Seen Any Ableism Lately?

I don't understand

I work with students with disabilities at a community college. Extended time on tests is given to students who have a history of similar disabilities and the teachers are told this is a matter of law mandated accomodations.

I know universities hate doing anything for students with disabilities, but how can one disregard the law and deny these services?

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by: nokkonwud @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 18:09:55 PM CST

I kinda of agree with everyone ....

how's that for being politically correct.

Let me esplain Lucy.

I agree with nokkonwud, if that is the law, then law should prevail.

If an accomadation has been made before, then it should be made again whether there has been a change in admin or not.

The commentor about sports does have a point, regards to (and I'm not saying this about the young lady) how many athletes have no business being in college as they were probably "pushed through" high school because of their "athletic talents" and get into college.

And not to forget they also get "pushed through" college.

Overall, I say make the full accomadation for the exams as was given before and then let the merits of her score speak for itself with no "grade accomadation".

This point is also well made, I have to wonder what Diane expects to happen after graduation. Does she expect her future employer to grant her special "time" to complete an assigned task?

Yes it is important to accomadate for disability when those accomadations can be made in the workplace, but there comes a point where lines to have to be drawn.

I myself, journalist et all, were I a student today would probably be diagnosed with a mild form of Atention Deficent Disorder, not to mention a stutter (which rears its ugly head when I'm very tired or trying to talk to fast. This type of stutter I share with actor James Earl Jones and which is why he speaks so slowly and "emphatically". And you thought it was just for dramtic effect).

But I have never asked or sought accomadation in my work. I dealt with it, worked around it, and in the case of the stutter, took voice lessons when I thought about getting into radio and when broadcasting sporting events I did "color" as opposed to "play-by-play".

Plus on the occassion of speaking in front of groups made sure I had plenty of rest ahead of time so the brain/voice wires didn't get crossed. And like Jones, spoke slowly and "emphatically" so the brain/voice connection can be made.

Believe me I learned more about this subject than I ever cared to know.

The bottom line, give the young lady a break, at least while she is attending school.

Just because your voice reaches halfway around the world doesn't mean you are wiser than when it reached only to the end of the bar. - Edward R Murrow

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by: Lyndon @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 19:20:56 PM CST

Not really.

"I have to wonder what Diane expects to happen after graduation. Does she expect her future employer to grant her special "time" to complete an assigned task?"

This ignores the fact that academic work is vastly different from real-world work.

Unless you expect to get a job writing essays and reading textbooks for the rest of your life.

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by: Eshto @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 21:49:54 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Wow.

That's got to be a new record for Ableist Bingo.

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by: Chovexani @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 11:01:39 AM CST

[ Parent ]

i take two things to heart from this

the fact that I have learning disabilities and the fact that I'm an athlete in high school. I'm on my high school's rowing/crew team and I love every bit of it. Plenty of people who play/participate in sports can and do excel in classes. I happen to have my share of classes that I do well in. Just because you do sports doesn't mean you're being pushed through college or high school solely on the fact that you're skilled physically.

I have ADHD and Asburger's(sp?) syndrome which gives me sort of a deficiency in mathematics and science subjects. I don't think anyone should discriminate against another person in accommodations. It helps the person to reach their full potential and get the best possible score. having every person tested at the same time can not bring out the best score for each person, and the only accommodation is usually 1-3 hours of extended time for testing. It's well worth the "hassle" to get a person accommodations for anything to help them flourish. Normally, I don't take any accommodations that I have been offered but on final exams for classes if I think it's necessary for me to succeed.

"I am the sledgehammer to your 10,000 mirrors." everyone needs to be open and out of their closets.

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by: TSinGarnNC16 @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 20:17:50 PM CST

What about people who just aren't very intelligent?

Should they get a boost to their score, or some other kind of artificial accommodation to level the playing field with people who are very intelligent? It's not their fault they aren't that smart -- fundamentally we don't all have the potential to be super-geniuses. But I think we'd agree not to accommodate that person in a Princeton University final exam.

Ultimately academic tests are meant to measure your ability to perform certain core academic tasks. If, because of a disability, you are unable to perform the fundamental skill tested in the academic task, I think we can all agree that it is unfortunate, but I think there should be no accommodation.

This is distinct from a disability like blindness, because being able to see is not the core of the skill being tested; it is incidental. But if you can't use spoken language skillfully, then you should not be accommodated on a test whose core purpose is to test your ability to use spoken language skillfully.

I think we have the same intuition outside of academics. In a cross-country race, for example, we would accommodate someone who is deaf and therefore unable to hear the starting gun, because hearing a gun is not a core skill of cross country. But someone who had only one lung would not be accommodated, because aerobic endurance is a core skill of cross country.

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by: Pender @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 20:27:55 PM CST

What exactly is the "core skill" being measured

when the concern is the ability to sit in a crowded lecture hall and follow the lecture?  I'm coming at this as someone with a reasonably raging case of ADHD -- and the concern has never been with my ability to produce high-quality work in any field I've been studying.  (And, as I've spent years hunting for a field where I'll be able to work with the standard job environment, I've tried quite a few.)  The problem has always been specifically with the standard academic environment -- tell me to go off and work alone and I'm hopeless, but put me in a collaborative environment and I'm usually the one carrying the group.  Am I "just [not] very intelligent"?  Or is working alone (read: "being neurotypical" or "conforming to the dominant learning and personality style") the real "core skill" being pushed here as a measure of someone's social value?

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by: M @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 20:40:55 PM CST

[ Parent ]

ADHD is only one of her conditions.

The other three are "mixed-receptive-expressive language disorder," "disorder of written expression" and "developmental coordination disorder."

Stop with the victimology -- I have ADHD too.

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by: Pender @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 09:47:23 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Then why is it

that more conditions = less of an actual problem and more of an insistence that she doesn't deserve accommodations because she lacks the relevant skills?

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by: M @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 10:29:53 AM CST

[ Parent ]

needing vs wanting

I can also see both sides of the coin.  I work in higher education and deal with these situations on a daily basis.  Every one of these students need to be counseled and have their educational records investigated.  Seems like everyone who have difficulties in a task gets "diagnosed."

Now, don't get me wrong.. not all diagnoses are incorrect.  There are genuinely intelligent students who need some accommodation, but about half of the students asking for accommodations are intelligent at working the system.   Usually those people are weeded out and sent to remedial classes.  That way they can gain the experience to actually do the work required of them in college level courses.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't judge this woman so quickly.  She falls into either category.  Let her have her day in court, show the evidence, and make her case.  There are laws in place for accommodation, and if she falls under those categories, things will be made right.

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by: flyerfier @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 20:53:38 PM CST

I hope so.

The point I was attempting to make with this diary was that others, without all the facts, are basically dismissing her disabilities as not being that disabling.

I agree with you that the evidence will show whether she's being properly accomodated or not.

But, what's happening is that many are dismissing her learning disabilities out of hand because she's intelligent. That shows that many have no clue how some mental disabilities effect people without being visible disabilities.

My own disabilities include one relating to focus. I have a hard time with focus and staying on task, which is one of the reasons I don't post as frequently as many other baristas at The Blend, and why I find it very difficult to read books and study. However, if you met me in person, you would probably get the vibe that I seem smart and I seem flighty. But the flightiness is related having focus issues that are part of my disabilities.

I'm smart, but I'm often unfocused. It gets frustrating some days that I can't seem focus well at all -- If I tried to take a test on a day I was having real issues with focus, I know I would do poorly -- but it wouldn't be for lack of inteligence.

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~~Autumn~~

As if there were safety in stupidity alone.
--Henry David Thoreau

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by: Autumn Sandeen @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 23:57:24 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm a princeton university student

Perhaps coincidentally, I actually have disability accommodations with the University for my dysgraphia (extremely poor, underdeveloped handwriting resulting from fine motor skill deficiencies). I'm allowed to use a computer for my exams, but I obviously don't need extended time.

In defense of the University, I haven't had any problems at all with the disability office. I'm inclined to believe based on my experiences (and those of friends that I know who also have accommodations) that if they refused accommodation they must have had a darn good reason to do so...

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by: tbaxfer @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 20:54:08 PM CST

to add to that

Extended time is not exactly uncommon around here...this,

"The complaint alleges that Tominey told Metcalf-Leggette that only eight other students currently receive accommodations from the Office of Disability Services, and that none have been awarded extra exam time."

is an absolute lie. Last I heard, there were over 100 of us. Eve is not stingy about providing help when it is needed, so that leads me to think that she was either trying to "game" the system or something in her paperwork wasn't in order. If she feels she needs help, she should get another diagnosis (the other one is a bit old and may have been rejected due to the fact it was from her early adolescence). I had to get diagnosed again the summer before I came here.

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by: tbaxfer @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 21:14:57 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Is your experience the universal experience?

I run into this universalizing of personal experience by trans people all the time. A lot of trans people I've met seem to be of the opinion that the experience they're having as a trans person is what's experienced by other trans people.

The reality is one can only draw some conclusions from one's own personal experience, but different people in similar circumstances can have different perspectives and different experiences.

Your experience with the disability office has been good, so it seems to me that you're attempting to describe your positive experience as the universal outcome of those who visit the disability office. And, because the office appropriately accomodated your disabilities, the office has appropriately accomodated all with disabilities.

Your experience may not be the universal experience; different people with different disabilities receiving assistance from the same disability office may receive different levels of appropriate accomodation.

That's all I'm saying.  

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~~Autumn~~

As if there were safety in stupidity alone.
--Henry David Thoreau

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by: Autumn Sandeen @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 23:41:50 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I am wondering how a person who has a Varsity Soccer ?scholarship...

Could have been 'diagonosed' 6 years ago with incoordination and clumsiness? extending through out childhood. She can play community soccer, leave school and get a job.

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 22:11:12 PM CST

Fine motor skills and gross motor skills aren't the same

She's probably about as haptic a learner as possible.  It's not that difficult to modify a test for that instance.  

Accomodations are easy to make.  

# Duty, duty -- honor is, is --
Honor, Creideiki -- alertly
# Shared, is -- Honor #

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by: MileHighDawg @ Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 22:59:44 PM CST

[ Parent ]

When I Hear Stuff Like That I "Exploitation"

She is trying to exploit a system designed to help people with legitimate disabilities and problems. Her grades are probably crap already and she might be on the verge of being suspended from the team and this is her way to make it go away.

And the point on extra time in the "real world" is dead on. No employer will do this. In "at-will" states it can get you fired.

Jon aka The Angry Fag
http://www.theangryfag.com/
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=TheAngryFag

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by: TheAngryFag @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 05:36:30 AM CST

By extention...

...you've just slammed my learning disability -- I describe my problems with concentration and focus above.

Basically, I take longer to accomplish tasks in large part because of my disabilities related to focus. Although our specific conditions regarding why we have focusing issues are different, Diane Metcalf-Leggette indicates she has a similar issue with concentration that I do.

So, in your opinion, do I have a legitimate disability recarding concentration and focus? How would you know my disability is or isn't legitimate, or if it's legitimate, to what level does it need to be accommodated? So in the same vein, how would you know my disability is or isn't legitimate, or if it's legitimate, to what level does it need to be accommodated?

I call your comment this thread an example in ableism because you've decided, based on your personal prejudices, that Diane Metcalf-Leggette's disability isn't legitimate, and shouldn't be accommodated.

And just so you know, ableism regarding mental and mental health conditions is no less bigotry than anti-gay bigotry. By commenting as you did about Diane Metcalf-Leggette here in this comment thread, you're literally making blanket judgments that apply also to me and my disabilities, and making judgments regarding what accommodations I may need if I were in a higher education setting.

If you think I don't find your comment personally offensive, you'd be wrong.

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~~Autumn~~

As if there were safety in stupidity alone.
--Henry David Thoreau

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by: Autumn Sandeen @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 08:10:35 AM CST

[ Parent ]

We're covering this in my graduate education classes...

Some people seem to be under some misunderstandings about learning disorders, particularly the specific learning disorders highlighted in the post.

1. specific learning disorders are not a sign of low intelligence. They often go hand in hand with average/normal to HIGH intelligence. "Learning" disabilities does not mean that a person can't learn, but that they struggle with specific aspects of interpretation or expression, or have nervous system/cognitive issues, regarding tasks and procedures that are typically needed in a school environment. Lots of students learn how to cope at a elementary and secondary level. But college is more demanding and too few high schools prepare students for the realities of college-level work, even w/out SLDs coming into play.

2. fine motor skills are not gross motor skills, as MileHighDawg said. Furthermore, if concentration on one thing for a long period of time, maniuplating fine things, writing in a sophisticated manner, and difficulty interpreting convoluted spoken commands is a problem, then organized sports IS your thing. In soccer, it's OK to let your attention wander, esp. since you're supposed to be looking at the whole field. Physical activity can also calm down people with ADD or ADHD (in fact, that's one way to handle a young kid with ADD/ADHD - given them active constructive tasks that keep them out of their seat but out of trouble). Commands from coaches and teammates are simple and direct. Noone expects you to write an essay about it, and you are not using fine motor skills.

3. cognitive and learning disabilities are real disabilities - just becuase someone isn't in a wheelchair doesn't mean they don't have legitimate problems.  

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by: lyonside @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 06:49:02 AM CST

In the two years since I became "officially" disabled

(I'm partially paralyzed as the result of spinal cord surgery) I've encountered more dismissiveness, condescension and outright discrimination that I ever have for being an out gay man.  I have been laughed at, pointed at, called "gimp, etc.  I've been told I could overcome my paralysis if I really wanted to (the "Just do it" meme).  I've recovered to the point where I no longer need to wear my neck brace all the time, but I still can't walk without a cane--and even then it can be terribly difficult.  And there are signs my recovery will continue, albeit very slowly.  But for some reason, "abled" people seem to feel the need to make my existence even more difficult than it has to be.

Before this happened to me, I've always tried to be sensitive to people with disabilities.  Maybe that's because I've always had some minor ones myself.  (I'm dyslexic, for instance--and I'm a writer--go  figure.)  But the kind of discrimination I've encountered has really opened my eyes.  I'm appalled at the insensitivity many "abled" people display, so casually they don't seem to give it any thought at all.  And I'm even more appalled at how vindictive some of them can be when I call them on it.

Diane's story is not unique.  It's only one more example of how badly citizens of The Greatest Country in the World(TM) are at dealing with anyone who is in any way at all "differeent."


I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights.  -Archbishop Desmond Tutu

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by: QScribe @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 10:42:22 AM CST

I agree 100%

There is a huge stigma when people find out that you have a hidden disability, and people just disregard you out of the gate if you have a visible one. I have degeneration in the bones that connect my thumbs to my wrists. In school I got two accommodations: I was allowed to take any kind of essay test on a computer, and I had adaptive phys ed one semester on doctor's orders, which meant that unlike the rest of the freshmen who had to take regular coed PE, I got to lift weights with the juniors and seniors. Everyone wanted that PE class because the teacher didn't monitor what you did. The reaction - jealousy, really - was incredible. As a teenager I did not yet have the resources to ask if they also wanted constant pain, visits to the doctor, a good portion of their teenage years in various casts, splints, or braces, and having to take two years off of playing sports that came along with  a special PE class and a word processor. It wasn't like I had internet access on the computer. I got a simple word processor and my test was monitored just like theirs.

I remember being so worried that asking for accommodations at work would make me the problem employee. I never asked at my first job after college and endured daily pain. At my second job I noticed that my boss had an ergonomic keyboard, so I timidly asked if I could get one as well as a track ball as they are the difference between whether I go home in pain at the end of the day or not. I was surprised when my boss told me to buy whatever I needed to do my job. I haven't been afraid to ask for accommodations since. (Well, except when I worked for the school system, where teachers had to buy paper clips out of our own pockets. They would have laughed if I'd asked for a keyboard and told me that the solution was not to use the computer.)

Now I have an invisible disability. I can't work or drive because of it. My partner has to do a lot of things for me, and she tells people that it's because I'm disabled. I know it's for good reason, usually so people know why they are dealing with her and not me. I realize that I should not be ashamed, but I am. I can just feel the contempt for me, even though most people can't know from looking at me most of the time. I've had friends disappear from my life because my not being able to do very much really puts a damper on things, and for a long time even my parents were unconvinced that it wasn't in my head. (They are on board now.)

I wonder how many people with disabilities end up partnering with others with disabilities, because it's so much easier to be with someone who understands something that affects every part of your life.

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by: one jewish dyke @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 13:48:24 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm not suprised.

I'm a student with sever learning disabilities and have been repeatedly told by university administrators and professors that I don't have a disability that "I'm just lazy or not working hard enough" and a whole host of related things.

At many Universities there seems to a culture of non accommodating and out right hostility to students who may have any kind of variation or disability. I see it in my fellow graduate students and I see it in many of my professors. I personally dont quite get it. If your student needs more time and a quiet space what do I care? All the time and all the quiet in the world wont save from an exam I write if you dont know the material. If you understand the material I want you to do well and if you need a quiet place and some extra time fine with me.

Then again I suppose I'm the oddity.  

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by: Sam.Lynn @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 11:17:06 AM CST

The residents of this country

have NEVER been much good at accepting anyone who's different in any way--racially, ethnically, religiously, sexually...you name it.  And those of us who are double minorities (in my case gay and disabled--I assume that's the case with you, too) really get the brunt of it.

I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights.  -Archbishop Desmond Tutu

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by: QScribe @ Tue Nov 10, 2009 at 11:52:13 AM CST

[ Parent ]