The Americans with Disabilities Act, Students With Disabilities, and the Role of the Academic Advisor
The number of students with disabilities accessing higher education has risen dramatically in recent years. Academic advisors are concerned about the role they can or should play in working with students with disabilities. Advice and cautions for the academic advisor working with such students is presented. Included is specific discussion of the dangers of stereotyping people or professions, a reminder to view this population as students—with their disabilities secondary to student status, and a final caution against overprotection and paternalism.
Contributor Notes
Jane E. Jarrow, Ph.D., currently serves as President of Disability Access Information and Support (DAIS). Dr. Jarrow received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Purdue University and her Ph.D. from Wichita State University. Her academic preparation was in the area of Speech/Language Pathology. She was a full-time faculty member at The Ohio State University in Speech/Language Pathology for 7 years before spending 13 years in the position of Executive Director for the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). She is the author of a number of significant resource materials for the field. In her new role as the president of her own consulting firm, Dr. Jarrow continues to provide technical assistance, make presentations, and conduct policy reviews and site reviews for postsecondary institutions and related organizations on issues of disability access.
Dr. Jarrow can be contacted at Disability Access Information and Support (DAIS), 2938 Northwest Boulevard, Columbus, Ohio, 43221; by Voice or Text Phone (V/T) (614) 481-9450; by FAX (614) 481-9451; or by E-mail at JaneJarrow@aol.com.
