Redefining ‘Disability’ on Campus – Taipei Times

Last year, a suicide note by a student from National Taiwan University (NTU) was circulated on the internet forum Dcard. In a note titled “NTU killed me,” students said they wanted instructors to address their mental health by offering some alternative options besides taking midterms. said.

However, the lecturer refused to be flexible and questioned whether the student was feigning illness. You’re faking it, right? I think it’s because you haven’t studied the material and haven’t put enough effort into it. You didn’t do what you were supposed to do and now you say you can’t take the exam. ”

In 2021, NTU established a “Learning Coordination System” to accommodate students with mental health problems.

However, incidents continue in which students are unable to receive the support they need. Online, he opposed the accommodation system, argued that postponing exams was unfair, and mocked NTU by calling it a kindergarten. It is clear that the system is not well implemented and consensus needs to be reached.

I am a Taiwanese who just started teaching at an American university. As an incoming assistant professor at the University of Washington, I have already seen how Taiwan and the United States treat physical and mental health issues differently. I just noticed a passage.

Access and Accommodation: Your experience in this class is important to me. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment that complies with federal and state law. If you have not yet established Disability Resources for Students (DRS) services but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability requiring attention (conditions include mental health, attention-related, learning-related, vision, (including but not limited to hearing), physical or health effects), please contact DRS directly to set up an access plan. DRS facilitates an interactive process of establishing reasonable accommodation. ”

I commended my colleague for his consideration, and he said that the university requires all professors to include the passage in their syllabus. He then asked if it was the same in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, the Special Education Law (Special Education Law) stipulates that persons with disabilities must be provided with special education according to their individual requirements.

However, it is limited to those who are judged to have a long-term disability, or those who have been receiving active treatment for one year or more but remain disabled. Different schools treat people who are not eligible for special education.

For example, NTU has implemented a “Learning Coordination System” and National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) says students can receive assistance through its “Student Advisor System” and Teaching Learning Development Center.

In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act Reform Act of 2008 redefines the term “disability.” Congenital or acquired, short-term or long-term, all should be defined as such. A person affected by or recovering from a disability should be considered disabled, as should a person who shows no symptoms, but who could be severely affected if the illness were to occur. I have.

They are thought to have trouble studying, concentrating, or even taking care of themselves. For example, people with depression can take medication to ease their symptoms, but recovery will take longer. must be

When determining a person’s disability, we should emphasize experience rather than relying entirely on medical evaluation. For example, if hearing loss is not medically considered a disability, but the inability to hear sounds clearly makes it difficult to discuss in a group, the hearing loss should be recognized as a disability.

I am not an expert in disability education or psychology, so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to effectively serve students who needed assistance. Fortunately, the University of Washington’s Disability Resources for Students provide clear guidelines for instructors on what to do.

If these guidelines could be implemented in Taiwanese schools, students would be better supported.

First, a “specialized third party” must be established. Instructors should not be solely relied upon to help students deal with mental health issues. Universities need professional medical personnel to assess student problems and keep instructors informed of the situation. Students do not have to convince instructors that their suffering is real.

Second, the security and confidentiality of medical records must be maintained. All patients have the right to decide whether they wish to disclose their health status. Instructors should never ask questions about a student’s illness or whether the student is faking an illness. If a student asks an instructor for assistance, the instructor should immediately refer to the institution’s resources.

Third, resources on disability and mental health issues should be widely distributed, and students should be able to access these resources online or by phone, including by making counseling appointments. It can be included in the syllabus and you can talk about facts and statistics in class so that students understand that mental health problems are common and it is acceptable to seek medical help.

Thanks to the NTU Student Council, teachers and university administration, NTU’s ‘Learning Coordination System’ is being put to good use. Hopefully, this system will be applied to all universities in Taiwan through legislation.

The term “disability” should be redefined and more psychiatrists should work on campus. Learning should not be hindered by obstacles of any kind.

Karen Chen is a postdoctoral fellow at Yale University and an incoming assistant professor at the University of Washington.

Translated by Liu Yihong