Geography and Christian: A Case Study in Accommodating In-Class Computer-Based Testing

Background

My name is Christian and I'm a geography major. I have a learning disability that affects my reading and writing skills.

Access Issue

Due to my disability, I receive testing accommodations (extended time and computer access) through the disability services office. I recently enrolled in a geography course where my exams are given in class followed by continued lecture time. I was concerned about how I would take the extended time I needed for tests on the in-class computers and access the lecture material following the exam.

Work-Based Learning

Work-based learning experiences can help students make career decisions, select courses of study, develop job skills, and network with potential employers. For students with disabilities, work-based learning experiences provide a unique opportunity to explore different, job-related accommodations, and to practice disclosing their disabilities and requesting accommodations from employers.

Writing Assignments

For many students with disabilities, written assignments and exams present significant difficulties. Mobility impairments may make writing physically difficult, while visual impairments may impact a student's access to standard word processing programs and computers. Research (e.g., accessing library resources) and the writing process (e.g., spelling and grammar) may also be difficult due to mobility, hearing, language, or learning disabilities.

Web Pages

The Internet should be universally accessible, but the multimedia nature of the web and the poor design of some websites make it inaccessible to many users.

Some users:

Jessie's Climb to Higher Education Success

Young people with learning disabilities enjoy a wide spectrum of talents and capabilities, because. in most situations, the "invisible" disability is not obvious to other people. It is difficult for some people to understand why these bright children struggle with tasks or thought processes that come easily to their peers. They get labels like lazy, non-compliant, defiant, impertinent, and stubborn.

Photo of Jessie

Jesse

Jesse

I have dyslexia, which, as a child, not only impeded my ability to read, but made me often see and interact with information in a different way.

Photo of Jesse

Pages

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