Accommodating Students withPsychiatric 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 referscollectively to all diagnosable mentaldisorders causing severe disturbances inthinking, feeling, relating and functionalbehaviors.  These disorders result insubstantially diminished capacity forcoping with the ordinary demands of life.

Postsecondary Students withDisabilities

More than 400,000 students enrolled inU.S. postsecondary institutions reporthaving a mental illness or emotionaldisturbance.

(National Center for Education Statistics, 1999)

ACCOMMODATION

THE

REMOVAL OF

BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION

The Emphasis is on ACCESSNOT on outcome

Laws Requiring ReasonableAccommodations

1973 Rehabilitation Act, Section 504

1990 Americans with Disabilities Act

Symptoms of a Mental HealthProblem

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 anddepression

Either grandiose, euphoric, highlyproductive/creative, or depressed,withdrawn, hopeless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

lExcessive worry in general

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

lConsuming fixation and ritualistic behaviors

Panic Disorder

lOverwhelming physiological event

Social Phobias

lIncapacitating fear of social interactions

Specific Phobias

lIntense 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 inCollege

Teach to various learning styles--visual,auditory, kinesthetic

Increase experiential learning activities

Increase knowledge and acceptance ofmental 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 forconfidentiality

Engage in joint problem solving

Make all accommodations voluntary

Review accommodations periodically

Be flexible in enforcing policies

Identify accommodations clearly

Accommodations are NOTReasonable if they...

Pose a direct threat to the health orsafety of others

Make substantial changes in essentialelements of the curriculum

Require substantial alteration toeducational opportunities/courseobjectives

Pose undue financial or administrativeburden

Possible ClassroomAccommodations

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 ExaminationAccommodations

Change in test format

l(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 AssignmentAccommodations

Substitute assignments in specificcircumstances

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 Collegeof 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/)