• Resource Guide Home
• Legislation and Policies
  • What Laws Might Apply?
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• Identification of Accommodations
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• Motor Impairments
  • Getting Around
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  • Case Example
• Vision Impairments
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  • Reading or Writing
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  • Using a Computer
  • Working in the Lab or Field
  • Case Example
• Communication Difficulties
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Reading or Writing
  • Managing Work and Time
  • Using a Computer
  • Working in the Lab or Field
  • Case Example
• Cognitive Impairment
  • Getting Around
  • Communicating
  • Using a Computer
• Resources: Technical Assistance
• Research Findings

Module 6: Accommodations for Cognitive Impairments

Communicating with Students and Faculty (Lecturing, One-on-One, Phone)

In the classroom or lab, educators must be able to talk about the material, give instructions, and engage students in discussion. Outside of the classroom, educators must be able to communicate to students and colleagues both face-to-face and from a distance (e.g., phone).

A teacher with a cognitive impairment may have difficulty with understanding and remembering details of a spoken conversation. He or she may become distracted during conversations and go off on tangents. Accommodation options may include:

Attention / Memory Difficulties

• Meet in an area with minimal visual and auditory distractions.
• Outline thoughts in advance; take notes
  Using lists of issues to discuss and taking notes can help ensure that all important points are covered.
• Use a phone with voice dialing or stored numbers.
  Phone numbers do not need to be memorized.

Visual and Auditory Information Processing Difficulties

• Outline thoughts in advance; take notes.
  The use of written cues to supplement spoken communication can help people with auditory processing difficulties.
• Use an assistive listening device to emphasize the communiation and deemphasize other noises.
  An assistive listening device can amplify the voice of the speaker so that stands out better in a noisy environment.