Asking for reasonable accomidations...in the USA

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michele
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Location: Illinois, USA (UK heritage)

Asking for reasonable accomidations...in the USA

Post by michele »

So I am trying to put togethsr a reasonable and useful list of accomidations for use in school work etc....this thread is for school.

I am desperate and creative enough to be seriously considering making a trip to the UK just to get a *useful* needs assessment if I can. I have work experiamce, consider myself an actual researcher, and in many ways am at the graduate school level (not surw,what,you call them there) yet I do not even have a college (us version) degree....many entire education was just a mess with little support. I would like a degree I just have little hope on a side of the,pond where no one even gets or believes in my disability.
"When none of the offfical paths lead you anywhere good there is a simple solution...forget about roads."
Tom fod
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Re: Asking for reasonable accomidations...in the USA

Post by Tom fod »

Hi Michele

This is an interesting idea and I've no idea if it has ever been done before, (though I suspect answer is a no).

To an overly-cautious person like myself it feels like a bit of a gamble given any trip over here alone would be an expensive undertaking in itself, without even factoring in the coat of a private needs assessment which itself could amount to $ US 500 alone

That said I don't know how far your research has taken you so far and whether you've made any enquiries with any organisations over here?

Key questions I think you need to ask could include:

Since any consultations/needs assessments are bespoke and tailored to an individual and their personal situation would the assessing organisation be able to offer you sufficient assurances before you handed them your money?

Would they feel qualified to effectively advise someone from the USA? I'm sure some would take your money but would their report be worth the paper it was written on back in the USA? i.e. Would a college (or employer) in the US be prepared to accept the findings/feel compelled to make any recommended reasonable accommodations as suggested by a needs assessment carried out by a British professional?

'Reasonable' is a legal term and if an employer can prove adjustments (accommodations) asked for by a protected individual are not reasonable then they could get away with not providing them. It would be interesting to know if someone affected by dyspraxia had ever won a case against against an employer failing to make reasonable adjustments. Such a case could be a good thing but feel it would take a personal toll so people might decide to cut their losses and find an employer willing to look for and value their unique skills and insight.

Sorry if these are difficult, even unsettling revelations but I would want not want anyone to part with their hard-earned money without being sufficiently certain of getting good value for money.

To demystify our education system a little. from age 5-11 is Primary education. Ages 11 -16 is Secondary education at the end of which people sit General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations in varied subjects. People can then go on to Further education (A(vanced) Levels or National Vocational Qualifications) before applying to University to take a Degree course. There are other routes such as apprenticeships.

Happy to try and expand on aspects, if you'd like me to?

What do others here think of my response? Constructive criticism would be welcome.
Tom
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With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
michele
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Re: Asking for reasonable accomidations...in the USA

Post by michele »

I don't really know these answers but my brother asked me what accomidations would it actually take to get me through a degree and I don't really know....It sounds like getting support there is rough here I'm not even sure how to define or get what it would take. Ihave educated guesses but how are people who know mostly less then me about dyspraxia supposed to write useful documents?.

This is how it looks in the USA

Preschool
Kindergarten
1st -4th grade (and kindergarten) is grade school
Middle school - grades 5 and 6
Junior high grades 7 an8 (5 and 6 sometimes included)
High School -Grades 9 -12 (Last mandatory and supported level) - graduated

At this point we enter "optional" education except that a lot of jobs require higher levels even though IMO in many cases higher education has become more bysiness then education, the business sector is teaching more effectivly and the colleges are all about forcing a bunch of actual useless required courses to litterally increase your cost and the time it takes several of which I have had massive problems passing as they are just totally wrong for my brain.

College/University -Level I do not have
Masters/Graduate School -Level I wish I could jump directly to

Doctorate and other much rarer levels

There are also certificates, junior colleges, and trade schools but most trade school and certificate work provides zero credit toward college because.....growl

Michele
"When none of the offfical paths lead you anywhere good there is a simple solution...forget about roads."
skyebison
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Re: Asking for reasonable accomidations...in the USA

Post by skyebison »

If you can't get a good diagnosis about dyspraxia I'm sure you could get one for anxiety pretty easily. I think that itself would be enough for the university to provide you with a note taker, tutor, and extra time on tests. I'm guessing from your post you actually are experiencing anxiety from your dyspraxia.
Tom fod
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Re: Asking for reasonable accomidations...in the USA

Post by Tom fod »

Anxiety and Dyspraxia do very much tend to go together and if you learn to cope better with the first it can and does help in coping with dyspraxia. However, the lack of recognition of Dyspraxia and that feeling of being different does tend to feed anxiety and as a condition we can often feel very alone, even in a room full of people.

Since Dyspraxia is a state or condition, it is not something for which there is a cure. We can learn to cope but sometimes the world and people around us can feel very alien and a bad day can really take its toll. Recognition, understanding and acceptance can feel non existent at times
Tom
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With a foot full of bullets I tried to run faster but I just hobbled on to the next disaster.
(from Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Foot Full of Bullets)
allesandro
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Re: Asking for reasonable accomidations...in the USA

Post by allesandro »

You don't need to go to the UK. Just see a neuropsychologist and get an OT assessment as well.
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