Hartwick college

To know whether you might be advising a student with a special need, it is recommended to begin your advising session by asking if the student wishes to share any information about their learning style which might assist in choosing the best schedule for him/her. This conversation might open the discussion and the student disclosing a disability if he/she has one. Please note that you should not ask directly if the student has a disability. The student with a disability does not have to disclose personal information about a diagnosis.

If a student has disclosed a disability the following information would be helpful during the advising session.

Many students with disabilities have become dependent on others (parents, resource teachers) to make decisions for them. Many of them do not understand their own needs. Explain to them that one of the goals of the college is to teach students to become independent. (Reinforce to them that, the research of a course and the decision-making is their responsibility.)

If a student has met with the Coordinator of Disability Services, specific information regarding the campus and available support services should have already been discussed. To give sound advice, you will need to understand the student's accommodations and how they affect the student in the academic environment. At this point, the best source of information about this is the student.

You may dig deeper in understanding the learning needs of the student by asking the following questions: How will your disability affect your performance in the classroom? What specifically do you have difficulty with and what considerations should I keep in mind when helping you select courses.

When advising students with disabilities, you should treat them as you would any other student. Work with the student as an individual by becoming familiar with their goals, skills, weaknesses, and levels of readiness for college academics. Many times students with disabilities have unrealistic career choices or may not have been given the opportunity for career exploration. When this is the case you may want to suggest that the student visit Career Development and Education Services for some career counseling.

Some suggested guidelines that you may use when advising students with disabilities who have self identified to you:

• Some students may have limited mobility. For example, a student may not be able to take a class in Anderson and be in Clark in time for his/her next class.
• Early morning classes may not be possible for some students with disabilities who take medication. Certain medications affect morning alertness or medication taken in the morning needs time to take affect. (case by case basis)
• Remind the student to balance their course load. They must be honest with themselves and know their strengths and weaknesses.
• Have the student find out about course requirements before enrolling in a class that may prove to be extra challenging for him/her because of the disability.
• Advise the student to make a preliminary survey of courses between semesters and other breaks.
• If the student requires an alternate format for a book, have him/her check with the instructor or campus store for a book list in advance to allow sufficient time to order the books before classes begin. The processing of requests for alternate formats of textbooks takes place in the Loft- 5th floor of Stevens-German library with the disability services staff.
• If the student has a learning disability related to reading, have him/her take into consideration the reading load for each individual class and plan accordingly.
• Inform the student of workshops, tutoring and study skill support in the Loft. Remind the student that during the semester it is a good idea to assess how he/she is doing in each course and meet with the instructors if there are questions or concerns about progress.
• Make sure that the student is aware of deadlines and perhaps indicate it on a calendar when the last day to add, drop, or withdraw from classes are scheduled.
• Offer suggestions to the student to utilize a calendar and create a study schedule. Calendars and time management materials are available in the Loft.
• If the student has mobility impairment and he/she has a class that requires an internship or field experience off campus, we need to make sure that the site is accessible.
• Remind the student not to wait until a small issue becomes a large problem before consulting with their instructor or the Coordinator of Disability Services. Encourage the student to be proactive.
• Remember that for successful advising the student must be involved in their own planning and self management.

Additional information about specific disabilities and advising and teaching strategies are found on webpage: Definitions of Disabilities for Advising and Teaching.