A: You haven’t said what accommodation you are seeking, but the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA requires that postsecondary institutions must provide “reasonable accommodations” to participate in courses, programs, and activities.
From the American Psychological Association:
“These accommodations can be in the form of academic adjustments or modifications such as extended time for test taking or completing course work; substitution of specific courses to meet degree requirements; modification of test taking or performance evaluations so as not to discriminate against a person’s sensory, speaking or motor impairments, unless that is what is being tested.
Accommodations can also take the shape of auxiliary aids and services such as qualified sign language interpreters, note takers, readers, braille, large print, and electronic formats of print materials, and adaptive equipment.”
The first thing to do is seek out the college disability office at your school. This may be called different names, like “academic support” or “success center”. The counselors are there to support you and communicate the legal requirements to professors if necessary. Most professors have never received any formal training about the ADA or providing accommodations or modifications for their courses, so they may make mistakes – but try not to get upset – and instead seek out those who will support you.
If you had been in an accommodating school before, having this rejection can come as a shock. But don’t let it go – your education is too important. Accommodations such as extra time, using a screen reader and note-taker are very common for students with dyslexia and they will make it more likely you will finish your degree.
It is possible that the office may require more testing or make adjustments in your request for accommodations. Provide as much information as you can to justify your request.
If you have ADHD, for instance, and will need more time – but also more time with breaks while taking final exams, request it. Many colleges have testing centers and having students who need these accommodations are commonplace.
If you are worried that you will get flustered when you talk to your professor, ask a peer tutor to practice with you or practice with a friend or parent over the phone. Resist the temptation to have a parent call. You will be expected to advocate for yourself and you can do it if you prepare and ask for help if you need it.
Put things in writing that you want to make sure gets said. If the disability office sends your professor a letter after you make a complaint, then they just may email you back and give you the accommodations without having to meet again. It’s unpleasant what happened to you, but you may make it easier for other students who will follow you who also need accommodations to complete their degree. It is not an unfair advantage – it’s something that we as a society have decided in the name of fairness, but also to take full advantage of the talents and knowledge that different people have.
Another resource that will be helpful in higher education as well as at work is JAN or the Job Accommodation Network. It’s run by the federal government, so it’s free. They will tell you about your rights and also may suggest resources.
Their website is AskJan.org and phone is: 1-800-526-7234.
WHAT ARE UNREASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS?
The question arises in educational as well as workplace settings. This can be a gray area and the law does not support unlimited requests for accommodations. Check your school to see if there is a policy stated on their website.
For example, UCLA’s site defined “unreasonable accommodations” as:
- Accommodations that would fundamentally alter the nature of a program.
- Accommodations which lower or substantially modify academic or program standards.
- Accommodations that would impose undue financial or administrative burden.
- Accommodations that would pose an appreciable threat to personal or public safety.
For instance, if a student asked for no testing at all on a particular course, that could potentially fundamentally alter a program. How could the program confirm that any knowledge was gained or proficiency attained?
Don’t let potential gray areas discourage you from asking for what you need, though. Most accessibility or support offices will try to help you and their presence on campus is one example that a college or university wants to provide support and be in compliance with laws that prohibit discrimination.
Lawsuits have been won against universities when accommodations have been delayed, so most institutions also have a policy that requires a timely resolution of accommodations requests.
Policies between countries do differ, however. Dyslexia seems to be better recognized in the United Kingdom. We have heard it is not uncommon to write “I am dyslexic – do not downgrade for spelling” at the top of handwritten work, but the UK is worse than the US in general in terms of granting twice extended time. Ask what you believe you need to be successful and ask early in case some disagreements arise.
