Communicating Expectations

This is probably one of the most critical elements of this process. It is critical that expectations are communicated clearly, in a timely manner, and in a format that is accessible and available to students. In this section, we will address communicating expectations by way of

• the course syllabus
• examples
• an intuitive grading system

Addressing each of these elements of your course will be helpful to students with disabilities and will also benefit other students taking your course.

Designing the Course Syllabus

Providing a detailed, well-organized course syllabus allows students the opportunity to review your requirements and increases the chances that their performance will be in line with your expectations. The syllabus should not be a substitute for communicating your expectations in class, however.

• Develop a syllabus that reflects the essential components of the course and outlines the necessary prerequisite knowledge and skills.
  
  
• Include elements of a universally designed syllabus.
  
  
• Have the syllabus available for students to obtain early if requested.
  
  
  • This allows students who need materials in alternate formats (such as Braille, large print, or audiotape) time to request these materials.
  • Be prepared to provide the syllabus on a disk or in another format if requested.
  
  
• Post the syllabus on your departmental website.
  
  
  • This allows students early access to the syllabus and provides an alternate format which can be accessed by assistive technology or used to create a large print version of your syllabus.
  • You can use this file as a format for creating your own syllabus for the Web - Sample syllabus in HTML
  
  
• Examine your syllabus in terms of its effectiveness to
  
  
  • Provide a "contract" between you and the student.
  • Provide the necessary information to help a student make an informed decision about whether this course is a good match for him or her.

How specific students benefit:

1. Students with learning disabilities or vision loss may need to access the syllabus with screen reading software such as Kurzweil or JAWS or to convert the syllabus to another format such as Braille or large print. Having the syllabus available on the web or on a disk will allow students to access it in this way.
   
   
2. Students with learning disabilities or vision loss may need to have their textbooks prepared in alternate formats such as Braille, electronic text, or audiotapes. Having the syllabus available early allows students to make these requests to the disability services office early. They are more likely to have all of the materials they need when classes begin.
   
   
3. Students with medical disabilities may have to miss classes frequently due to illnesses. Having a detailed syllabus makes it easier for these students to keep on schedule with assignments and readings so that they are less likely to get behind.
   
   
4. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may miss some of what is said in class. Some learning disabilities also result in difficulty in processing information auditorily. Providing your expectations in writing helps these students fill in the gaps of what they miss in class.

Providing examples:

This suggestion is based on the adage "a picture is worth a thousand words." Describing what you expect is helpful; showing students what you expect is even more helpful.

• Develop a collection of good papers and projects to keep on file as examples for students to view.
  
  
• Provide examples of good answers to essay questions.
  
  
• If you are teaching online, post these examples to your course site.

Developing your grading system:

• Consider using a grading rubric to communicate how overall performance in the course and performance on specific assignments translates to a letter or numerical grade.
  
  
  • Sample Grading Rubric
  
  
• Develop a simple grading strategy that allows students to track their own progress.
  
  
  • Keep the need for conversions to a minimum when assigning point values to assignments and exams.
  • Provide a chart that allows students to plug in their points to figure their grades at different times in the semester.
  
  
• Keep records up to date so students can track their grades accurately.
  
  
• Honolulu Community College - Grading Practices