACCOMMODATION
THE
REMOVAL OF
BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION
The Emphasis is on ACCESS
NOT on outcome
Laws Requiring Reasonable
Accommodations
1973 Rehabilitation Act, Section 504
1990 Americans with Disabilities Act
Symptoms of a Mental Health
Problem
Chronically missing class
Assignments consistently late
Extreme highs or lows in mood, anxieties
Problem concentrating, remembering
Marked personality change
Confused or disorganized thinking
Thinking or talking about suicide
Denial of obvious problems
Major Depression
Mood disorder
Depressed mood over long period
Lack of pleasure in activities
Thoughts of suicide
Sleep and appetite changes
Low self esteem
Feeling guilty and/or worthless
Bipolar Affective Disorder
Previously Manic Depressive Disorder
Mood disorder
Revolving periods of mania and
depression
Either grandiose, euphoric, highly
productive/creative, or depressed,
withdrawn, hopeless
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Anxiety Disorder
Exposure to traumatic event
Flashbacks
Dissociations
Schizophrenia
Thought Disorder
Delusions, hallucinations, paranoia
Difficulty with daily functional tasks
Poor interpersonal relationships
Concrete thought processing
Need for structured routine
Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Excessive worry in general
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Consuming fixation and ritualistic behaviors
Panic Disorder

Overwhelming physiological event
Social Phobias

Incapacitating fear of social interactions
Specific Phobias

Intense fear of specific object, event
Medication Side Effects
Drowsiness
Fatigue
Excessive thirst
Blurred vision
Hand tremors
Initiating Interpersonal contact
Functional Limitations
Screening out environmental Stimuli
Sustaining concentration
Maintaining stamina
Handling time pressures and multi-tasks
Interacting with others
Fear of authority figures
Responding to negative feedback
Responding to change
Severe test anxiety
Strategies for Inclusion in
College
Teach to various learning styles--visual,
auditory, kinesthetic
Increase experiential learning activities
Increase knowledge and acceptance of
mental illness
Be prepared to set behavioral limits
Know campus mental health resources
Work cooperatively with students
Assist students with time management
Principles of Accommodation
Address individual needs
Respect student’s desire for
confidentiality
Engage in joint problem solving
Make all accommodations voluntary
Review accommodations periodically
Be flexible in enforcing policies
Identify accommodations clearly
Accommodations are NOT
Reasonable if they...
Pose a direct threat to the health or
safety of others
Make substantial changes in essential
elements of the curriculum
Require substantial alteration to
educational opportunities/course
objectives
Pose undue financial or administrative
burden
Possible Classroom
Accommodations
Preferential seating, near door
Assigned classmate as assistant
Beverages permitted
Prearranged or frequent breaks
Tape recorder, note taker
Early availability of syllabus, text
Text, assignments in alternate formats
Personal and private feedback
Possible Examination
Accommodations
Change in test format

(Written to oral and vise versa, dictation,
scripted, typed)
Permit use of computer software
Exams in alternate format (portfolio, demo)
Extended test taking time
Individual proctoring
Separate, quiet room for testing
Increased test frequency.
Possible Assignment
Accommodations
Substitute assignments in specific
circumstances
Advance notice of assignments
Allow assignments hand written
Written rather than oral, or vise versa
Change format: drama, role-play,
sculpture
Assignment assistance--ask
Extensions on assignments
Resources
 ADA: American Disability Association (1-800-514-0303
(voice) TTY 1-800-514-0383)
 Anxiety Disorder Association of America
(http://www.adaa.org/)
 AHEAD (http://www.ahead.org)
 Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Sargent College
of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
(http://WEB.bu.edu/sarpsych)
 DO-IT The Faculty Room
(http://www.washington.edu/doit/faculty/)
 Judge Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
(http://www.bazelon.org/)
 Office of Civil Rights: Region 10 (206-220-7900)
 National Alliance for the Mentally ill (NAMI)
(http://www.nami.org)
 National Institute of Mental Health
(http://www.nimh.nih.gov/)