Information for Instructors

"If you have a documented disability which will make it difficult for you to carry out the work as the instructor has outlined and/or if you need special accommodations due to a disability, please contact (956) 364-4520 or visit Support Services Office located in the Auxiliary Building as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements."

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:: Testing Accomodation Form

Instructors must use the Testing Accommodation Form when sending a test to Support Services. This form provides Support Services with any special instructions for the student when taking the test.

You may pick up the form at the Support Services Office or download it on the web.

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:: Training

ADA Workshop - This worksop provides basic knowlege of your role as a faculty or staff member and understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Sensitivity Training - These workshops are held every semester to inform faculty on sensitivity issues involving students with disabilities. These workshops address various topics ranging from medical, learning disabilities, psychological conditions, etc.

Sensitivity Training helps faculty members to become more informed on particular student disability conditions and aware of how students are effected in the classroom by the conditions.

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:: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Training

ADA training is mandatory for all TSTC employees. This workshop highlights the responsbilities of TSTC, the Support Services Office, faculty, staff, and students under ADA.

If you are not sure if you have attended this training, please contact Delia Salazar at (956) 364-4523 or email.

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:: Sensitivity Training Workshops

Sensitivity training is offered to the faculty or staff to help heighten awarness of issues pertaining to students with disabilities and content covers specialized topics dealing with students identified as a Special Populations catagory.

They are offered periodically throughout the year. Faculty are strongly encouraged to attend and become more informed about learning disabilities, medical conditions, psychological conditons, etc.

For more information, contact Support Services at 364-4520.

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:: Referring Students to the Support Services Office

Refer students needing accomodations to the Support Services Office
Staff/Faculty should call Support Services to indicate a referral has been made and name of student(s)
Student(s) will meet with indicated staff member for intake and assessment
Staff member will notify Staff/Faculty when student follows through with appointment

Note: It is not recommended that faculty and staff inquire students are disabled. Support Services recommends informing students about available services and allowing students to decide on their own to visit our office.

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:: Personal Development workshops

Personal Development workshops are available to students for self-enhancement purposes. Various topics are presented by experts in the fields to help students gain knowledge and understanding. For example:

Anger Management
Self-Esteem
Stress Management
Themed monthly celebrations]
- National Women's History Month - March
  - Life Skills Workshops
  - Kick-off Celebration
  - Luminarias Luncheon
  - Movie Mondays
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month - October
  - Candlelight Vigil
  - Healthy Relationship Series
- White Ribbon Campaign - November
- Calling All Rosies - July
- Community Resource Fair - October
- Take Back the Night - February
- Bring Your Daughter To Work Day - April
- Love Your Body Day - October
Support Groups

Students are encouraged to attend and become informed regarding various issues pertaining to self-esteem, anger management, time management, and other personal development subjects.

For more information please contact Support Services at 956-364-4520.

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:: Addressing Concerns

Faculty concerns regarding notetakers, interpreters, classroom accommodations and/or students registered with our office are encouraged to contact Support Services for consultations as early as possible in order to resolve issues in a timely matter.

Faculty can e-mail individual office staff using GroupWise or contact us at (956) 364-4522.

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:: How-To-Tips

Using Interpreters is important when communicating with deaf students.

The Interpreter is

a contracted individual for the specific purpose of interpreting;
a communication aid;
present only to facilitate communication and would not be involved at all if not for the communication requirements; and,
not a counselor, personal representative, spokesperson, or advocate for person's rights.

Hearing person as used in these tips is anyone other than the interpreter and the deaf student.

Consumer(s) as used in these tips is anyone using interpreter services. For example, instructors using the service are consumers; deaf students using the service are consumers.

Communication should always be between the person who is deaf and the person who is hearing (instructor, staff, other student). It is appropriate for the interpreter and the hearing person to use the first person, i.e., " My name is... I am glad to meet you. NOT " " Tell him my name is...,, or " Tell her I am glad to meet her.

Eye contact should be maintained between the persons presenting (faculty, staff, presenter) and the person who is deaf. Eye contact should not be with the interpreter.

Hearing person(s) should direct all conversation toward the person who is deaf. Personal conversations between the hearing person and the interpreter should be avoided. An interpreter should not be asked his/her opinion about the hearing or deaf person; about the specific situation; and the interpreter should not interject opinions.

Hearing person(s) should speak clearly and distictictly, and not exaggerate lip movements or facial expressions.

Interpreters must adjust to the pace of the consumers. Sometimes, it is necessary for the consumers to adjust to the pace of interpreters. Usually, interpreters will ask consumers either to stop momentarily, repeat, or slow down. This is to ensure that the person who is deaf receives the message in full.

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:: Guidelines for Sign Language Interpreters

The following guidlines are intended to establish a set understanding of interpreters' role in classrooms:

Deaf students should not sign back to the interpreter at any time during the lectures, tests or other instructional times. Signing during instruction is equivalent to hearing students speaking aloud and out of turn.

Interpreters should always voice anything the deaf students sign. To avoid any concerns over whether the interpreter is giving the student undue assistance enforce that the interpreter voice all that the student signs, and ask that the student raise his/her hand before signing so that any inquiries regarding course material may be addressed to you and not the interpreter. It is not the interpreter's role to clarify any instructional information.

Sign language can be distracting to hearing students. Faculty have the discretion to assign classroom seating locations for deaf students/interpreters.

Interpreters are bound by contract to wait up to 15 minutes for each hour of class that is scheduled (i.e. interpreter will wait 30 minutes for student to show for a 2 hour class) for late arriving deaf students. Faculty should send Interpreters to the Support Services Office to wait an additional 30 minutes.

Interpeter Logs must be signed by faculty on a daily basis. Do not sign logs if interpeter comes to you with several missing signatures.

Sign language interpreters are independent contractors and paid an hourly fee by TSTC. They are not allowed access resources for which they do not pay to use, such as network computers, campus telephones, faculty lounges, etc. Faculty should direct interpreters to Support Services staff for assistance when necessary.

Student exams do not always require interpreter assistance. Faculty should make arrangements with the Support Services Office when deaf students request tests to be interpreted. During testing, the interpreter should sit at the front of the class or to the side away from the deaf student. The deaf student can raise his/her hand to ask questions to the instructor and the interpreter can interpret questions for student and instructor response.

Interpeters are bound by a Code of Ethics. If at any time an interpreter exhibits inappropriate behavior, has a habit of not maintaining professional dress, or cannot seem to maintain a professional relationship with the student, please contact Support Services immediately.

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:: Notetaker Services

Notetakers assist qualified students by providing equal access to information provided in the classroom.

Notetakers will:

Arrive to class on time
Obtain notetaking paper prior to class
Take notes during the assigned class time
Give the notes to the student at the end of the class
Keep all information confidential
Be an unobtrusive member of the class

Notetakers will not:

Give notes to the student if he/she is absent
Act as a mediator, advocate, or reminder for the student
Be a personal assistant to the student

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:: Support Services Staff

Edda M. Urrea, Director of Support Services, 956.364.4522
Corina De La Rosa, Coordinator of Disabilities Program, 956.364.4521
Alethea Cisneros, Disability Accommodation Specialist, 956.364-4525
Delia Salazar, Staff Assistant, 956.364.4523

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