David Anderson had a particularly keen connection with the students who came to his office at the University of Georgia. Like many who sought his assistance, Anderson has a disability that isn’t easily diagnosed or identified.
“I have always struggled with academics and I failed out of my first school — and my second,” Anderson said. “But then I got tested and found out I have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). I immediately started taking medications and figured out how to learn.”
Anderson went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in counseling from UGA, and for the last 13 years he has put his personal experiences and expertise to work as the coordinator of Disability Services at his alma mater. Last month he took the post of director of Disability Services at Georgia College in Milledgeville.
Although there’s a marked difference between the two institutions in size (UGA enrolls around 34,000 students; Georgia College has about 7,800), when it comes to students with disabilities, the issues are often the same.
“First of all, we recognize anyone who falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which lists what disabilities are covered by law, whether they are physical or mental impairments,” Anderson said. “But anything related to psychological (disabilities) is one of the fast-growing areas, especially since the medical evidence of those issues has caught up. We’re also seeing more chronic health issues, such as arthritis, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy or cancer remission.”
Because the breadth of recognized disabilities has expanded, Anderson handles a considerable student caseload. But no matter how similar students’ disabilities may seem, they are all evaluated on an individual basis.
“That’s the first and most important thing to know,” Anderson said. “If you and your friend both have ADHD, it doesn’t mean you will both get the same accommodations. We look at recommendations from your doctor and figure out what’s best for you.”
Personal attention
Accommodations for students with disabilities range from the basics — accessible classrooms, libraries and dorms — as well as to some that are not quite as visible.
“For instance, for a student with ADHD, say, we can arrange the class schedule to give them enough time between classes or allow them to take classes at times when they can perform at peak hours,” Anderson said. “We can pair them with a volunteer student who will take notes. A lot of our students aren’t prepared for the way you take notes in college; they get distracted and try to write everything down. Notetakers can help them focus on the main points.”
Even though the law is very specific on what accommodations must be offered to disabled students, having the support of the staff and faculty is equally important, said Erin Breedlove, a 23-year-old Georgia College student who has cerebral palsy.
“There are a lot of formalities the university must go through because it’s required by law, but the staff and faculty at Georgia College would do it even without that,” said Breedlove, a senior psychology major. “For instance, I have an accommodation letter I can hand to the instructors, but they usually seek me out first to find out how they can best accommodate my needs in their classrooms — even if it’s just to make sure I have an assigned seat by the door so I can get out quickly in the case of an emergency. It’s nice to know that everyone is willing to be your ally.”
After considering attending other colleges, Breedlove found that the Milledgeville school suited her best.
“I liked Georgia College because it was tiny — in terms of both its student body and layout,” she said. “It’s also very flat and the terrain was very appealing, given my physical disability. It’s the absolute perfect place for students who need attention.”
Inspired by the support she’s received and the experience she’s garnered by working in the college’s Office of Disability Services, Breedlove wants to work in the field as a professional.
“I have chosen the career path I have because of the influence of people like David (Anderson) who have gone out of their way to make sure students like myself are accommodated,” she said.
