Reality Check!
I would say we need to be honest. However as long as the student understands what is expected s/he has the right to study in any field they choose.
You're right, Teri. Students with disabilities have the right to make bad decisions, just like everyone else... and sometimes they will! What we owe them is the chance to be informed before they make those decisions. Our job is to be honest.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I'd also add that we may not know the student's specific situation. We have disabled students who have relatives in their chosen career field who have already committed to them that they will hire them and provide significant accommodations. They are willing to go above and beyond for their relatives as long as they have some education in the chosen field. While statistically, we may have reservations about their ability to succeed in the industry, each situation is different.
You are right, Jamie. There are lots of situations in which the student may find a welcoming environment on the outside because he is known to the people he will be working with, and they are willing to stretch a little. It is always healthy to remember that the education students are receiving doesn't lead to one and only way career path. Knowledge can be reworked and repackaged! I am glad you see it as appropriate not to pigeonhole students on the basis of their (presumed) limitations.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Since our mission is to insure that our students and future graduates have the best chance to be successful, we owe it to them to be honest with them and to provide the proper employment guidance.
I agree that we should be honest, Linda, but I would be cautious about providing "the proper employment guidance." I am not sure what is intended by that phrasing. If you are suggesting that we realistically describe the job market and discuss concern about their success -- I'm all for it. If you are suggesting that it is up to us to counsel students away from fields that we believe will not be available because of their disability -- be very careful! Remember that it is illegal to counsel students with disabilities into more restrictive career paths.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Providing equal access to learning opportunities and providing meaningful placement advice are not mutually exclusive; however, only the student, not the institution, has the right to assess and act on the placement advice.
Charles,
You are absolutely right. I would not want anyone to think that, because a student is disabled, you must ignore the obvious and not question how he/she intends to use the information. But in the end, it is up to the student to decide whether to continue in the pursuit, or whether to alter directions. In the past, it was not unusual for students with disabilities to be "counseled out" of a given field by someone who said, "I don't think you'll ever get hired as a ____. You need to find a different major." That is patronizing at best, and discriminatory at worst!
Dr. Jane Jarrow
The college should be up-front with realistic possibilities. For example, I train future pharmacy technicians. A blind student would have a terrible disadvantage both in class and in practice as so much of our field relies heavily on our vision. From reading prescriptions to utilizing computers, vision is not only necessary for the technician- think about the patients. Would you want your prescription filled by a blind person?
To the contrary, I have taught a deaf student before. Her only serious limitation was her inability to use a telephone. She could still perform many of the tasks required of her in employment.
Nick,
Interestingly, I am working with a group of faculty from schools across the country on the issue of technical standards, and someone from a School of Pharmacy raised those same concerns about blindness within the last week. He went further, to explain that it isn't only difficulties with reading standard text, but that so often a pharmacist has to decipher hand-written prescriptions (which cannot be made accessible through technology. I have to agree. Someone who is blind would not be a good candidate for a pharmacy program -- but students with other disabilities might be able to manage very well!
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Agreed. Like I explained in my email, I had a successful deaf student.
Not at all. As a college, our priority is to ensure that the student receives the best educational opportunity we can provide. It is not our role to be "paternalistic" and discourage them from making an attempt. We should support them in their educational endeavors and then do our best in assisting them with finding employment. As was pointed out in Module 1, FDR had polio but that did not stop him from serving as President---longer than anyone else in American history.
Randy,
Good for you! You recognize that potential is not limited by disability, and that students have the right to pursue whatever goals they choose, so long as they are fully informed. The statistics say that something in the neighborhood of 60% of the jobs folks will hold in 10 years don't exist today. We don't know what they will be able to do with the education they receive from us -- and neither do they! Our job is to make sure they get a chance to make their own way, on their own terms.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
My policy in our financial aid department is always to be as honest as possible in a fact-based manner. We answer all questions honestly and we do not use marketing speak (which is just a smoke and mirrors manner of speaking - a way of glazing over the truth in my opinion). We try to be factual, honest, and upfront about a student's options. I would not hesitate to ask a disabled student if they feel that their disability would affect their work performance in the field they choose anymore than I would hesitate to ask a poorly performing student in math if they really want to be a mathematician. It is up to the student to decide what they choose to do and accept the consequences of their actions; however, it is our responsibility to provide as much information up front to help them make the best decision possible.
Elysia,
I agree wholeheartedly. I think allowing students to make INFORMED decisions about their future -- and giving them credit for being able to make those decisions -- is the greatest compiment that you can pay to a student with a disability.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Like Elysia I always want to be up front and honest with all students regardless of their disability. All students have the right to honest and accurate information that could potentially affect their future.
The question, though, is whether you are giving accurate information or anticipated information. Are you telling the student about their options based on their potential and their interests, or based solely on your past experience? I am all for honest information, but I worry about limiting options based on stereotypes. (Note -- that isn't an accusation, just a caution! GRIN)
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I think it is our responsibility to coach them on the expectations of the position that they would be applying for. As long as they are aware, they can make an informed choice on the profession.
I agree, Stacie. It is never inappropriate to make sure that students know exactly what they are getting into, but once you have given them an honest picture of the situation as you know it, students (including those with disabilities) should be free to make their own decisions.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I would think that it is most important to be honest with the students by clearly explaining the requirements of the field so that they can make an educated decision about employment possibilities. I have a blind student who wants to begin the coursework for Medical Billing and Coding. Although it would seem impossible to do in a field with numerous manuals and op reports, this student has obtained software programs that allow the computer to read the information to her. We will provide her with the textbooks and manuals in PDF and ASCII format so that she can complete her coursework successfully.
