Teaching and Learning Suggestions

With appropriate accommodation, qualified students with all types of disabilities have been successful in post-secondary education. Disabilities Services uses a case-by-case analysis to determine reasonable accommodation for a student with a disability, making each student’s accommodations personal to him or her. However, there are some general pedagogical techniques which are effective for a wide variety of students with disabilities and are considered effective teaching strategies—for all students. Consider incorporating the following suggestions into your teaching repertoire:

• Select a text with a study guide when possible.

• Include a statement on your syllabus about disabilities. For example, “If you are a student with a documented disability who will require accommodations in this course, please register with Disabilities Services in the Duke Building, Room 108 (278-6500), for assistance in developing a plan to address your academic needs.”  Encourage students to make a private appointment with you to discuss the need for accommodations and how they will be put into place.

• Make course expectations clear.

• Ask for volunteer note takers at the beginning of the course.

• With each class, briefly review the previous lecture.

• Write key words/technical terms/proper names on the board or provide a lecture handout.

• Begin each lecture with an outline of material to be covered during that class.

• Provide guided lecture questions.

• Face the class when speaking and speak directly to students.

• Use gestures and natural expressions to convey meaning.

• Briefly summarize material at the end of class.

• Give assignments orally and in writing.

• Provide frequent opportunities for questions and answers.

• Well in advance of an exam, provide study questions that illustrate the format as well as the content of the exam.

• Explain what constitutes a good answer and why.

• Be sure exam questions are clear and include a lot of white space on the page.

• Use a multi-sensory approach—visual aids, overheads, handouts along with lectures.)

• Distribute samples of finished papers as examples or post a model on your web page.

• Use captioned videos whenever possible. They have proven helpful to not only students with disabilities, but international students as well.

• Administer frequent quizzes to provide feedback.

• Provide PowerPoint slide copies before the lecture.

• Have students work in groups with hands-on activities or very specific group assignments.

• Think about seating arrangements and match student needs with location.