[Georgia_ahead] FW: OCR and Extended assignment times

[Bonnie Martin]

Hello All,

 

At the last GA-Ahead board meeting we discussed this email list.  I
stated that from time to time I will see something on the dsshe-list
that I think is "forward worthy" (to borrow and paraphrase a term used
by Elaine on "Sinfield") and post to this Georgia list.  I was asked to
continue to do this.

 

Below is a post from Scott Lissner, who is the ADA Coordinator at Ohio
State University, responding to a question about OCR "rulings" regarding
extended time for assignments. Many students request it as a hold over
from K-12 and we have several non-traditional (read that older) students
who expect it.  Since most assignments are listed on a syllabus the
first day of class, we encourage students who take longer to complete
assignments to start early and will, at times, assist in getting an
early syllabus.  We explain one reason not to extend assignments is that
faculty usually arrange tests and assignments to avoid a conflict.
Knowing how many (most?) students procrastinate, they prefer completed
assignments (papers and projects) before a mid-term or final - to avoid
time spent working on an assignment when reviewing for an exam is
needed.  Extended reading assignments?  That one has never made sense to
me-the reading assignments usually follow the class lectures and it is
best to read before the lecture to assist in comprehension and
retention.  

 

Regardless, I think Scott's posting gives a good analysis guideline for
a case by case decision on this issue.

 

Bonnie Martin

Georgia Perimeter College

________________________________

From: Disabled Student Services in Higher Education
<DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU> [mailto:Disabled Student Services in
Higher Education <DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU>] On Behalf Of "Lissner,
Scott" <Lissner.2 at OSU.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2007 5:34 PM
To: DSSHE-L at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
Subject: Re: OCR and Extended assignment times

 

As much as I respect my friends at OCR I would like to remind folks that
their letters of finding and settlements are not words from on high 
(unless they are addressed to your institution then you might consider 
them to carry such authority). That is not to say you should not look 
at them but don't think of any one of them as "the answer" or as 
immutable precedent. 

Letters are very fact based (case by case decision making in context) 
and should be read for the pattern reasoning, the questions that were 
asked, the dimensions and variables considered not the particular and 
unique outcomes. 

In the case of out of class assignments here are the questions, 
dimensions that seem to belong in the analysis to me. 

What is the impact of the disability on the tasks the assignment 
requires? 
When did the student have all the necessary information to begin the 
assignment? 
How much time is typically necessary for other students to complete the 
assignment well? 
How dependent is the flow of instruction/learning on the experience of 
experiencing the assignment? 
How dependent is the flow of instruction/learning on feedback from 
completing the assignment? 
Is there a point in time where the content of instruction essentially 
completes the assignment for any student who has not yet turned it in? 
What is the instructor's policy (hopefully on the syllabus) concerning 
"late work"? 


Here is a challenge. 
Try to construct answers that support some level of extended time for 
assignments. 
Now construct answers that do not support any extended time for 
assignments. 

Those pesky facts can be quite the problem. 

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