Disability Disclosure Lou Ruccolo Presenter

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Disability Disclosure Lou
Ruccolo - Presenter
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Presentation Objectives

• Explain terminology connected with disability
  disclosure
• List environments where accommodations may be
  needed
• Explain when, what, why, and how to disclose
• Assist stakeholders/students in understanding
  disability disclosure

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One of the most personal decisions a student with
a disability will make is whether or not to tell
someone about their disability.
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Terminology

• Disability definition changes from IDEA (used
  through grade 12) to ADA (used in post-secondary
  education and employment)
• Individual must meet at least 1 of these 3 ADA
  conditions
• A physical or mental impairment that
  substantially limits 1 or more major life
  activities,
• A record of such impairment, or
• A perception by others as having an impairment

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Terminology

• Self-determination the desire, ability, and
  practice of directing ones own life
• Purpose of self-determination includes
• Setting short- and long-term goals and achieving
  them
• Understanding individual strengths and describing
  them to others
• Knowing when to seek help and who to ask
• Knowing what accommodations are most effective at
  school and at work

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Terminology

• Informed choice the process of making a decision
  after considering relevant facts and weighing the
  pros and cons of the decision
• Decision making process
• Where to find the relevant facts
• Pros and Cons of each choice

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Terminology

• Proactive
• Includes a positive attitude
• Know what you want to ask for and what you want
  the outcome to be
• Be prepareddont get caught being asked for
  information that you havent thought about

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Terminology

• Disclosure intentionally releasing personal
  information about yourself for a specific purpose
• Specific personal information about ones
  disability is not essentialwhat is needed
• How ones disability affects their capacity to
  learn and perform effectively
• The environment, supports, and services needed
  for an individual to access, participate, and
  excel

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Needs/Strengths

• Self-determination should empower individuals to
  seek assistance when needed
• No requirements that an individual disclose their
  disability
• No need for accommodations?No need to disclose

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Self-Determination is

• the process of taking control and making
  decisions that affect ones life.

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Self-Determination helps students

• make their own decisions
• set their own goals
• manage their own lives
• participate in decision making

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Research

• A study conducted with more than 1500 successful
  people from business, science, sports and the
  arts reveal that successful people in any field
  excel at making decisions, self-managing their
  behavior and adapting to changing circumstances.
• Garfield, 1986

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Self-Determination Constructs

• Self-advocacy
• Decision-making
• Self-evaluation
• Adjustment
• Independent performance
• Self-awareness

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Self-Determination Constructs

• Knowing oneself
• Valuing oneself
• Developing a plan
• Taking action
• Experiencing outcomes

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Self-Advocacy

• is defined as the ability to speak and act on
  behalf of ones self and is an important skill
  for students in school settings, including
  Transition IEP meetings and in post-school adult
  life.

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Self-Advocacy

• IDEA - Entitlement
• ADA/504 - Eligibility
• Students must self-identify, prove services are
  needed and self-advocate for necessary
  accommodations. A comprehensive Summary of
  Performance will assist a student with meeting
  requirements to receive services in postsecondary
  institutions.
• Employment
• Students should request feedback,
  self-evaluate/self-monitor.

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Use Your Abilities!
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Postsecondary School Disclosure

• Contact the campus Office of Disability Services
• Be prepared to
• Disclose the disability
• Request accommodations
• Provide documentation

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Benefits of Disclosure at a College
or University

• Find out about available supports and services
• Identify adjustments needed in a study
  environment
• Discuss academic requirements for chosen course
  of study

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Benefits of Disclosure at a College or
University

• Receive assistance for needed training or
  awareness from faculty members and other staff
• Ensure that faculty members are familiar with and
  implement the accommodations that are required

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When To Disclose In
Postsecondary Education

• Prior to enrollment
• At the time of enrollment
• During the semesterbut beware, this may be too
  late and accommodations may not be available in
  time!
• Never

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What To Disclose in
Postsecondary Education

• General information about the disabilitynot all
  medical or personnel information
• Why chose to disclosehow it will benefit
  academic performance
• Accommodations that have worked in the past

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What To Disclose in
Postsecondary Education

• Anticipated academic accommodations in
  post-secondary education
• Positive results that the disability and other
  life experiences have had on studies
• Focus on abilities!

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To Whom To Disclose in
Postsecondary Education

• Disability Support Services staff
• Admissions Officer (this may not be necessary and
  depends on the schoolcheck with the Disability
  Support Services staff at the school)
• Faculty
• Academic Advisor

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How To Disclose

• Be assertive and forthrightnever aggressive or
  confrontational
• Maintain eye contact
• Stay on topic
• Be honest and speak clearly
• Show respectbe polite
• Be willing to compromise

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Rights include
• Fair treatment without discrimination
• Discuss academic needs, supports, and
  accommodations in a non-judgmental setting
• Disclosure treated confidentially and
  respectfully
• Know what happens to shared information
• Obtain information about disability support
  services
• Be self-determined and proactive

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Responsibilities include
• Understand whats required for chosen course of
  study
• Following up with Disability Support Services and
  faculty after disclosure
• Advise faculty and staff in a timely mannergive
  them time to respond

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Employment Disclosure

• Job applicants have the right to ask for a
  reasonable accommodation at any time during the
  application process.
• Under the ADA, potential employers cannot ask
  questions that would cause an applicant to
  disclose information about a disability in a job
  interview

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Illegal Questions At A Job
Interview

• Do you have a disability or medical condition?
• Have you ever been hospitalized?
• Do you take prescription drugs?
• Have you ever been treated for a drug or alcohol
  problem?
• Did you receive workers compensation from your
  last job?

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Allowable Questions At A Job
Interview

• Can you perform the essential duties of the job,
  with or without reasonable accommodations?
• Can you tell (or demonstrate) how you will
  perform these duties?
• Can you meet the attendance requirements of the
  job?

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Medical Examinations

• Cannot be required BEFORE a job has been offered
• Can only be required after a job has been offered
  if thats required of ALL new employees
• Tests for current illegal drug use are not
  covered under the ADA and are allowed as long as
  all applicants have this requirement

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Why To Disclose At Work

• Accommodations at the workplace are only provided
  when the disability is disclosed and
  accommodations are requested
• Can the person self-accommodate or do they need
  assistance
• Be prepared to provide creative and practical
  suggestions for needed accommodations

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Why Disclose At Work

• To develop a career plan that addresses possible
  barriers and accommodations
• To identify services and supports
• To determine if the requirements of a position
  can be met, with or without reasonable
  accommodation
• To develop mentoring and peer support with other
  employees and employers with disabilities

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When To Disclose At Work

• Flexibility
• Before Could be an asset when applying at
  organizations that serve persons with
  disabilities
• During If the disability is apparent it could
  serve as a way to explain how it will not be a
  barrier to performance
• After If performance is affected or new
  responsibilities are assigned
• Never Performance is not an issue

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What to Disclose At Work

• General information about the disability
• Reason to disclose
• Impact on job performance
• Types of accommodations that have worked in the
  past
• Types of accommodations needed
• How disability and life experiences can
  positively impact employees work performance

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Rights include
• Disability information treated with
  confidentiality and respect
• Seek information about hiring practices from any
  organization
• Choose to disclose disability information at any
  time during the employment process
• Receive appropriate accommodations

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Rights (cont.)

• Be considered for a position based on skill and
  merit
• Be respectfully questioned about the disability
  and the purpose of accommodation
• Be self-determined and proactive

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Rights and Responsibilities

• Responsibilities include
• Disclosing need for accommodations if the
  employee desires any work-related adjustments
• Search for jobs that require employees skills
  and abilities
• Inform the manager or interview panel about need
  for appropriate interview accommodations ahead of
  time

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Responsibilities (cont.)

• Negotiate reasonable accommodation(s) with an
  employer when a job is offered and later as
  needed
• Make sure the interviewer knows about perspective
  employees skills and meritswhy they would
  benefit from having them as an employee
• Be truthful, self-determined, and proactive

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Other Times To Disclose

• Social events and community settings
• Going to a concert with friends
• Planning a date
• Meeting someone for lunch or dinner
• Meeting people for the first time
• Joining clubs or taking part in community or
  volunteer activities

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To Whom To Disclose In Social and Community
Settings

• Friends and acquaintances
• Relatives
• Business owners or their staff
• Public transportation staff
• Parks and recreation staff
• Events coordinator
• Mentors and role models

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Summary of Performance (SOP)Transition Exit
Summary
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Summary of Performance

• The Summary of Performance / Transition Exit
  Summary, with accompanying documentation, is
  critical as a student transitions from high
  school to higher education, training and/or
  employment. This information is necessary under
  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the
  Americans with Disabilities Act to establish a
  students eligibility for reasonable
  accommodations and supports in postsecondary
  settings.

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Summary of Performance

• Information about students current level of
  functioning is intended to help postsecondary
  institutions consider accommodations for access.
  These recommendations do not imply that students
  who qualified for special education in high
  school will automatically qualify for services in
  the postsecondary education or employment setting
  eligibility decisions are made on a
  case-by-case basis

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Summary of Performance

• Summary of Performance (SOP)
• Academic achievement and functional performance
• Recommendations on how to assist the student in
  meeting postsecondary goals

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Summary of Performance

• Required for students exiting school with a
  Standard Diploma or aging out of program
• Recommended practice for all students exiting
  school (e.g., Special Diploma prior to age 22

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Summary of Performance

• Education or Training/Employment/Independent
  Living
• Describes
• Accommodation needs
• Assistive technology needs
• Support needs
• Academic and functional performance summary
• Transition assessments
• Report cards, grades, etc.

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SOP Model Template

• Part 1 Background Information
• Part 2 Students Postsecondary Goals
• Part 3 Summary of Performance
• Part 4 Recommendations meeting PS Goals
• Part 5 Student Input

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Questions?