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There may be occasions when you are working with a student who is
having academic difficulties that cannot be explained by typical college
circumstances (the student needs to study more or has personal problems).
It may be the student has an undiagnosed disability. However, don't assume
that everyone with academic problems has a disability. This Info Sheet
will help you decide when to refer a student to Disability Services for Students
for a consultation regarding a suspected disability.
It is best to speak with the student privately and express your concern
in a non-judgmental way. For example, "I'm concerned about your performance
in my class. You understand the concepts and are a good participant in class
discussion, but your test grades don't seem to reflect your grasp of the subject."
- Give the student ample time to respond to your concerns.
- Gather information that will help you make the appropriate
referral by focusing on discovering what is interfering with
the student's performance. For example, is the student using
ineffective study strategies to prepare for a test? Is the
student experiencing personal problems that are taking
time away from school work? Or, is the student doing all
the "right things" but still having difficulty passing the tests?
- Has the student tried to solve his/her problem by working
with one of the campus services, i.e. the Writing
Center, the University Learning Center, the Counseling Center
or Psychological Services? If not, a referral to one of them
may be appropriate. If the student has tried other solutions
without results, the student may have an undiagnosed disability
that is interfering with academic performance.
- If the student says he/she "used to have a disability" or you think there may
be an undiagnosed disability, refer the student to Disability Services for Students
(DSS) for a consultation. The student can contact DSS at 777-3425 or come
to the office in McCannel Hall, Rm. 190 for a confidential meeting.
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