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Though not always visible and sometimes seemingly minor, brain
injuries are complex. It can cause physical, cognitive, social,
and vocational changes that affect an individual for a short period
of time or permanently. Depending on the extent and location of
the injury, symptoms caused by a brain injury vary widely. Some
common results are seizures, loss of balance or coordination, difficulty
with speech, limited concentration, memory loss, and loss of organizational
and reasoning skills.
Some considerations:
A traditional intelligence test is not an accurate assessment of
cognitive recovery after a brain injury and bears little relationship
to the mental processes required for everyday functioning. For example,
students with brain injuries might perform well on brief, structured
and artificial tasks, but have significant deficits in learning,
memory, and executive functions. Recovery from a brain injury can
be inconsistent. A student might take one step forward, two back,
do nothing for a while, and then unexpectedly make a series of gains.
A "plateau" is not evidence that functional improvement
has ended.
Common accommodations for students with brain injuries include:
Instructional Strategies
Brain injuries often require instructional strategies similar to
those listed for other disabilities. The use of such strategies
will depend on the manifestation of the disability. If a faculty
member would like more information about instructional strategies
for students with brain injuries, he/she should contact the Office
of Disability Services
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