Cognitive Disabilities
As an online instructor, what would you do to assist students with cognitive disabilities?
If I were an online instructor, I would use the technique of underlining and using bold letters to emphasize the most important topics. It is a fine line however, between "giving" the student the answer and steering them in the right direction. Therefore, it would be important to be selective about which word(s) to do this to. This would ensure that the student is still doing their part to read, comprehend, and apply their knowledge when tested on the subject matter.
Parrish,
Yes, we still want students to do their parts in the educational process, but if we can be helpful and guiding, it can help them be the best students that they can be.
Renee Shaffer
First, I would check with their academic advisor to see they have any accommodations already in place, and, if not, I would use chunking to break the course content up into small pieces… And then I would also give the students a copy of my notes for each lesson. Thank you. M. Crowley
Michael,
Great! it is always good to check with their academic advisor. But sometimes the academic advisor has not been given any notice about a disability. So in higher education, it is best for instructors to check with the disability services office because they would have the information not the academic advisors.
Renee Shaffer
There are a number of things I could do to help students with cognitive disabilities, depending on the nature of the disability. I've had students with ADD and per University policy, they receive extended deadlines for assignments. I've also had telephone conversations with one such student to further explain concepts. One challenge I've found with working with such students, however, is that in a classroom setting they sometimes seem to change the subject of the discussion and the discussion needs to be steered back.
Something else that I can do for students with cognitive disabilities is the same thing I do for students who don't: Use the discussions and the accompanying PowerPoint to highlight key concepts and practices that they'll need for the unit's assignments. I also provide grading criteria/rubrics that I recommend all students use to make sure that they cover everything asked of them in assignments.
Mara,
Yes, that is an interesting point about students with cognitive disabilities sometimes changing the subject of the discusion. Could it be that they don't feel comfortable "confronting" the chosen topic or that their thoughts might be more "scattered". As an instructor, I sometimes also veer off topic. :)
Renee Shaffer
Based on my experience in the sciences, it is always better to post SHORT announcements regularly and reinforce the very important points by re-posting.
Very long posts and descriptions tend to always go unnoticed by those with even a mild form of ADD. For those with more severe forms, the reinforcement has helped a lot, as they tend to completely forget about the assignment (or any other announcement previously made)
Alireza,
Good points about keeping things concise and to the point. Announcements need to be regularly done and have some intention rather than just being superficial.
Renee Shaffer
I believe that accommodations involve a wide range of techniques and support systems that help individuals with disabilities work around their limitations that result from a disability. Students who have dyslexia would benefit from recorded lessons (live chat sessions). A student with ADHD may require more time to complete the assignments.
Alireza, this is a great idea. I have worked for an online program that required that we post a series of short announcements and at the end of the week, post a wrap-up announcement. I agree that this reinforcement helps students greatly. I have taken online classes, and one of the instructors posted short reminders (even to grad students) throughout the week to remind us of assignments that were due! At the beginning of the class, he used to also record his responses to our assignments. Hearing the comments made a huge difference!! :-)
Michael, I, too, have provided notes to students. After, for example, a live chat session, I would post my PowerPoint presentations in the classroom for students to download. :-)
Willie ,
That is true about ADHD. If they are unable to focus, it can be very difficult for them to meet imposed deadlines without some help every now and then.
Renee Shaffer
Willie ,
Yes, I really like the idea of recording the responses or grading of assignments. It also provides a more personable way of grading the assignments and may motivate students.
Renee Shaffer
Organizing the material well and highlighting key concepts would be good starting point. Then providing examples of applying the material and using it to solve problems would also be valuable.
It should be noted that not only would such practices assist students with cognitive disabilities would actually provide a better learning experience for all students.
Students with cognitive disabilities can be helped in their learning by the instructor’s and/or course designer’s understanding of the symptoms of the different types of cognitive disabilities, and then planning activities, assignments, and course content presentation, as much as is possible to circumvent those particular obstacles to learning.
For example, to help students with Attention Deficient Disorder (ADD) learn in my classes, written presentations can be broken up into short paragraphs with clearly written and bolded paragraph titles; oral presentations can be short with only one main point; and visual presentations can be made simple without a lot of “bells and whistles†or special visual effects. Then, by mixing these modalities, the ADD student’s attention may be captured more easily so the student can learn.
Excellent ideas. These short snippets also helps keep them on task which assists them in completing the work assigned.
Thomas, I agree with you in regards to organizing the material so that it not only benefits students with disabilities but other students as well. We have to take into consideration that how we present the material to the student will assist them in their learning process therefore assisting them with their cognitive learning. However, we must also be aware that a student without any type of disability may become bored and uninterested in the material so we must have a balance to ensure each student has a well balanced learning environment.
I am an instructor who happens to be borderline Aspergers, have speech impediment and is also ADD... SO, part of my introduction is simply identifying myself as such... and laying it out there that if anyone needs help of any sort to ask because I can't judge.
I offer texting, face time chat on the phone, on the computer, skyping, interactive chat classes and the telephone to my students... I clearly discuss papers each week before class starts, as to what is expected, how it should be composed... and what other students have done to earn high grades... and then leave an open chat box on the topic during the entire lecture... so that if at anytime someone thinks of something they have an hour to get it in the chat and get an answer before I signoff or go to office hours.
Barry,
I love that you lay it all out there showing that you don't judge the students. Thanks for being like that. Good work.
Renee Shaffer
