A colleague asked me a really excellent question last week. How should an instructor scaffold group work expectations when there is a disabled member in the group? There are a number of ways to approach this, and how you proceed will depend on the needs of the students, your relationship with them, what if any accommodations disabled students have asked for, and the learning context. Generally, here are some helpful things to consider when you encounter this situation in a higher education context: 1-Model the behavior you would like your students to emulate. Getting into a habit of narrating your PowerPoint slides early in the semester, for example, means that your students are already familiar with seeing this particular accommodation in action. 2-Ask. It might be appropriate to ask privately, especially as part of a larger accommodations discussion, disabled learners if they have any particular needs or concerns related to group work. If they have suggestions, it’s great to follow their lead. 3-Be explicit and helpful without putting undue burden on any student and certainly without disclosing any disability or accommodations (even in the case of visible disabilities that are seemingly apparent). I find that a blanket and nonspecific statement like this works best: “This interaction might be new for some of you. Be clear with each other about your needs. I’m here to help if you would like me to.” 4-Don’t micro-manage the interaction (unless students ask for your help or you are observing difficulty or discomfort). Depending sometimes on culture and other factors, adults in the U.S. (disabled or not) often appreciate the autonomy to navigate their needs for themselves rather than having others step in. You have been clear that you are available to help if needed; let your students take it from there. Just like in other new and different circumstances, it’s good to keep an eye on the interaction to make sure students are being respectful and supportive of one another.
Caitlin Cornell 