Information for Instructors

Best Instructional Practices

New research is advancing our understanding of teaching and learning. The best instructional practices for students with disabilities are often the same as those without disabilities. All students benefit from a course that:

• is well organized
• provides clear instructional objectives
• employs instructional materials that capitalize on both the visual and auditory capabilities of students
• allows practice and opportunities to apply new skills in real situations or simulations
• provides opportunities for clarification of new information
• allows for ample review
• is flexible in ways that students can demonstrate mastery.

Therefore, effective teachers are:

• organized
• clear
• knowledgeable
• practical
• creative
• structured
• flexible

A comprehensive guide to effective teaching has been put together by educators at Berkeley. You can access the Berkeley Compendium for Suggestions for Teaching with Excellence at this web address: http://uga.berkeley.edu/sled/compendium/.

Essential vs. Nonessential Requirements

It is extremely helpful both to students and to those who will determine appropriate accommodations if the goals and objectives of the course are clearly defined. This way the essential and non-essential features of the course of study can be differentiated. When making determinations regarding accommodations, the academic and technical (non-academic) standards that are essential for the course are then apparent. Clarity of goals and objectives will allow accommodations to be put in place so that these do not compromise the essential features of the course.

Scott (1990) posed a series of questions that would frame the definition of essential vs. non-essential features of a course: What is the purpose of the course?

• What methods of instructing are absolutely necessary?
• What outcomes are absolutely required of all students?
• What methods of assessing outcomes are absolutely necessary?

For Instruction of All Students: Some Ideas for Starting Off

There are some practices that will easily allow instructors to get students off to a good start and greatly ease the learning process for all students:

1. Prepare a good syllabus. Maria Karunungan of the Program in Educational Studies has provided this excellent example that can serve as a model. More syllabi will be added to these pages as they become available. This syllabus includes the course objectives; therefore, the essential learning tasks are made explicit. Other important features are the clarity of presentation of all elements of the course, the excellent organization and the explanation of evaluation goals and procedures.

   It is a lot of work to put together a syllabus that is as complete as this. It is of great benefit to the Office of Disabilities Services to have a clear idea of expectations and procedures to help them determine which elements of the course may require additional support, but all students will benefit from the pre-planning and organization that are apparent from this sample syllabus.

   (The sample syllabus is in .pdf format. You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view it. If you don't have a copy, it's free and you may download it here.)
   
   Syllabi 2 and 3 were provided by Ed Neal, the Director of Faculty Development of the Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

   View sample syllabus 1: Educational Studies
   
   View sample syllabus 2: Molecular Genetics
   
   View sample syllabus 3: History
   

2. .Be sure that the course goal and the instructional objectives are clearly stated at the onset.
   
   
3. Explain how and when each objective will be measured.
   
   
4. Invite students with special requests to speak privately with you early in the semester. Include this "invitation" on the first page of the syllabus.
   
   
5. Suggest that students meet regularly with you or an assistant (at least twice a semester).
   
   
6. Provide alternative ways of meeting course objectives.
   
   
7. Clarify and summarize main points as you go along.
   
   
8. Evaluate your own performance after each class and act on your self-evaluation.

For Instruction of Students with Disabilities: Some Additional Ideas

1. Define the "essential" components of your course. These should be the same for students with and without disabilities.
   
   
2. Consider possible changes in presentation of information, alternative assignments and changes in evaluation procedures. Determine what cannot be changed and why.
   
   
3. Understand that students with similar disabilities may have very different needs. Individualize the accommodations as needed. Check with the Office of Disabilities Services about any changes in the accommodations you are providing.
   
   
4. Announce on the first day of class that you want to meet with students who have special needs and give a time and place for those meetings. Write your request to meet with students on your syllabus. One way to state this is offered below.
   

   It is the policy of Emory University to provide appropriate accommodations to students with documented disabilities. If you require such accommodations in this class, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible and before the xth class meeting. Please bring your accommodation letter to that meeting.

5. Try to order textbooks that come in alternative formats, such as computer disk, large print, and ask for an extra desk copy to be used by the Office of Disabilities Services.
   
   
6. Try to stick to the syllabus. If it needs to change, be sure to give the Office of Disabilities Services ample time to prepare additional materials or to arrange for support.
   
   
7. If you suspect a disability because of a student’s attendance or performance, talk to the student about your observations without labeling. Ask the student to describe what he/she is experiencing. Offer advice about how to approach studying or improving performance in your class. Request additional meetings.
   
   
8. If the student continues to experience difficulties, refer the student to the Office of Disabilities Services for a consultation.
   
   
9. Maintain confidentiality regarding all communications with a student with disabilities. Do not discuss conversations or give information about situations of concern or interest to other faculty, their peers or members of their family, including their parents. All requests for information should be sent to the Office of Disabilities Services.
   
   
10. Contact Wendy Newby (404-727-6766) for information about instructional practices for students with disabilities and for general information about faculty responsibilities and resources.

Effective Instruction/ Necessary Compensatory Practices

The impact of a disability can be minimized through instructional strategies and compensatory practices of the individual. It should be the goal of the instructor to make the course accessible to as many diverse learners as possible. It is the job of the student to employ as many compensatory practices as he/she can. Most students will need to learn new skills to keep up with the demands of the academic program. There are many resources on campus for students who are having academic or adjustment difficulties. (See Resources.)

A Philosophy of Teaching

James Banner and Harold Cannon in their book, The Elements of Teaching*, offer their insights into teaching based on their long careers in education. They emphasize that teaching is an art, what they refer to as an "inherit part of our humanity." Whereas techniques of teaching can be taught, these are adjunct to the personal qualities of character that each instructor brings the classroom.

These two renowned teachers list several rules of "ethical" teaching that should be considered:

1. do no harm to students;
2. attend to students’ welfare;
3. set high standards and expectations and inspire students to meet them;
4. teach by example as well as by instruction;
5. be aware of the moral qualities and dimensions of the topic and teach ethics;
6. acknowledge students’ minds, ways and beliefs;
7. consider students’ differing but tenable viewpoints.

Banner, J.M. & Cannon, H.C. (1997). The Elements of Teaching. Yale University Press. (This short guide is an inspiring look into the world of teaching for both experienced and beginning teachers.)

Were there no Americans with Disabilities Act and all teachers conformed to these guidelines, all students, even those with disabilities, would be instructed in ways that are appropriate to their needs.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

This is the name for a new approach to instructional design that builds on research on learning and advances in technology. Just as Universal Design initially brought physical access to individuals with physical disabilities, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) brings design and technology to the development of courses so these are accessible to different types of learners. Although not specifically designed for students with disabilities, the teaching practices emphasize multi-modality approaches and flexibility, resulting in less need for accommodation for diverse learners. At Emory University, the Information Technology Division offers support for instructors who wish to develop courses using Blackboard, Learnlink and the web, new technologies that will enhance educational experiences for all students. (See http:www. cec.sped.org/osep/ud-sec3.htm for more information about UDL.)

An article posted on the CAST website, Universal Design for Individual Diffrences, describes individual differences in learners. It would be of interest to anyone developing or revising a course because it describes interactive brain systems and their effect on learning: recognition, strategic and affective. These systems are interlinked, resulting in a broad range of learning preferences and needs within the "normal" population and especially important for students at the ends of the continuum of learning differences. This article gives a brief description of how universal design for learning (UDL) mrthods can be used to tap into the learning potential of students with a broad range of learning styles. The category of "diverse" learners includes, but is not limited to, students with disabilities.

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

The W3C was created to lead the Web to its potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its inter-operability. It is an international industry consortium jointly run by the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science (MIT LCS) in the USA, the National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA) in France and Keio University in Japan. Services provided by the Consortium include: a repository of information about the World Wide Web for developers and users, reference code implementations to embody and promote standards, and various prototype and sample applications to demonstrate use of new technology. To date, over 320 organizations are Members of the Consortium.

The Web Accessibility Initiative

W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), in partnership with organizations around the world, is pursuing accessibility of the Web through five initiatives:

• ensuring that core technologies of the Web support accessibility;
• developing guidelines for Web content, user agents, and authoring tools;
• developing evaluation and repair tools for accessibility;
• conducting education and outreach;
• tracking research and development that can affect future accessibility of the Web.

The WAI International Program Office is supported in part by funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, European Commission's DG XIII Telematics Applications Programme for Disabled and Elderly, the Government of Canada, IBM, Lotus Development Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, and NCR. For more information see http://www.w3.org/WAI.

If you are developing a web site, be sure that it meets the current accessibility guidelines. Check on your site by going to http://www.bobby.org, a site hosted by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) which can be found at http://www.cast.org. Bobby will check your site and give you information on how to improve it so that it meets guidelines for accessibility.