Guiás y recursos para profesores

The Program of Attention to Students with Disabilities and SEN provides UC3M faculty with support in teaching students with disabilities:

• Guidance and counseling
• Adaptation of teaching materials and exams
• Technical aids loan, etc.

In the classroom

Provide students with a space adapted to their needs and characteristics: access, lighting, proximity to the blackboard...
Take into account the difficulties that some students may have to access platforms or blackboards.

Note-taking

Facilitate the collaboration of other classmates in taking notes.
Allow the recording of classes.
Facilitate the use of technical aids: laptop computer, electronic notepad, etc.
 

Study material

To distribute materials and bibliographies as far in advance as possible.
Provide the student with as much documentation as possible (notes, diagrams, presentations, transparencies...), preferably in computer support.

Didactic resources: blackboard, transparencies, presentations, videos.

Verbalize the content and provide the student with an oral explanation or, ideally, a written script or a copy of the material presented.
Request, when necessary, adapted materials (reliefs, subtitles...).
 

Discussions

When necessary, agree with the student on ways to facilitate his participation.
 

Practical - field work

Take into account the possibilities and limitations of the student in terms of displacements, handling, accessibility of the places to visit, etc.

To guarantee equal opportunities for disabled students in exams in many cases, it is necessary to carry out certain adaptations to the exam methodology in a way that, while keeping the basic objectives set for the student body as a whole, the special needs of these students are taken into account. It fundamentally aims at:

• Help from another person (assistant, interpreter...)
• Alternative modalities, oral or written.
• Exam format adaptation: Braille transcription, extension, test...
• Exam time increase, where necessary, based on the special requirements of the student. 
• Use of computer support or specific materials that are normally used by the student.

Key issues

• Teaching students with disabilities sometimes requires adapting teaching methods, techniques or programmed teaching activities. It is not a matter of changing the content but how to do it, how to approach it or how to test it.  Disability is a characteristic or condition of the person and not what defines him/her. In other words, first students and then people with disabilities.
• Accessibility of classrooms and buildings as well as in communication (need to use Braille, sign language interpreter...).
• The time invested in the academic activities of students with disabilities or SEN is usually higher and this foresight is needed on the part of the teacher. In addition, most of them need to organize their routine in advance, so last minute changes of classroom, exam dates, etc., can affect them considerably.
• Special devices will be needed to perform daily academic tasks: laptop computer, special writing utensils....
• Each student with a disability is a unique case that will require personalized attention. Personal communication with the student is very important in order to know his/her possibilities and limitations, and in case he/she needs any support or adaptation and to reach an agreement that allows the development of the subject in the most effective and adequate way for both.