Psychologically Challenged

Right Now

  1. Make note of the student's behaviors in relation to your class that you believe are impacting/may impact the student's or others' learning. THESE are the focus of your interactions with the student, NOT any suspected disability. Exception: if a student expresses suicidal thoughts, contact the Student Health Clinic immediately for guidance. Examples – not participating in group work or class, speaking over or interrupting others, behaviors that distract others, unable to focus in class, ongoing negative commentary, poor attendance, not completing work on time.
  2. Speak with the student in a confidential environment, describing the BEHAVIORS that you are observing. Maintain a clear, calm, respectful tone.
  3. DO NOT ask the student if s/he has a disability. Why? See Rights and Responsibilities.
  4. Ask the student what challenges s/he is experiencing in the class and what strategies s/he has used successfully in the past, and use these to inform your instructional practice.
  5. Also discuss any concerns you have that the student has not already raised, based on your observations and your knowledge of your upcoming assignments and curriculum. Then strategize with the student how to address these. You may wish to refer to the Teaching Strategies pages for ideas.
  6. If the student discloses that s/he has a disability, or that s/he uses medication to manage a psychological condition, thank him/her for sharing that information with you, and treat the information as confidential.If the student has disclosed that s/he uses prescribed medication for a condition, you may indicate that, if s/he is comfortable informing you of any potential side effects or changes in medication that may affect his/her ability to learn, you would appreciate him/her sharing that information. You may not ask or obligate the student to provide this information.
  7. If needed, review and reinforce the behavioral expectations from your syllabus as appropriate.
  8. If the student has an accommodation plan from DSPS, review and discuss the plan with the student. REMINDER – the plan is based on documentation, including any relevant assessments and medical records, reviewed by DSPS. You are legally obligated to honor the accommodations in the plan. If you believe that the accommodations fundamentally alter the nature of the course or activity, you have the right to contest them, but you should contact DSPS to discuss this, NOT the student.
  9. If the student does NOT have an accommodation plan: While you can't directly refer a student to the DSPS office or inquire whether the student currently works with DSPS, you CAN recommend a RANGE of campus services to the student. Discuss student support services on campus including tutoring at CAS, workshops at CAS, the DSPS office, Counseling, and other services as appropriate, and offer to refer the student as s/he wishes, using Early Alert.

Next Steps

  1. Determine in which areas you can be flexible and which not, communicate these clearly to your class (ideally both orally and in writing), and be consistent in enforcing your standards. For example, you may be willing to accept late work for major assignments, but not for homework, or vice versa. Setting clear boundaries and adhering to them provides structure and clarity for all your students.
  2. Recognize that many of the medications used to manage psychological challenges have significant side effects that can affect learning, including drowsiness, fatigue, excessive thirst, hand tremors, blurred vision, and so forth. You may need to continue to work with the student to develop or revise mutually agreeable management strategies for these. For example, you may determine to allow five minute breaks every 50 minutes of a long class session so that all students can access the water fountain and restroom regularly, or you may allow students to use their water bottles during class.
  3. Review the Teaching Strategies area of this site for ideas that seem to be most relevant to your student's situation, keeping in mind that individuals with psychological conditions vary considerably in their experiences, behaviors, and needs. Some examples of diverse psychological conditions include major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (from combat, abuse, or other trauma), schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, and anxiety disorder.
  4. Ask colleagues for strategies they have used successfully when dealing with behaviors like those you are observing, but be careful to maintain the student's confidentiality.
  5. Check your instructional materials for ADA, 504, and 508 compliance using this Checklist and begin retrofitting your materials to meet these federal requirements.
  6. Contact the DSPS office to request any resources they may have available to support your working with a student with the challenges you are observing. They may have media or print materials specific to your concerns, or they may be able to refer you to a campus colleague who has had success working with similar students. 
  7. If you develop concerns regarding the safety of your student, your class, and/or yourself, contact your department chair, your dean or director, or the Vice President for Student Services for guidance.

For Future

To expand your knowledge base for working with students with disabilities:

  1. Review the Teaching Strategies page for specific strategies.
  2. Explore the Further Resources for Teachers page for links to additional guides, information, and materials to build your skills.
  3. Mine the Disability Awareness page for books, films, online video clips, and other materials to provide context to work effectively with these students.

 

Material provided for information purposes only. For legal advice, consult a legal professional.