Mathematics Curse Waivers Trends and Best Practice Presented t the Utah AHEAD Spring Cnference 2008 Michael P. Brks, Ph. D., J.D. Directr University Accessibility Center Brigham Yung University
Mathematics Curse Waiver The Basics What is a Math Curse Waiver? The waiving f a general educatin (GE) mathematics class requirement and substitutin f this with anther class. Often mathematics and freign language are gruped tgether as a requirement, and thus exemptins are ften given fr bth mathematics and freign language requirements.
Basics, Cnt. Why? Exemptins wuld be given based n a dcumented disability that significantly interferes with the student s ability t cmplete a mathematics curse. Generally, this wuld be limited t a diagnsis f Mathematics Disrder (315.1 per the DSM-IV-TR)
Mathematics Disrder (315.1) Criteria fr diagnsis: Math ability (as measured by individually administered standardized tests f mathematical calculatin r reasning) falling substantially belw that expected fr an individual s age, measured intelligence, and educatin. - substantially belw is usually defined as at least a ne standard deviatin discrepancy between intelligence and achievement (15 pint difference between standard scres) but Average Persn Mdel is ften used as well. Discrepancy mdel used ften in secndary educatin, while APM used in many pst-secndary settings.
Mathematics Disrder Diagnstic Features: -deficits may be seen in different skill areas: Linguistic skills: such as understanding r naming mathematical terms, peratins, r cncepts, and decding written prblems int mathematical symbls Perceptual skills: recgnizing r reading numerical symbls r arithmetic signs, and clustering bjects int grups Attentin skills: cpying numbers r figures crrectly, remembering t add in carried numbers, and bserving peratinal signs Mathematical skills: fllwing sequences f mathematical steps, cunting bjects, and learning multiplicatin tables
Mathematics Disrder Curse: MD is seldm diagnsed befre first grade (due t fact that insufficient schling in math has ccurred t this pint). Usually diagnsis is apparent by 3rd r 4th grade. With high IQ, intelligence may cmpensate fr math deficits and diagnsis may nt be given until 5th grade r later. Prevalence: 1% f schl age children; 20% f all diagnsed learning disrders are Mathematics Disrder in islatin
Apprpriate Dcumentatin It is imprtant t have apprpriate dcumentatin t supprt the diagnsis. The intellectual measure shuld be cmprehensive (such as a WAIS-III, Stanfrd-Binet, r Wdcck-Jhnsn Cgnitive Battery) shrt frms (WASI) may nt give yu an accurate IQ measure Achievement measures als need t be cmprehensive. Fr example, use the Wdcck-Jhnsn Achievement Battery (measures calculatin, fluency, math applicatins, and quantitative cncepts) versus using the Math subtest frm the Wide Range Achievement Test, 4th Editin (WRAT-IV) which nly tests hw many prblems yu can d in a certain time-limit.
Cnsideratins in Diagnsis Math Anxiety: there is n diagnsis f Math Anxiety per se. Althugh a student may qualify as having a Specific Phbia related t math. -Research has shwn that in basic cllege level math scenaris math anxiety interferes with fluency (hw quickly yu cmplete math prblems) but nt with the number f errrs. Cates & Rhymer: Examining the Relatinship Between Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematics Perfrmance: An Instructinal Hierarchy Perspective. (2003)
Cnsideratins There are als scial factrs that may bring students int yur ffice with cmplaints f mathematics deficits. Specifically, math deficiencies are thught t be mre scially acceptable than are deficiencies in reading and writing. This is because math is nt seen as a generalized measure f intelligence in the same way that reading and writing are. Thus, it s easier n ne s eg t self-refer fr this than fr ther learning disrders.
Cnsideratins Students ften avid math as much as pssible in the pst-secndary envirnment, and thus ften d nt lk fr curse waivers until they are almst ready t graduate. Take Hme Pint: make sure yur students are aware f any math substitutin/waiver plicy as sn as pssible after matriculatin t allw time fr prcess t run its curse.
Cnsideratins Anther imprtant aspect is t lk at prir attempts/grades in high schl and cllege math classes: - Are there previus failures r withdrawals? Hw many? - Sme schls will require a previus attempt at a GE math class befre allwing a waiver r substitutin. - Hwever, there are limits t this. A schl can t require several failures in a math class befre cnsidering a waiver request. (Letter t Mt. San Antni Cllege [OCR San Francisc, 1997]) - Yu may als want t get a release and speak with current/frmer math instructrs fr their input.
The Substitutin/Waiver Prcess Yu ve dcumented that yur student has a Mathematics Disrder. Nw what? Determine the student s majr. Yu will never be granted a math waiver fr an engineering, physics, math majr, etc. since math is an essential element f these areas f study. Substitutins apply t liberal arts majrs and the like. Yu have t determine what yur schl administratin will permit yu t d. This is the secnd decisin pint. If yu believe a waiver is warranted, will yur schl allw fr it?
Math Substitutin/Waivers, Cnt. Clleges have brad discretin as t what requirements are necessary t cnfer a degree. Thus, curts have generally fund that whether a substitutin is required in any area f study is a decisin made at the university administrative level (Guckenberger v. Bstn University). BUT the cllege must engage in a ratinal analysis and determine that substituting a curse wuld lwer academic rigr and/r fundamentally alter the curse f study in a prgram befre disallwing substitutins. (FYI-Guckenberger was a freign language case) Curt fund that a liberal arts curriculum cannt be fit int a ckie cutter mld s a university has discretin n what it believes is essential.
Waivers/Substitutins, Cnt. There is sme questin as t whether a university can preemptively decide that there will be n math waivers at all. The Office f Civil Rights and a cursry reading f disability law argue fr a case-by-case analysis and n blanket preemptin. Hwever, there is s much deference given t a university/department t determine what is essential that it might be practically mt. Sme universities have preemptive acrss-the-bard denials fr everyne except liberal arts majrs. The Best Practice wuld be t review all cases n a case-by-case basis and reserve the right t waivers fr the mst extreme Mathematics Disrder cases, even if yur schl has a default plicy f n waivers.
Recent Develpments at BYU Our administratin recently changed ur default plicy frm ne f waiver t a mre remedial instructinal mdel (t be discussed later). The cncern expressed t ur ffice was that students culd graduate withut any expsure t numeracy and this was deemed unacceptable.
Decisin Guide If yur cllege/university allws fr math class waivers: - then yu need t wrk with either the student s department (r maybe the GE ffice) t determine what curses wuld be sufficient substitutes fr the waived class. - a best practice is t develp a list practively s as t nt reinvent the wheel. - typical class substitutes have included Anthrplgy f Mney, Ecnmics f Less Develped Regins, etc. (This list is frm B.U.) - cmmn theme is that classes will brach math frm a scilgical apprach
Decisin Guide, Cnt. If yur university des NOT allw fr math curse waivers, yu have tw rutes: The Specialized r Remedial Class Rute: - This apprach is based n addressing the university s desire fr students t receive instructin in numeracy t graduate. - It invlves either the student s placement in (r the develpment f) a remedial r specialized math class.
Decisin Guide Universities wuld be hard-pressed t deny a substitutin f this type because their main cncern, that students be expsed t math, is addressed. If yur resurces are sufficient, the best apprach is a class sectin (perhaps given nce yearly) that fcuses n teaching math t students with Mathematics Disrder (and pssibly ther learning disrders).
The New BYU Mdel BYU is currently in the prcess f mving frm a waiver t a specialized learning mdel with the fllwing intermediary steps: (1) We are currently planning a special sectin f MTH 110 (basic GE math) designed especially fr students with disabilities (particularly LD) fr a Fall 08 start-up. Imprtant: we (and ther schls) must wrk with math prfessrs wh have special training and/r a desire t wrk with students with disabilities. We are in the prcess f sliciting prfessrs nw.
BYU Mdel, Cnt. (2) In the interim, the University is allwing newly dcumented students* with MD t take MTH 091 thrugh Independent Study (where they have a year t cmplete the curse) and prviding them with paid math tutrs t use at their cnvenience until cmpletin. (3) Advisement frm the UAC is als imprtant (e.g., make sure class and wrk lads are adjusted t cmpensate fr extra effrt needed t cmplete curse successfully during semester when math is taken, referral t specialized tutrs, etc.) * Students wh have already prvided dcumentatin are grandfathered in
Cmpnents f a Specialized LD Math Class If yu must develp this class, r cnsult n an already-existing class, keep the fllwing in mind: - Wrk with the math department many DSPs have a specialized knwledge base regarding LDs, while mst math faculty dn t share yur knwledge fr the best result fr students.
Cmpnents, Cnt. Instructrs need t understand the six levels f mathematics learning mastery (Sharma, 1989): 1) Intuitive Cnnectins: relate new cncepts with existing knwledge 2) Cncrete Mdeling: lk fr cncrete material with which t cnstruct a mdel r shw manifestatin f the cncept 3) Pictrial/Representatinal: student draws t illustrate the cncept.
Cmpnents, Cnt. 4) Abstract r Symblic: student translates the cncept int mathematical ntatin, using number symbls, equatins, etc. 5) Applicatin: student applies the cncept successfully t real-wrld situatins, stry prblems, etc. 6) Cmmunicatin: student can teach the cncept t thers r represent it n a test
The Recmmended Sequence fr Mathematics Instructin (Sharma, 1989) a) Explain the linguistic aspects f the cncept. b) Intrduce the general truth, law, r principle that ther principles hinge n. c) Use cncrete materials/examples s students discver the prf f these truths. d) Give specific examples f these truths using cncrete materials e) Have students talk abut their discveries and hw the cncept wrks f) Shw hw individual experiences can be integrated int general principle r rule
Recmmended Sequence, Cnt. g) Re-emphasize the general rule that ther mathematical truths hinge n h) Shw hw several specific examples bey the general rule i) Have students state the rule and ffer specific examples that bey it. j) Have students explain the linguistic elements f the cncept.
Math Skills Curses If yu can t get a specialized LD math class r remedial class, then the next ptin wuld be t teach a math skills curse. Such curses dn t fcus n math s much as generalized study skills that can be applied acrss all levels f math up t calculus. These curses are generally taught by DSPs.
Skills Curses, Cnt. Studies have shwn that such curses significantly imprve pass rates in math classes: Nlting, 1986: 67% f students wh received a math study skills curse and 5 hurs f reality cunseling passed elementary algebra class. 33% f cntrl grup did The difference in a similar study at West Virginia Wesleyan was 80% pass rate (study skills class) vs. 50% (n study skills class) Referenced in: Develp Study Skills Rather Than Aviding Mathematics Curses in Disability Cmpliance fr Higher Educatin (Nvember, 1997)
The Traditinal Apprach If yu d nt have any capacity fr specialized, remedial, r supprtive classes, and yu have n waiver system, then yur students will have t take the expected curses with traditinal accmmdatins. OCR has unequivcally stated that reasnable accmmdatins are required fr students with disabilities in math classes EVEN IF MATH IS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THE MAJOR. Thus, OCR fund that the University f Arkansas vilated Sectin 504 when it stated that finite mathematics and calculus were nt subject t accmmdatin since they were prerequisites t the student s field f study. (2002)
Traditinal Apprach, Cnt. While mst standard accmmdatins shuld be cnsidered withut cncern, the use f calculatrs will require cnsultatin with faculty and likely will nt be apprpriate as it wuld vilate an essential functin f the class (i.e., that student learn the cmputatinal aspect f the class).
Cnclusin Questins?