Medical Disability

Types of medical conditions having educational implications include chronic health problems such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, kidney disease, allergies, cardiovascular problems, cancer, diabetes, and HIV infections, as well as respiratory and gastro-intestinal disorders.Other medical condictions include Tourettes syndrome, epilepsy, and asthma.

A common problem to students with medical disabilities is fatigue and pain. They may have to expend more energy for the routines of daily living and so consideration should be given to their expenditure of energy in the classroom and surrounding environment. Pain and the adverse side effects of medication can be significant detractors to learning.

Accommodations and Supports

Some of the most commonly provided academic accommodations to students who have a medical disability include:

• Use of memory aids such as formula cards during tests
• Allowance of break periods as needed for rest and taking medication
• Ergonomically designed seating/furnishings
• Adjusted course grades for medical reasons (i.e. no penalty for late withdrawals)
• Alternative methods of evaluation
• Note taking support and/or permission to record lectures
• Exam accommodations
• Flexibility for absences for medical reasons (i.e. rescheduling of tests or exams).

This page last modified Monday, 29-Aug-2011 15:22:16 ADT