Case Study:  Roberta and Writing Assignments

History:

My name is Roberta and I’m studying psychology. I’m hoping to transfer to Cal State Northridge and get a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling.

I have quadriplegia (sometimes referred to in recent years as tetraplegia) and I use a power wheelchair. I also have very limited functional use of my arms and hands.

Access Issues:

Exams and papers take me a long time and I’m often exhausted. It’s pretty hard for me to hold a pen or pencil for a long time.

Although I have a power wheelchair, it still takes me a long time to get from class to class. I take a ride service called Access but they are often late for my pick up.

Sometimes, the mechanical doors into buildings don’t work and I have to wait for someone to come and open the door.

So, even though I leave for school at least an hour ahead of my classes, I am still often late. Then, I have to squeeze my wheelchair into whatever available spot is left in the classroom.

I’m getting farther and farther behind in my assignments. I study and study for my tests but I hardly ever get to finish them.  Maybe I should just drop out of classes.

Question:

If Roberta were in your class, what are some possible accommodations that could be put in place for her? Especially, in terms of writing assignments and tests?