The types of accommodations that will be needed depend to a large extent on which aspects of the writing process are most problematic.
Accommodations that may be useful include:
Extended time for all written assignments;
Alternate response formats (oral response, video presentation, use of keyboard for in-class writing assignments, etc., depending on the individual's needs);
Use of outlining and/or word prediction software;
Use of voice recogniton software or a scribe;
Reduction in volume of written work required;
Lecture notes or outline provided by instructor in advance;
Recording lectures;
Instructor-provided templates or examples of each type of written assignment required with essential elements noted;
Notetaker (may be as simple as having another student make a carbon copy or photocopy of class notes);
At some point the educational system needs to say, "If you can't do the work, you don't belong here." If a college history class requires written term papers, I don't think that requirement should be relaxed for anyone. Grades on college transcripts should be comparable. One student's "B" should signify roughly the same quality and quantity of work as another's in the same class. Making accommodations that do not water down course requirements, such as making sure lecture halls are wheelchair-accessible, are another matter. If a student needs more time than others to do the work, he should consider taking fewer classes.
But what if (as in my DD's case), a student has such a vastly superior grasp on the subject than the others in the class and said student can wow the socks off their professors through oral discourse, bringing in valid new insights/perspectives, showing original creative critical thinking on the matter, in some cases making arguments that challenge the status quo in profound and valid ways, but said student can not do the same in written form in a timely manner.
Should this person be denied the opportunity to shine? Should the world be denied the potential contributions of such an individual merely based on their ability to write?
Did Socrates or Jesus write essays?
