Get Your Students Hired
I think it's best to acknowledge where deficiencies are and work with a team of colleagues to eliminate them.
How can/should you approach the academic units on your campus to discuss what you now understand to be inappropriate technical standards? You need to be honest with students about the requirements they will face, but what happens when you know those requirements are open to challenge?
Sabahudin,
That's a great attitude to take -- the idea that something can be done, should be done, and that everyone will want to respond. I hope you find the folks at your institution to be as open about possibilities as you are Students with disabilities will be the benefactors of your efforts
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I always have a great relationship with my supervisor. I would use this to my benefit and actually discuss the standards in the hopes of finding a solution. I know that there are departments like Disabled Student Services that could help by providing accommodations. I would definitely contact them and get help.
I feel we should state those facts and allow the students to challenge them you don't know what a person it able to accomplish until they are challenge especially if they want it bad enough.
There need to be a skilled and knowledgable person on staff to help with any issues that come up and the regular staff don't have any idea what to do. Being able to answer questions they may have.You want the student to know that their sucess is important.
Lisa,
I couldn't agree with you more. I think being honest about what the student will face is a good thing -- so long as we remember that it is THEM that is facing (and deciding on) the issue, not us!
Dr. Jane Jarrow
I believe all institutions of higher learning should voluntarily make sure compliance and beyond is met on every level. I am glad there are guidelines that will prohibit schools from limiting potentially great students from entering and learning based on disabiliteis that may or may not come into play. That being said I think explaining requirements and the real world issues students will likely face is not a bad thing. Students can decide if the disability they live with would hinder their ability to learn and or become employed in their field of study. I think all schools should have a staff member trained in this area.
Virgie,
That's great visual imagery -- for the students and for your readers! I think that sounds like a great way to make students truly understand what is involved in a given area of concentration.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Michele,
I want the staff person to be approachable by faculty, too! It is problematic when there is such a specialist on hand and suddenly everyone assumes these are HIS (or her!) students. They are students at the institution, more like every other student than they are different. The best case scenario is that everyone on campus sees them as students, first, and as students with disabilities on secondarily.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
We must PAINT the picture... I ask them questions. ie... "Can you see yourself holding body parts for the surgeon if need to." SURG TECH... You usally can tell by the expression on their faces if they are up to the CHALLENGE....
I do agree and I also believe that staff person should be someone who communicates well and is approachable by students.
Niles,
I like the idea of dealing with concerns about technical standards by asking an existing curriculum committee to review things, rather than seeming to "attack" existing standards on behalf of students with disabilities. It is much more likely to be well received when it comes from the academic side of the house.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Teri,
I wish that were so. My experience is that faculty generally don't want to hear from someone outside their own field. They can CHOOSE not to "hear" what is said by assuring each other that the outsider "doesn't understand what we do." It is often better to have someone from within the program (or, at least, from within their profession), walk them through the changes that have to be made, and why.
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Mozell,
Sounds as though you have a good handle on the politics of your institution, and how to get things done within the bureaucracy. Go with it!
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Eleonora,
I agree that students should have proper information -- but it is equally as important that instructors have adequate and complete information. A disability services officer is there to help both!
Dr. Jane Jarrow
Great response and I agree, having a team and having them put everything together is key. If you delegate to a lot of people it can become more and more challenging.
Our campus has particular committees that deals with this area. We are always welcome to give our thoughts to them.
In regards to being honest with the students, we have to make sure we are following the guidelines of our school (and the law) and not breaking any rules or regulations.
Dr. Jarrow, I agree!!!!! This is a problem across many disciplines, not just with the examples cited with respect to the disable;ed. In teaching Information Technology professionals, It is important to know what we need to do first, before we should be worrying how to get there. How can you know the "how", if you do not understand the "what"?
Having an expert on campus that can review technical standards for appropriateness, who can help the faculty understand the reasons and ramifications would surely be the best course of action.