Students acquire
brain injuries at any age and with varying and unpredictable impact. A student
who has had one head injury may be more susceptible to both receiving another
head trauma and to increased effect from an additional head trauma. The level
of trauma may be minimal or severe and still result in a serious brain injury.
The impact of brain injuries may be wide ranging, resulting in headaches (sometimes severe) and affecting mobility, emotional
liability, vision, and, most
commonly, cognition and memory. Recovery, in regards to both period and impact,
can be unpredictable.
Having a brain injury can be very frustrating, even when
it is not obvious, as the student can remember how easily they learned before
the injury as opposed to after the injury. Some of the cognitive effects may
involve concentration, abstract reasoning, memory, reading, attention or time
management, problem solving, and/or word finding. Extended recovery may
contribute to or result in other concerns such as depression.
Some examples of possible accommodations that a student with an acquired/traumatic
brain injury or a concussion may require include (but are not limited to):
- “Dear Professor” memos
verifying the need for accommodations
- Priority/early course
registration
- Accommodated testing for
in-class and online exams and quizzes
- Alternate format texts
and handouts, including audio and electronic format
- Note-taking services
and/or the use of an audio recorder for class lectures
- Regular advising meetings
with an assigned Department for Disability Access and Advising advisor
The following are
some considerations to keep in mind when working with students with
acquired/traumatic brain injuries or concussions in the classroom:
- Some students will need to take a test over two days, to allow for reduction of headache(s) and/or re-focusing.
- Some students will do better with test items that require recognizing an answer rather than total recall.
- Some students will experience vision problems disallowing computer work or limiting the amount of time that the student can be exposed to computing tasks.
- If the student is an athlete, the IUP trainer and the local physician will provide specific guidance as to accommodations and medical needs, and the D2A2 director will work with faculty to provide these.
- Some students may need to rest between classes.
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Additional Resources
The
Student with a Brain Injury: Achieving Goals for Higher Education (Brainline)
Instructional Strategies for Teaching Students with Traumatic Brain
Injury/Acquired Brain Impairment (Ferris State University)
Teaching Strategies for Students with Brain Injuries (Brain Injury
Association of America)
Traumatic Brain Injuries (The University of Texas at Austin)
Tips for Working with Students with Learning Disabilities, ADHD, or
Traumatic Brain Injuries (The University of Texas at Austin)
Concussion in the Classroom (Upstate University Hospital)