Okay, I'm getting extremely ****ed off. Why does someone with documented comorbid conditions have to FIGHT THE UNIVERSITY to get simple accomodations such as an extra 30 minutes on an exam. I have been diagnosed and treated by a reputable civilian doctor and the federal government (Veterans Affairs). The Office of Disability Services first said that my problem was that I didn't have documented evidence of it affecting my academics. But to the contrary, I showed them where I had to withdraw from one course because the teacher wouldn't give me the extra help when I needed it (and I almost lost my G.I. Bill benefits because that wasn't a good enoug reason). I also got 3 incompletes last semester because of Adderall withdrawal. All documented. And I also missed a week of work (documented) because of the withdrawal as well. All of my teachers, except for one this semester, have helped me with my civilian doctor's note requesting accomodations. But this one is being a _____ about it. What can I do at this point? I've spoken to the director of the Office of Disability Services. She's useless. I am about to drop a class because my teacher won't accomodate (nor will Disability Services) me. And I'll lose my G.I. Bill benefits if I do it. Who else can I talk to? The president of the university? Please help with some advice...

If I was being treated like that, especially after providing proper documentation like you have, I would just contact the ACLU and take it from there.

The ACLU has plenty of legal eagles who are chomping at the bits to defend people like yourself who are being mistreated, especially when a person qualifies for protection under the "Americans with Dissabilities Act."

Have you been asssessed by a Psycho-Educational Psychologist? They do about 6-8 hours of tests and games with you. Take in that Report with your diagnosis and you should get accommodated. (That is the "golden ticket" assessment-wise. However, they are expensive.) :(

All students usually have to present a Report, to get accommodations.
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If you cannot afford a Testing Psychologist to do an ADHD/LD Assessment of you, as noted above -- you can try other methods...

Can you get:
- medical records photocopied and submitted, or
- a Doctor's Letter, stating that you have inattention or depression or anxiety (PTSD) or ADHD (or whatever your issues are)? (ADHD tends to have other 'friends' diagnostically.) All those conditions affect learning, as well as the testing paradigm/setting.

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re: Accommodations
You can sometimes also get a laptop or keyboard for exams, or a Scribe (someone who writes for you) or a tape recorder, if getting it onto paper is a problem.

Often people can TYPE faster than they can WRITE. This is important as ADHD has a Working Memory impairment component, so we lost INFORMATION and IDEAS when info travels from our minds (120 wpm+) to our slow little pens/pencils (20 WPM).

Once you have paperwork, most Universities (I've seen) will give you anywhere from 150% (3 hr exam gets 4.5 hrs) for time up to 300% for time (3 hr exam gets 9 hrs; dunno if they split it up...).

I, myself, get 2x time. (Wish I'd known about the keyboard, but I never knew that was availiable til my medical school friend got that Aide one exam season...)

Sorry to hear about all the trouble you're having to go through, Barbarian. College/University is tough enough for anyone NOT dealing with ADD/ADHD or other disorders, who doesn't have to go through the extra hoops of getting required help/accomodations. So to be having to deal with all this on top of trying to just get through a normal day at school must be horrible and very draining on you, I would imagine.

It's sad to hear how difficult some school's make this, even with official diagnosis and documentation. The way I look at it, you wouldn't even go to them if you didn't really need the help!

I was actually very surprised at how easy my University's Student Disability Resource Office people made things for me. I think it helps that some of the advisors themselves also deal with differnent "disabilities," and have a good idea how overwhelming it can be on a student. My advisor told me how she also went through University with a disability (I didn't ask her what), and that it took her a long time to make her way to the Resource Centre too. (I'm now in my 4th year and I just approached them last week).

So to take that step and then be pushed back, for whatever reason, is not fair and not right. Fortunately I am lucky to have such awesome people helping to make the University experience better for those of us who find it a little more challenging than the average student. I'm sorry that your University isn't the same... :(

So what can be done, Barbarian? Maybe you should try talking to someone in your students' society? If you have one of those. Because they are elected to represent YOU and all students. See if that gets you anywhere. Or just go right to the top. Write a formal letter to the Dean of your faculty.. or even the President of the University, if that's what's necessary. There is no reason that with your diagnosis and documentation, that you should not receive whatever accomodations necessary to ensure you get as much out of your University experience as you deserve.

Best of luck to you with all of this! I hope you get it worked out, ASAP.

I really would contact the higher athority and make yourself heard. This is not somthing that should be taken lightly. When I started college my disability counsler needed to see my high school IEP, my high school report card (really bad mostly Cs, Ds, and Fs), doctors report, high school report, and a doctors list of my current dxs. I know this is a lot to come by but if you live near your high school you can get copys of this stuff if you are 18+ ( at least that's how it is in NY state). I would do like mentioned above and see if you can recieve further testing, but in the mean time I would see achedemic affairs and see if the people there can help you with your issues. If not I would suggest going to the vice president of the univerity and then the president in that order. Good luck...

Andy...

Also, I would file a complant report about your situation to the appropriate office. I don't think you are being treated fairly since you do have the appropirate reports on your current medical problems...

What office is the one that gives the accommodations? I would then go to their boss. and also, take a print out of the law to the disabiltiy office and everyone involved, and show them it is the Law.... they have to give you the accommodation....you have the documentation.... you are in the right...

check out ... www.wrightslaw.com (http://www.wrightslaw.com)

or you can check out www.google.com (http://www.google.com)
and put " accommodations for college student" in the box. There will be alot of links check them out and print them. May be they are not informed... who knows. Let us know you it is going.

Barbarian, could you tell us more about your Adderall withdrawl?

Often people can TYPE faster than they can WRITE. This is important as ADHD has a Working Memory impairment component, so we lost INFORMATION and IDEAS when info travels from our minds (120 wpm+) to our slow little pens/pencils (20 WPM).
a keyboard would be so good for me

for one, i know i lose marks because of my attrocious penmanship. i print and cant write at all (legibly and quickly) so my printing is the best i can do quickly, and it is a mess as well

plus, you make a good point about the bottlenecking of ideas to papers with using a pen vs. a fast keyboard

i wish i could get accomodations like that...

Thanks all for that awesome advice. It's assuring to know I'm not alone in this respect. Although I'm essentially taking bits of advice from everyone and compiling it into one tremendous punch, I'm ultimately going to go to the ACLU for action (thanks for that advice, lars). I've all ready hinted at this to my "counselor" at the Office of Disability Services. Don't worry, I didn't use it as a threat or anything. I just said, "I wonder what the ACLU would think?" We'll see how he responds. I cited the Law to him and everything. I also mentioned that under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, an IEP -- the psycho-education test he contests is mandatory to take -- is not necessary and evaluations can be done by a case-by-case basis for REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS for a disability. The scumbbag had the audacity to tell me that asking for an extra 30 minutes on a test was not reasonable without this test assessment that i have to fork out money for. No way I'm doing that. But all in all, this is no negotiating matter. I need help and they're not giving it to me.

You could, along with getting the ACLU involved, go to the local news media. I am completely serious about that. Nothing like a little bad PR and the threat of litigation to light a fire underneath their...um...well, you know. And if the news folks don't show interest, even with the ACLU involved, well...at least you tried.