Esperanza decided to visit with all of her professors early in the semester. She told them a little about her limitations. She discussed the accommodations she would need, and reached agreement with each professor on how services would be handled in each course.
Her chemistry professor told her that she would be required to complete the lab because he viewed it as an integral part of the course. The professor assumed that Esperanza had some lab experience because she took chemistry in high school.
After the first lab session, the lab instructor approached the professor because she did not know how to help Esperanza. Esperanza could not read the lab instructions on the overhead. She tried to have her friend help her, but this only made her friend fall behind too. Esperanza could not see well enough to read the measurements on the instruments with sufficient precision, and she spilled the chemical solutions. Esperanza was distraught.
The chemistry professor decided to contact the SDRC. A meeting was set up with the professor, SDRC counselor, the lab instructor, and Esperanza. Waiving the lab portion of the class, as the high school teacher had done, was not reasonable.
The SDRC counselor suggested that they label the lab equipment in a font that Esperanza could read and provide assistive technology (AT) devices and equipment, such as a high-powered magnifying lamp. Also, the SDRC would provide a lab aide to help Esperanza conduct the experiments. However, the lab aide would be required to strictly follow Esperanza's instructions. This would ensure that Esperanza would direct the experiments so that she can demonstrate mastery of the required lab skills.