The Guide to Assisting Students With Disabilities: Equal Access in Health Science and Professional Education

"This is a valuable resource for administrators, faculty, disability service providers, parents, and students. Easy to read and understand, it is supported by many tables, examples, tips, and case studies. This is a much-needed resource, especially for nursing programs."

Colleen Manzetti, DNP, MSN, Monmouth University School of Nursing and Health Studies, Doody's Reviews

DESCRIBES HOW TO MEET THE NEEDS OF HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Students with disabilities studying health sciences face unique challenges within their educational environments that require distinct accommodations. This manual is a vital resource for administrators and faculty in health science programs that describes how to create accommodations that meet the needs of students with disabilities in academic health science settings. Grounded in federal disability law, case law, and Office for Civil Rights (OCR) determinations, this highly practical manual is written by experienced disability service providers from some of the most prestigious health science schools in the country. In a clear, well-organized format, they bring their expertise to bear on all aspects of disability and disability law in the health science setting. Citing legal cases and real-life scenarios, the manual describes best practices for good decision making, how to avoid problems by implementing strong accessibility-focused policies, and how to resolve problems in difficult cases, with a focus on providing effective services for students while protecting the institution from potential liability.

Each chapter is replete with illustrative examples, including tips for creative accommodations, advice for troubleshooting, and specific guidance for working with students with all types of disabilities. The book describes the process for determining disability accommodations and provides examples of typical accommodations in didactic as well as clinical and laboratory settings. Tools provided in the text include sample letters and procedures, lists of nationwide professional resources, flowcharts, graphs, and worksheets to assist disability service providers with determining and implementing appropriate student accommodations. Additionally, it discusses myths about disability, the importance of professional communication around disability, and how to encourage a culture of disability acceptance within schools. With its concrete framework, this book will help disability service and administrative professionals move away from a mode of "putting out fires" and toward establishing a welcoming environment where students feel safe to disclose their disabilities early and seek the support and accommodations needed to facilitate equal access.

KEY FEATURES:

• Addresses all aspects of disability and disability law for students in the health science setting
• Includes clearly written Dos and Don'ts
• Presents examples of accommodations that are appropriate in the classroom, clinic, and laboratory
• Provides easy-to-follow flowcharts and worksheets
• Includes resources for students and legal case examples throughout

Dr. Lisa Meeks is currently on staff with the University of California, San Francisco, USA. She provides disability services to the schools of Medicine, Dentistry and the Graduate Division, while overseeing all of UCSF’s student disability programs as the program’s director. She also consults with private industry, other educational institutions, and government agencies. Through her service to the University via the Chancellor’s Committee on Disabilities, and as the co-founder of the Coalition for Disability Access in Health Science and Medical Education, Dr. Meeks has helped shaped the future of health science education for students with disabilities. Her expertise is recognized by some of the leading educational, governmental, and private institutions in the United States. Her most important contribution, however, is being a mother. She is the proud mother of two dynamic and amazing adult children and one very large dog. She splits her time between San Francisco, CA and the East Coast.

Neera R. Jain, M.S., C.R.C. is a Rehabilitation Counselor by training and a passionate advocate for equal access in higher education, with a specialization in working with graduate and professional students in the health sciences. She was the first dedicated staff member to serve students with disabilities at two major health sciences institutions in the United States - the Columbia University Medical Center campus in New York City, and the University of California, San Francisco. Formerly the Director of Student Disability Services at the University of California, San Francisco, she now consults for UCSF remotely from Auckland, New Zealand. In New Zealand, she currently runs Auckland Disability Law, a specialist service that is part of the Community Law Centre movement. ADL is New Zealand’s only law practice dedicated to serving the unmet legal needs of disabled Kiwis. She received her master’s degree from Boston University, USA.