ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

1. The day before your first midterm exam, Juan asks for unlimited time to accommodate his learning disability. This is the first time you have learned of the disability and the request of accommodations. What do you do? What would you have done if his request had been three days or one week before the midterm?
2. Lisa, who uses a cane, tells you that she can't get from her earlier class to your class on time because of her difficulties walking. She wants to know if she has to drop one of the classes.
3. You notice that Shari, who exhibits a strong command of the course materials in discussion section, continually does poorly on multiple-choice exams. Her written work contains excellent critical thinking skills but is full of grammatical errors and awkward sentences. You suspect she may have a learning disability.
4. At the beginning of the semester, you are approached by two students who want to tape your lectures: Jack a student with a learning disability, and Akiko, an international student from Japan. Normally, you don't allow students to tape your lectures because you feel it is important for them to learn note-taking skills. Are you obligated by the University to allow either student to tape your lectures?
5. Midway through the semester, Martin comes down with mono and ends up missing a third of your discussion sections. Martin asks you to grade him for the course based on his written assignments and exams or to give him a late withdraw.
6. Two students, Maria and Angelika, do not show up for the midterm exam. Both students contact you afterwards with disability-related excuses for missing the exam. Maria, a wheelchair user, says she missed the exam because the paratransit bus that normally brings her to class stood her up. Angelika claims that she has bipolar disorder and was having problems that day. Your policy is not to give make-up exams. Are you obligated by the University to give either student a make-up exam?
7. You are taking students on a geology fieldtrip. Janet, who uses an electric scooter, will not be able to accompany the class because the field site is inaccessible. Ideas?
8. Shawn, who has a learning disability, comes to every office hour you have and continually schedules extra appointments with you. You want to provide him the extra help he needs, but his requests are taking up a lot of your time.
9. Greg has epilepsy that is not currently controlled with medication. Greg advises you that it is likely that he will have seizures in the classroom. Gregory enrolls and has seizures once or twice a week. His seizures alarm the other students and disrupt the learning environment. Is it permissible to discuss the issue with the students? What would you discuss?
10. Pauline requests note-taking services from you to accommodate her learning disability. What are the roles and responsibilities of the student and you?

File last updated: July 29, 2003
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