Reflections on Teaching Students with Special Needs in an Online Master’s Program

Abstract

Accommodations for a student with a traumatic brain injury in graduate level class go beyond extended time for completing assignments. Additional accommodations include breaking major papers into stages with peer editing at each stage, using shorter articles for article review assignments, and substituting threaded discussions for some article reviews. Greater attention to the affective dimension of teaching and learning also assists students with exceptionalities and can include specific threaded discussions where students give each other tips on completing assignments. Teaching students with special needs can enhance instructor consideration of the needs of all students and make the class better for all the students involved. Additional graduate program and societal involvement is needed to make college and graduate level education more accessible for students with exceptionalities.