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The Need for DSPS | Academic Issues | DSPS Test Security | Web Accessibility | The DSPS Student

The Need for DSPS

Myth: It is easier for faculty to accommodate the students without using DSPS office. Having the DSPS professional involved is a major imposition on faculty’s time and effort.

Reality: DSPS professionals save the instructors time and effort by handling DSPS student issues. The DSPS office has dedicated qualified staff and equipment to facilitate the various complex needs of disabled students. Faculty may not realize the complex process involved in verifying and facilitating necessary accommodations. If DSPS professionals were not available to do this job, faculty would need to acquire a new set of competencies and much knowledge to accommodate common disabilities issues.

Myth: If faculty are to provide accommodations they need to know the details of their students’ disabilities.

Reality: DSPS is required to protect disabled students’ privacy and keep all their personal information confidential. This includes not sharing the nature of the disability. On occasion, DSPS professional may determine that the recommended accommodation requires sharing the nature of the disability with the instructor. In these cases, a written consent from the disabled student is required.

Myth: If the DSPS office did not exist, faculty would not have had to provide any accommodation.

Reality: State and federal law requires that students with disabilities will be provided with accommodations. If the DSPS office did not exist, the charge of this office would become the responsibility of someone else’s at the college. If DSPS professionals were not available to do this job, those who will be assigned with this charge would need to acquire a new set of competencies and much knowledge to accommodate common disabilities issues.

Academic Issues --back to top--

Myth: Curriculum has to be changed to accommodate students with disabilities.

Reality: Instructors do not have to change the fundamental nature of the curriculum used in class. They can use the same curriculum, however, it has to be accessible to students with disabilities. DSPS assists in making the curriculum accessible. For example: contact DSPS for captioning of video material you show in class, or for providing raised and brailed maps or handouts. ITDC / DL provides training in making the curriculum accessible online.

Myth: Making the Curriculum accessible to students with disabilities compromises its quality and effectiveness.

Reality: In fact, faculty who make their curriculum accessible often report that the adjustments made were beneficial to all students and not only those with disabilities.

Myth: Can’t have fun activities when accommodating students with disabilities.

Reality: Students with disabilities add to the potential fun of your activities as they provide additional diversity and perspective. Design the activities to accommodate their needs.

Myth: If I make my content accessible for students with disabilities someone could steal my ideas and make it their own.

Reality: Faculty material is protected by the copyright law and policies used at LBCC. If faculty are concerned about specific incidents, they need to take preventative measures, for example: have students sign an ownership note before allowing them to record class sessions, and require that they return the tapes to at the end of the semester.

Myth: Accommodating students with disabilities should not be part of the faculty load as it is very demanding and requires faculty to put in extra time and effort.

Reality: School policies require faculty to comply with the law and provide accommodations. The DSPS office as well as some specific areas at LBCC are charged with the provision of accommodations and have qualified staff and equipment to assist with the accommodation process. Faculty are not required to spend more time than they would with any other student who requires special attention. For example: if a student requires longer time learning the material, don’t spend more than your regular office hour; send the student to Tutoring services provided by Learning and Academic Resources.

Issues of DSPS Test Security --back to top--

Myth: Students using DSPS testing services just cheat to get concessions in class.

Reality: DSPS conducts thorough verification of disability (VOD) prior to informing faculty that the student is eligible to receive any accommodation. If a student is not registered with DSPS, do not provide the accommodation. If a student is registered, trust DSPS professional assessment to be accurate.

Myth: DSPS inadvertently provides students with test answer or extra help that students should not be given.

Reality: DSPS office takes action to ensure that no cheating occurs during the testing accommodating procedure. DSPS follows a strict policy when providing test-taking accommodation, which will not allow for any content assistance to occur.

Issues for Web Accessibility --back to top--

Myth: Making my Web site accessible to students with disabilities requires technical expertise that faculty who teach e-courses or Web enhanced courses do not have.

Reality: Instructional Technology Development Center (ITDC) provides training and one-on-one assistance for any faculty who develops a Web page for their course. Making your instructional Web site accessible is a simple, straightforward process that will not take much time or effort. ITDC also creates alternative text-based activities for all inaccessible elements you include in your course page.

Myth: Designing alternative content processors for students with disabilities is not cost-effective as the additional scripting is time consuming and usually there are no DSPS students in Web enhanced or e-courses.

Reality: (1) Instructional Technology Development Center (ITDC) uses the existing scripts that faculty write and create alternative practices from the same scripts. No additional scripting is required from faculty. (2) Faculty who have included alternative content processors often report that many able-bodied students access the “alternative” practices and benefit much from them.

Myth: If there are no students with disabilities enrolled in my Web enhanced or e-course, there is no need to make the site accessible.

Reality: By law, any content faculty publish on the Web has to be accessible. Also, once faculty find out that they have a disabled student in their class, it is too late to provide the accommodation, as some preparation is needed.

The DSPS Student --back to top--

Myth: If the student has a physical disability there has to be a cognitive disability as well.

Reality: While multiple disabilities may occur, it would be wrong to assume the above. Often, students with physical disabilities are bright and capable cognitively and academically. If you suspect that a specific student with a physical disability suffers from cognitive limitations as well, recommend to the student to address this issue with the DSPS professional on campus.

Myth: Faculty have so many negative experiences with students with disabilities that they don’t believe that providing accommodations is useful.

Reality: Many disabled students do succeed in school and reach their academic and professional goals due to the accommodations they received. However, if ultimately they do not achieve their goals, they deserve the right to participate equally in the college environment.