TRAINING SCHEDULE


(This agenda is somewhat tentative; a finalized agenda will be released once we have had a chance to review the information submitted by enlistees as part of their registration. We will adapt the schedule and put specific times to the training topics once we have determined what is of most relevance to our recruits. The information presented during our virtual sessions will be supplemented by assignments and, as needed, consultations with trainers on the Tuesday and Thursday during the week of training.)


May 17:
  1. Introduction
    • Overview of the group's stated needs
  2. Defining roles
  3. What is in place?
  4. What should be in place?
    • Group Activity: This session could either be titled, "The Grass is Always Greener" or "You are Not Alone." It will provide an opportunity for participants to determine what others have in place that you don't -- and vice versa!
  5. Legal issues (statutes, policies, differences in laws)
  6. Scenarios -- from legal principles to practice
  7. Information about disabilities
    • Facts
    • Nuances
    • What diagnoses are based on (or should be)
    • Resources

Homework Assignment:

This will be a web-based assignment -- a kind of "online scavenger hunt" looking for models of the very best of policies/procedures/website features to be found online.

May 19:
  1. Policies and Procedures at an institutional level
    • Comprehensive list
    • Templates for developing your own policies
    • Report on homework
    • Group project – In small groups, review/troubleshoot sample policies to identify strengths and potential problems
  2. Accommodations -- Define/Detail/Determine
    • Reviewing Documentation
    • Setting up accommodations
    • Internal policies and procedures (notetakers, no-shows, forms)
    • Group activity: Working in pairs, examine accommodations that are used most frequently. Identify the accommodation, what it is used for, and how it might be abused or misused.

Homework Assignment:

Using the work sheet provided, define the role of your office on campus, the population of students you serve, and how services are organized. Identify your most critical problems/concerns to help prioritize your end-of-training Plan of Action.

May 21:
  1. Review homework: Where do you fit in on campus?
  2. Identifying resources/allies/stumbling blocks on campus
  3. Issues to consider:
    • Access to an education
    • Assistive technology
    • Organization of your office
    • Physical plant
    • Campus climate
    • Signage
  4. How do you know what you need?
  5. Academic Access
    • Working with faculty
    • Universal design
    • Designing a faculty handbook
  6. Special topics
    • Students with Asperger's Syndrome
    • Accommodating online learners
    • Students with low incidence disabilities
    • ADA responsibilities
    • Program evaluation
    • Equipping an assistive technology lab
  7. Wrap Up