From: Gmurczyk, Marta
Sent: Thursday, October 4, 2018 3:35 PM
Subject: FW: Assistance in the classroom

Dear All:
I would appreciate very much you reading the question below and sharing your perspective. ACS does not have any guidelines related to the situation described in the message, but I promised to ask the safety community in case you may have any wisdom to share. I will compile your responses  (but will make sure to remove the names) and forward them to correspondent.

Very many thanks for any help you might be able to provide.

Marta Gmurczyk


Dear Dr. Gmurczyk,

I received the ACS document "Undergraduate Professional Education in Chemistry" yesterday.  I truly appreciate you sending this.

Granted that in the short time I have it, I have only taken a cursory look, but I am wondering if you can more directly put me in the direction of guidelines/laws/ regulations/ best practices with regard to having students in the chemistry classroom/laboratory who can not read or write.  I am very concerned for a situation in which I am presently involved as the instructor.

There is an aid (a student not enrolled in the class) in the lab to assist this student "read the lab sheets" but I believe that there is a safety concern in that if the aid does not read all, or at least the pertinent safety components, other students, in addition to the disabled student, will be at risk.  I have specifically read section 4.5, as you recommended, and I am wondering if my institution (or me) has an obligation to "train" the aid I mentioned above.  Any additional guidance you can provide would be so greatly appreciated.