080401 Tuesday Prayer Breakfast with Tamara Massey & Matthew Flanagan AUM CDS

The following text was used in a powerpoint presentation by Tamara Massey and Matthew Flanagan during the Tuesday Morning Prayer Breakfast at Dexter Avenue on April 1, 2008. The soundtrack and movie of the presentation is being edited by the AUM staff before republication.

Their official titles are:

Tamara J. Massey-Garrett, Director
Matthew Flanagan, Assistive Technology Specialist

Auburn Montgomery (AUM)
Center for Disability Services (CDS)
Montgomery, Alabama

Negotiating Accommodations
Responsibilities of Postsecondary Institution Providing Accommodations
o Services provided under Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
o With reasonable notification, college is responsible for costs involved in providing reasonable accommodations and/or auxiliary aids to students.
o Student must self-identify disability, request services from DSS, and provide recent documentation of disability (cost of evaluation responsibility of student).
o Faculty will not know about student’s disability without written permission.
o Little or no parental involvement.
Responsibilities of DSS
o Student self-identifies and provides documentation to DSS, then DSS reviews documentation and determines appropriateness of documentation.
o DSS sets up an intake interview with student and determines reasonable accommodations, discusses DSS policies and procedures, and generates accommodation letter.
o Student picks up letter/memo, meets with faculty, and both communicate accommodation needs to DSS on contract and through one-on-one discussion's.
o DSS implements accommodations, e.g. proctoring
o As needed, DSS advocates for student.

Center for Disability Services at AUM
CDS serves approximately 200 students.
Disabilities categories include: learning disabilities, psychological, ADD/ADHD, Health/medical, Vision, hearing impairments, and TBI.
Students use accommodations as needed.
Students can use accommodations for classes on- and off-campus (distance learning, Auburn Guarantee Seamless Admission Program).
Students use assistive technology (AT).
Vision Impairments
CDS staff met with Biology department head, lecture and lab instructors before semester began.
CDS worked closely with Biology Department and the School of Sciences in preparation of accommodating these students including the recommendation to purchase a tactile plant cell model. Funding was appropriated from Academic Affairs.
Discussed need for diagrams, pictures, etc. being brailled and/or visual descriptions.
Modification of diagrams, pictures, exam questions.
Exams – use of braille and electronic text (e-text).
Lab assistant provided for one-on-one assistance (hands-on assistance and visual descriptions) – hiring by CDS.
Meetings with instructors, CDS staff and students on a regular basis and as needed.

Subject example: Biology
Using Braille & E-Text
Biology
Using Tactile Model & Lab Assistants
Student Using Tactile Animal Cell Model
Braille Image: Osmosis
Braille Image: Bacteriophage

Presenters Contact Information
Tamara Massey-Garrett
AUM-Center for Disability Services
P.O. Box 244023
Montgomery, AL 36124-4023

tmassey2@aum.edu
(334) 244-3754

Matthew Flanagan
AUM-Center for Disability Services
P.O. Box 244023
Montgomery, AL 36124-4023

mflanaga@aum.edu
(334) 244-3880