Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD/ADD) is a neurological condition that affects learning and behavior. Students may be easily distracted, impulsive, hyperactive, and inconsistent. Some may daydream; some may have difficulty completing tasks; others may be disorganized and forgetful. Procrastination, difficulty with time management, and mood swings are common. These students are often highly creative, intelligent, intuitive, and have the ability to hyper focus.
Some Considerations
While ADHD/ADD is a separate condition from a learning disability; these students use some of the same accommodations and instructional strategies.
Common accommodations for students with ADHD/ADD include exam modifications, priority registration, and taped lectures.
Instructional Strategies
The following strategies are suggested to enhance the accessibility of course instruction, materials, and activities. They are general strategies designed to support individualized, reasonable accommodations.
- Include a Disability Access Statement on the syllabus (see previous section).
- Have copies of the syllabus ready three to five weeks prior to the beginning of classes so textbooks can be ordered from a national reading service or scanned by Student Disability Services.
- Assist the student with finding an effective notetaker from the class.
- Allow the student to tape record lectures.
- Provide visual aids, handouts, etc. online.
- Allow the use of spell check and grammar-assistive devices for in-class work, or do not lower grades for in-class errors.
- Provide extended time for quizzes, tests, and/or exams.
- Provide quiet, separate place to take tests or allow use of the Proctor Lab.
- An alternate test format may be necessary.
- Time for clarification of directions and essential information may be necessary.
- Oral examinations may be necessary.
- Allow the student the same anonymity as other students; avoid pointing out the student or the alternative arrangements to the rest of the class.