COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 27, 2009) — Faculty and students have a new advocate this fall in the Office of Disability Services at Tennessee Tech University — a new director with college teaching experience who shares many connections to the university.

Chester Goad, who most recently served as Roane State University’s disability coordinator, joined TTU this summer, returning to his alma mater where he and his wife, Joy, both earned undergraduate and graduate degrees.

With his arrival, Goad says he hopes to help alleviate the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding students who access services in his office. About 120 students are currently registered with the office, which allows them to qualify for academic adjustments.

As an instructor of education and developmental courses, Goad says he knows what it’s like to have a student with a disability ask for academic adjustments that may take time and effort to fulfill on his part. But he says the registration process is designed to accept only those students who have valid needs. Temporary physical disabilities (i.e. a broken leg) seemed to be more easily accepted than permanent disabilities.

“It’s important to understand that students registered with us go through an in-depth process to document their disabilities,” Goad said.

“For students, there is a stigma associated with asking for our assistance,” Goad explained. “For a permanent disability, they often did not have anonymity in high school and as college freshmen hope to avoid being labeled.

“But many times they fall behind very early on without assistance,” he said. “We want to focus on what they can do and simply show them how we can help level the playing field. By law, students have to self-identify before we can offer help, so by speaking at SOAR session and partnering with faculty, we want to make the classroom experience better.”

Through the federal American with Disabilities Act, students have the right to academic adjustments and to confidentiality. Though sometimes students share information with other students, it is a faculty member’s responsibility to keep the disability and adjustments confidential. Faculty members are not required to make the same accommodation for other students, only for those who have registered.

Last year, the office prepared more than 750 academic adjustment forms. Personnel proctored more than 350 tests and provided rooms or special equipment frequently.

Goad encourages faculty members to include a statement about disability services on every syllabus. He also says while it is inappropriate to ask someone directly if they have a disability that it is still possible, with the proper care and tact, to inform them of services if you suspect a student is in need of help.

“You cannot force someone to seek out our office, but with natural academic conversation you can discuss his or her performance and the resources available to students on campus,” he said.

At Roane State, Goad received Access and Diversity and Perkins grants designed to provide disability related symposiums, round tables and seminars for full-time and adjunct faculty.

For the last two years, he has partnered with Maggie Phelps and Laura Graves on a NSF STEM grant dealing with teaching STEM courses to students with learning disabilities.

As dean of students at Currey Ingram Academy in Brentwood, Tenn., he directed efforts at the accredited college preparatory academy specifically designed for students with learning differences, such as dyslexia. He also served as director of special projects for former U.S. Congressman Van Hilleary.

He sits on the board of directors for the Tennessee Branch of the International Dyslexia Association and serves as public policy chairperson.

For more information on TTU's disability services, visit http://www.tntech.edu/disability/.

--Karen Lykins
This information posted 27 August 2009