Program 2020

PTI Program 2020-PDF

PTI Program 2020 

32nd Annual Postsecondary Disability Training Institute (PTI) 

Sponsored by the Center on Postsecondary Education and Disability, NEAG School of Education, University of Connecticut 

Tuesday, August 11th, Wednesday, August 12th – Friday, August 14th, 2020 

Sheraton Inner Harbor, Baltimore, Maryland

Last updated 4/8/2020

How do You Meet the Unique Needs of College Students with Disabilities? 

Come learn skills you’ll use every day! The objective of the Training Institute is to assist concerned professionals to meet the unique needs of college students with disabilities. Participants can select sessions about a wide range of cutting-edge topics in a variety of formats, including 3-day strands, single sessions, poster presentations and pre-institute sessions. All formats provide participants with in-depth information and adequate time for questions and follow-up activities. 

Participants also have opportunities to share information and network with each other at various activities throughout the week. 

Should You Attend? 

Yes! If you are one of the following, you should attend this Institute: 

  • LD/Disability Specialist
  • 504/ADA Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Faculty/Instructor/Tutor
  • Educational or Career Counselor
  • Academic Skills Center Personnel

 

Schedule 

Please note that the posted sessions and/or times may change depending on circumstances beyond our control 

Pre-Institute Sessions (Tuesday, 1:00-4:00 pm) 

Pre-Institute Session I: 

Accommodations for Students with Psychiatric Disabilities: A Functional Collaboration

(All Levels) ~ Lauri DiGalbo, Central Connecticut State University. 

As the rigors of postsecondary education become more complex and the incidence of psychiatric disorders in our students are more prevalent, we are more aware that accommodations must be paired closely with the cognitive and emotional skills needed to learn and survive at the postsecondary environment. This session will drill down into the effects that psychiatric disorders have on learning and environmental adjustment. We will review the functional limitation commonalities in these disorders, by diagnostic category, and how they must be considered to make effective accommodations. Finally, we will explore the collaboration between Support Services and the student in managing the postsecondary environment.

Pre-Institute Session II: 

A Basic Legal Primer for Understanding Campuses’ Legal Obligations to Students with Disabilities (All Levels) ~ Jeanne Kincaid, Drummond Woodsum.  

New to your position? Do you have a background in another profession but now are trying to figure out how the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act operate on college campuses? Or are you a compliance officer charged with handling student ADA/504 grievances? This is the session for you. 

Pre-Institute Session III: 

Strategies for Promoting Inclusive Teaching Among Faculty (All Levels) ~ Allison Lombardi, Emily Tarconish, & Ashley Taconet, University of Connecticut.

This session will provide an overview of inclusive instruction (based on principles of Universal Design for Instruction), which can be utilized to guide and support faculty in planning and delivering instruction and evaluating learners. Presenters will discuss relevant strategies, including accessible syllabus design, course-mapping, self-assessment, and instructional and assessment scenarios.

Poster Session and Opening Reception (Tuesday evening, 7:30-9:00 pm) 

  • College Students with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Qualitative Study ~ Ruth Mercado-Cruz, Raúl Rivera Colón, Kevin Hernández, & Abdiel Soto Colon, University of Puerto Rico at Cayey
  • Universal Design for Learning ~ Kelly McGill-Seega, University of Connecticut
  • It’s a Team Effort: Supporting Academics for Student Athletes Through Peer Mentoring Programs ~ Ashley Taconet, Kelly McGill-Seega, & Jennifer Holowaty, University of Connecticut
  • Implementing a Sensory Room in Higher Education~ Ashley Alesi & Alyssa Seidel, Stony Brook University
  • Facilitators for Success of Inclusive Higher Education for Students with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses~ Julia Loose, Leibniz Universität Hannover & Allison Lombardi, University of Connecticut
  • Higher Education’s Next Great Challenge: Ensuring Full Inclusion for Students with Disabilities~ Jessica Queener & Dahlia Shaewitz, Institute for Educational Leadership

Strand Descriptions 

Please note:  Each  Strand  is continuous for three days. You will make one choice from Strand I and  one choice from Strand II. Also, note the  level of the Strand  appears in parentheses after the title. Please select your attendance accordingly. 

Strand I, Sessions A-D (Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday; 8:15-10:00 am) 

A. LD and ADHD Evaluations: Demystifying Terminology, Tests, and Scores and Applying Them to Accommodation Decisions (Beginner) ~ Will Lindstrom & Gerri Wolfe, University of Georgia. 

This didactic and interactive strand will provide training on the interpretation and relative value of the various types of learning disability and ADHD documentation commonly submitted by students. Specific topics will include psychometric score interpretation, understanding frequently used assessment measures, and using data to inform accommodation decisions under the ADA. 

B. A New Decade Brings New Challenges: And Even More Students with Disabilities (All Levels) ~ Jeanne Kincaid, Drummond Woodsum. 

It has taken decades but our federal disability laws are achieving their goal: integrating students with disabilities in all aspects of campus life. Attendant with such an accomplishment comes additional responsibilities, demanding a level of interdepartmental collaboration not every postsecondary educational setting is prepared to tackle. Long gone are the days where disability/accessibility offices can send a communication that does not require faculty involvement. Meals and dining have become increasingly complex. Residential life choices are pushing the limits of what an institution can provide. Advocates are demanding that disability/accessibility offices be involved in leave of absence decisions. Posting a video, a pdf announcement, a podcast and designing a new website all have disability-based implications. Then there are all the campus processes that have to be considered for modification when necessary based upon a student’s disability (e.g., Title IX and disciplinary procedures). Yet more and more students are qualified to enroll in higher education and the degrees sought are highly valued. This session will provide attendees with the latest legal developments to assist disability/accessibility offices and ADA compliance officers with their decision-making.

C. Community Colleges: The Same, But Different (All Levels) ~ Kristie Proctor & Terri Rodriguez, Quinsigamond Community College.

Documentation, accommodations, interactive process, assistive technology, outreach, student success, faculty, ESAs, parents, and other duties as assigned; community colleges and 4-year universities all manage these priorities; however, in the community college there are subtle differences. Explore key components of community college service-delivery while encouraging peer interaction, networking, and strategic problem-solving.

D. Strategies to Improve Math Success: Study Skills, Anxiety Reduction, Mind Set, Apps, Accommodations and Substitutions (All Levels) ~ Paul Nolting, Hillsborough Community College.

Participants will learn to apply math study skills, mindsets, anxiety reduction, apps, tutor strategies, test scores, appropriate accommodations and understand effects of processing deficits and course substitutions process for all disability groups.  Additional focus is on real case studies, OCR rulings, student math success plans and working with the faculty.

Strand II, Sessions E-H (Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10:15 am-12:00 pm) 

E. Give Us Your Hardest Cases: We’ll Give You Options (Intermediate) ~ Kirsten Behling, Tufts University & Andrew Cioffi, Suffolk University.

This strand is designed to tackle your hardest disability-related issues. Participants will be asked to identify a complex issue with no clear solution on their campus (e.g. a student, administrative, resource or technical issue) and submit them ahead of time. We will then explore those situations throughout the strand.

F. Autism, Neurodiversity and the Sensory World of the College Campus (All Levels) ~ Jane Thierfeld Brown, Yale University, Lauri DiGalbo, Central Connecticut State University, & Lorre Wolf, Boston University. 

Neurodiversity can be recognized in many forms on college campuses. ADD/ADHD, Autism, Psychiatric Disabilities and many other brain related impairments can affect students in multiple complicated ways. A focus on cognitive strategies designed for practitioners will help attendees learn to foster development of self-regulatory and executive function skills to support students’ success.

G. How Much Can You Bend? The Complexity of Disability Related Absences and Flexible Attendance Accommodation Requests (All Levels) ~ Valerie Hamilton, University of Colorado at Boulder.

The University of Colorado at Boulder embarked on an ambitious project in the Spring of 2019 by implementing a flexible attendance accommodation process that was rigorous. Attendees of these sessions will learn about the high and low points of the process and how to begin creating a plan for their own institutions.

H. Studying Doesn’t Have to be Boring: Sensory Engagement, Advertising Tricks, and Atypical Neurology (Intermediate) ~ Jacqueline Ahl, The Culinary Institute of America. 

Looking for ways to integrate strategy instruction and academic coaching? This session covers the development of efficient, effective, engaging study strategies, applicable across academic disciplines. Learn how to combine the tricks and techniques of commercial advertising with highly tailored sensory engagement. The result? Enhanced semantic memory and higher order thinking. 

Single Sessions (see below for specific days and times) 

You will be asked to register for the single sessions. This will help us plan room placements and give presenters information about anticipated turnout and information about any accommodation needs. You can change your session choices at the Institute – just contact the staff at the registration desk. 

 Wednesday, Single Session I (1:30-2:30 pm) 

  • Compliance Issues on the Horizon Part I (All Levels) ~ Salome Heyward, Salome Heyward and Associates. This session will explore recent court decisions and OCR rulings that shape the compliance obligations of colleges and universities. Important developments regarding accommodation practices; the responsibility of faculty; testing practices and procedures; graduate and professional programs; and access to technology will be discussed.
  • Leveraging Relationships in Small Colleges for Campus Accessibility Solutions (Intermediate) ~ Patty Klug, Juniata College. Small colleges with overall smaller enrollments and less staff and resources are especially pressured by the recent challenges in the Higher Education climate as they are under greater institutional resource and budget limitations. Learn how to build and utilize shared ownership with multiple constituents in a Campus Accessibility Team. Smaller budget does not need to mean less access.
  • Why Thinking Aloud Beats “When in Doubt, Pick ‘C’”: Using Cognitive Interviewing Techniques in Tutoring Students with LD (Intermediate) ~ Jacqueline Ahl, The Culinary Institute of America. Cognitive interviewing has extraordinary potential to enhance metacognition, illuminate misinterpretation, and reveal the origin of retrieved information. Participants will therefore learn how to implement key components, including “think aloud” and verbal probing techniques. This presentation is the first step in implementing cognitive interviewing techniques in coaching, tutoring, and testing.
  • Service Use among College Students with Non-Apparent Disabilities (All Levels) ~ Jennifer Lindstrom, Mary Hall Slaughter & Trisha Barefield, University of Georgia. This study investigated when students with non-apparent disabilities register for disability services and how frequently they subsequently use those accommodations. We also investigated why some students with non-apparent disabilities choose not to disclose their disability to the disability services center.

Wednesday, Single Session II (2:45-3:45 pm) 

  • Compliance Issues on the Horizon Part II (All Levels) ~ Salome Heyward, Salome Heyward and Associates. This session will explore recent court decisions and OCR rulings that shape the compliance obligations of colleges and universities. Important developments regarding accommodation practices; the responsibility of faculty; testing practices and procedures; graduate and professional programs; and access to technology will be discussed.
  • Deaf Students and/or Faculty Requesting Interpreters – What to do? (All Levels) ~ Debra Radcliffe-Borsch, Howard Community College, Barbara Menges, Towson University, & Traci Lowery, Frederick Community College. What are some interpreting services Best Practices for credit/non-credit Deaf students, plus Deaf faculty? Three Maryland colleges have Interpreter Coordinators with wide variations in their duties. These professionals are willing to offer guidance on how they provide interpreting services. Which would be the best fit for your institution?
  • High Volume, Low Investment: A Cloud Based Method of Test Management (All Levels) ~ Thaddeus Nelson, Stony Brook University. In order to streamline exam tracking and ensure test security on behalf of university faculty, the Student Accessibility Support Center developed and launched a new digital exam log. This session will provide insight into the department’s experience with this new system and suggest methods for other universities to implement similar systems. A step-by-step guide to implementing the Stony Brook University digital exam log will provide guidance to other institutions that wish to implement a similar system. Use of the google cloud environment creates a backbone that requires low investment, is highly customizable, and accessible to departmental staff. A question and answer period will provide an opportunity to discuss the system and guidance in the development of similar digital test logs at other universities.
  • Universally Designing Student Services: Inclusive Experiences Beyond the Classroom (All Levels) ~ Kirsten Behling, Tufts University. UDL is not a new concept, but it may be to those who work in student services. This session will share a new UDL audit tool and multi-media tips for how to add UDL into the non-academic side of the college experience.

Wednesday, Single Session III (4:00-5:00 pm) 

  • Building Collaborations Across Campus (Beginner) ~ Jacqueline Safont, JS Educational Services, Haledon, NJ. This presentation will showcase how to build collaborative relationships across campus constituencies to improve student resources. How do you determine who can assist you in performing your goals/responsibilities? How do I assess my current needs? How do I get more human resources when there’s no money in the budget? After completing the session, participants will be able to complete an action plan of next steps to building relationships with colleagues at their institutions.
  • Hot Topics in Disability Documentation and Accommodation Decisions (All Levels) ~ Manju Banerjee & Adam Lalor, Landmark College. Making accommodation decisions is at the core of the Disability Services profession. Yet, such decisions are challenging given self-reported student needs, interactive approach to accommodation decision-making, and uncertain value of a formal diagnosis. These three topics will be discussed together with suggestions for practice.
  • Enhancing the Inclusion of International Students with Disabilities in Higher Education (Beginner) ~ Matthias Maunsell, University of Alabama at Birmingham. International students with disabilities in higher education face unique challenges as they adjust to new social, cultural, educational, and language surroundings. This presentation provides guidance relating to the hurdles they must overcome, identifies common institutional limitations in addressing their needs, and recommends improvements to ensure more inclusive policy and practice.
  • Combining Resources to Assist Students with Greater Need (All Levels) ~ Shelly Shinebarger & Kate Schurick, Union College. All students have varying needs as they enter college. Students with disabilities often need guidance and help from a team of professionals as they navigate the transition to college life.  Learn how one small liberal arts college has intentionally collaborated to help students on the spectrum manage those needs.
  • Beyond Accommodations: Shifting Your Office Resources to Meet the Needs of Today’s Registered Students (All Levels) ~ Jodi Rachins, Merrimack College. Merrimack College utilizes niche methods to support complex student needs, reduce stigma, and develop peer networks via individualized programming for autism, chronic medical/mental health conditions, activism, and socialization. We will share our developments and will brainstorm creative ideas with you, even for offices with limited resources.

Thursday, Single Session I (1:30-2:30 pm)

  • Understanding College Students with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Growing and Unique Population (All Levels) ~ Emily Tarconish, University of Connecticut. Postsecondary students with TBI are a growing population, encompassing individuals who endured injuries as children/adolescents, those who are injured during college, such as athletes, and adults who sustain injuries and attend higher education later in life, including veterans. This session will describe the range of issues these students may experience.
  • Getting to “Yes” with ETS: Using Alternative Sources of Disability Documentation (Advanced) ~ Nora Pollard, Loring Brinckerhoff & Morgan Blisard, Educational Testing Services. Accommodation requests abound at ETS. Unfortunately, the documentation submitted may not support these requests. To reduce the burden on test takers, ETS now looks at other types of supportive documentation. During this session, we will discuss how to get to “yes” more quickly. A case study will be presented demonstrating the types of alternative documentation that has led to approval.
  • Staging an Amygdala Intervention: Practical and Radical Strategies for Combating Test Anxiety (Intermediate) ~ Jacqueline Ahl, The Culinary Institute of America. “My Amygdala doesn’t want me to get an ‘A’!” “My professor wants me to fail!” Let’s change that narrative. We will examine a variety of interventions, including concrete changes in preparation, radical means of re-framing thinking, and a program used by Navy Seals to decrease anxiety and increase performance success.
  • Autism Accommodations (Intermediate) ~ Jane Thierfeld Brown, Yale University. The growing population of students with autism requires some creative accommodations. This session will discuss appropriate accommodations in the classroom, residence halls and on campus. Topics such as employment, conduct and Title IX will also be reviewed. 
  • University Disability Services Office Creating an Effective Workflow to Appropriately Serve Students Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Part I (All levels) Terri-Massie-Burrell, Dayna Geary, & Cathie Axe, Johns Hopkins University. A university disability services office shares how they worked together to create an effective workflow to appropriately serve students remotely during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The value standard was managing self and others during an unprecedented stressful time. Sharing how lessons learned through this experience have prepared us to deal with urgent, unexpected circumstances to serve a diverse population of students with disabilities. We will share best practices to serve our students during an unexpected shift to online classes and remote services. Strategies implemented on our initial day of teleworking with purposeful revisions. SDS staff band together and strengthened relationships with campus partners that will forever add to our approach as student affairs professionals.

Thursday, Single Session II (2:45-3:45 pm) 

  • All the Things I Wish I Knew When I Started as a New Disability Services Professional. (Beginner) ~ Kelly McGill Seega, University of Connecticut. It is hard to know, what you don’t know. During this session, I will share some real-life experiences and teachable moments I had during my first year as a new disability services professional. The goal is for new professionals to learn from colleagues’ experiences, network and make connections with other new professionals in the field.
  • Strategies and Tools to Support Students with Traumatic Brain Injuries (All Levels) ~ Emily Tarconish, University of Connecticut. This session will present strategies and tools that can help students with TBI. As the symptoms of TBI are vast, a range of possible accommodations, strategies and approaches to address cognitive, emotional, behavioral, self-awareness, physical and other issues will be discussed.
  • What Students on the Spectrum Need from their Universities and Service Providers (Beginner) ~ Jessica Monahan, Brian Freedman, & Kerry Pini, University of Delaware. This session will discuss the findings of a survey of students on the autism spectrum about their experience at the University of Delaware. Results will be discussed in the context of current research. Participants will engage in a guided discussion about current practice and how that aligns with research findings.    
  • University Disability Services Office Creating an Effective Workflow to Appropriately Serve Students Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Part II (All levels) Terri-Massie-Burrell, Dayna Geary, & Cathie Axe, Johns Hopkins University. A university disability services office shares how they worked together to create an effective workflow to appropriately serve students remotely during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The value standard was managing self and others during an unprecedented stressful time. Sharing how lessons learned through this experience have prepared us to deal with urgent, unexpected circumstances to serve a diverse population of students with disabilities. We will share best practices to serve our students during an unexpected shift to online classes and remote services. Strategies implemented on our initial day of teleworking with purposeful revisions. SDS staff band together and strengthened relationships with campus partners that will forever add to our approach as student affairs professionals.

Thursday, Single Session III (4:00-5:00 pm)

  • Coaching Beyond Academics: A Comprehensive Coaching System for College Students with Autism (Intermediate) ~ Weston Garton, Jessica Monahan, & Brian Freedman, University of Delaware. This session will describe a coaching model used at the University of Delaware to support undergraduate students on the autism spectrum, and research to support the model. Related coaching resources will be provided. Participants will also brainstorm barriers and solutions to implementing coaching supports for students on the autism spectrum.
  • Growth Mindset and Mindfulness Medication as a Tool for Students as they Transition to College (All Levels) ~ Kelly McGill-Seega & Jennifer Holowaty, University of Connecticut. Growth Mindset and Mindfulness Meditation as a tool for students as they transition to college. This session is based on a First-Year Seminar taught from a Growth Mindset perspective and used Mindfulness Meditation as a tool for students as they transition into college. A discussion based on using both Growth Mindset and Mindfulness Meditation as a coping mechanism as taught in the summer bridge program at the University of Connecticut.
  • An Accessibility and Inclusion Partnership” Disability Services and ADA Compliance (Advanced) ~ Catherine Axe & Aaron Hodukavich, Johns Hopkins University. Disability services and ADA compliance is a collective institutional responsibility that intersects with campus diversity and inclusion efforts. This presentation will explore various models of delegating these responsibilities, with a particular focus on the recent experience of Johns Hopkins University creating two separate and distinct leadership positions.
  • Creating Institutional Buy-In for a Digital Accessibility Plan (Beginner) ~ Erin Salva & Emily Wise, Kenyon College. Web Content Accessibility has become the new frontier of accessibility on many college campuses. While the web is often the first point of contact for prospective students, once in the classroom, students are faced with new and emerging technologies which can create barriers to learning.  Developing a strategy to provide training and education to campus partners about why digital access matters and providing them with the tools to identify and remediate access barriers requires campus wide buy in.  We will identify some key steps in the process for developing a Digital Access plan with representation from across campus.