Accessibility Services to the Rescue!

Tests, essays, exams, and classes So much to do! A never-ending barrage of stress Boo-hoo! But, hooray! There is an answer to your agitation And you’ll discover the skills in one of the Accessibility Service’s creations! Tis the season to be stressed!  Exams and essays are upon us, and all of us are probably freaking out.  But, if you are a student with a disability, that freaking out might be more than the average person.  That’s why Accessibility Services has great workshops and services that target these issues head on for students with disabilities. One such workshop is on time management and exam anxiety.  A student I know, who happens to have a disability, told me that trying to get things in on time is like trying to run a marathon with an extra set of weights attached to them.  Meanwhile they see regular students whiz by, without the metaphorical weight of a disability, getting work done.  The workshop not only offered skills on how to maximize the time you have, but it teaches you how to understand how your disability impacts time.  So, if you have an anxiety issue, you will learn strategies on diffusing that anxiety so you can work with, rather than repress, the issue. The workshop also offers strategies for managing test anxiety.  I have yet to meet a person, with a disability or not, that said taking a test was a pleasant experience.  I have a theory that taking a test is like getting a needle – you are nervous before, during and after the test.  You want to just get it over with, just like getting that test over with!  This workshop looks at the 3 stages I just mentioned, and explores how to manage that anxiety.  One is breathing. Yes, inhale, exhale and repeat.  This helps your body slow that fear that is pumping through your veins.  I’ve even tried this strategy, and instead of walking into my test shaking like its 20 below, I was calm. So, what’s the moral of the story?  If you have a disability learning these strategies won’t cure your test fear or make you hand things in on time all the time, but it will help you improve so you can perform to the best of your ability.  Accessibility Services also offers students the service of Learning Strategists, because workshops don’t run all the time. Basically, you meet with a strategist who will help you develop the skills to manage time, or any issue, one on one. Accessibility Services is planning on running a workshop in early January, and it will be posted on their website.  Alternatively, you can make an appointment with a learning strategist any time. Desiree

2 comments on “Accessibility Services to the Rescue!

  1. Accessibility services is a joke! Who are you kidding! Yes, I agree some of the workshops are useful, but are also offered for free throughout the colleges/university, so I don’t see anything special or different that they offer, but that’s the least of my worries.

    The terrible side of accessibility services that nobody like to discuss is the terrible service and treatment towards the students. I including many other students face by our academic advisors and the test and exam office. Most of the advisors are only available twice a week, (ha ha–how accessible is that? and our disability must pay them well to only have to work like executives).

    1st complaint is, if you want to see other advisors for urgent cases/help they tell you, “I can’t do anything for you because I’m not your advisor!” (like they only get paid for their own students).

    2nd complaint is, the test and exam office lack of customer services. For those who are unfortunate to have to write the test and exams at the test and exam facility am sure can relate to the degrading way the employees speak and look at you, as though you are there to ask for a handout. I don’t think other students that write with their classes get their pockets searched before going in to write. I think soon they will be brining in a body scanner like they have at the airports (lol-sad/sarcastic laughter).

    3rd. The false sense of privacy accessibility services promises/provides. Numerous times I was told by different Professors that they called the test and exam office to schedule a test on my behalf because the Prof’s scheduled short term (imagine these discussions were done without my consent, where is the “privacy”-not to disclose that you are registered with accessibility services).
    There is too much to complain about with these people, that don’t have any kind of understanding to have a disability, but for today this will do. Other issues such as the lack of diversity in their leading roles (ie. Advisors, test and exam administrators (not referring to the invigilators, but at the office), has a lot to say about the way they view things, but that is beyond the scope of this blog, but I’ll be sure to discuss this in future blogs. Maybe I’ll call it “Policing the Disability Police”, stay tuned for more.
    Please share your experience, bad and good about accessibility services. Silence only condone and encourages bad service/treatment.

    Mr. Roger King

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