Education and Accommodation
Do you find yourself trying your best in every class, but it feels like everyone else is having an easier time with each project and assignment? How many days have you stayed up late, rereading the same textbook page, but not processing any of the words? Even when you push yourself harder, doing all-nighters, studying every day, it all becomes exhausting, and the expectations become too much. You’ve hit a wall, and you wonder why you feel so difficult. What if, instead, you looked at how hard learning itself has been? When you're struggling in school, it can feel like the only advice you get is “try and work harder,” but learning involves much more than personal effort, especially when not everyone learns the same way. If you often feel like you are standing in your own way, ask yourself what other barriers may be present.
You’ve shown yourself that you can try; the effort is there, and things may be making you feel like you can’t do it. Is there a difference between wondering that you can't do it and wondering that you can’t do it according to expectations? If the deadlines, formats, or support in school changed, what would your chances of success be? These are questions you can ask while exploring educational accommodations.
WHAT ARE ACCOMMODATIONS?
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) defines an accommodation as a modification to a job, environment, or process that lets a person with a disability perform essential functions or access a program, without imposing "undue hardship" on the employer/institution. So more simply, they are tools that when utilized correctly, will put you on level ground with everyone else in the room.
Accommodations are legally required adjustments that help someone access school, work, or daily life when barriers are present. In an educational setting, they can look like changes in how you access and complete work and school material, as well as removing obstacles to learning. For example, if a student needs larger text for testing, they can access the testing material at the same level as their peers. Larger text does not give them an advantage or the answers to the test, but it is a key way to find, process, and demonstrate their own answers. For students, accommodations can be documented in many formats, depending on your grade or education level. For primary, middle, or high schoolers, students may be accommodated according to documented, formal plans such as an Individualized Education Program/Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan. These plans are often discussed together, but an IEP is part of special education because it changes what a student learns based on their needs, while a 504 plan changes how a student learns and is separate from special education. To receive an IEP or 504 plan, you (or your parent or guardian if you are a minor) must submit a letter or email to your school’s principal or special education coordinator requesting a disability evaluation, describing your current struggles and sharing solutions you've tried. Informal accommodations may also be provided at times, depending on the teacher, but they do not have the legal protections of IEPs and 504 plans.
Examples of components of an IEP or 504 plan:
● Student’s information, diagnosis, strengths, and challenges
● Student’s current level of academic performance and behavior
● Measurable goals to work toward during the school year, and documented progress
● List of accommodations provided (e.g., extended test time, preferred seating arrangement)
● Specialized services (counseling, speech therapy, individual instruction with teacher)
WHAT TYPE OF ACCOMMODATIONS COULD I RECEIVE?
In higher education, after getting accepted and enrolling, you share accommodation requests with your college’s Disability Services Office (also known as Student Accessibility Services) and, later, with professors as you plan how to apply them. IEP and 504 plans do not transfer with you to college, as colleges are not required to follow those plans. When contacting your school’s Disability Services Office, you must provide documentation supporting your need for help. Any professional providing you with medical or psychological support can write this documentation, and it is usually reviewed and discussed until the letter best communicates your needs. It can be difficult to recognize the help you need, and references can help you explore what could support you in your educational journey. Sites such as the Job Accommodations Network (JAN) can help you identify legally recognized disabilities and accommodations to include in your letter, although it shares that it helps with compliance Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).” Accommodations for students and education are protected in Title II (public schools, state-funded colleges) and Title III (private schools), so looking into the specific accommodations offered by your college as well may also be helpful and more relevant in your search. Once your documentation and needs have been discussed and you have been recognized as eligible, your approved accommodations are shared in a Letter of Accommodation (LOA), either by print or email. Eligibility for accommodations, as well as accommodations offered, can vary widely depending on the college’s evaluation process, policies, and your communication with Disability Services.
Here are some examples of educational accommodations (provided by Rutgers University). Not all examples of listed accommodations may be available, depending on your university/college.
● Breaks during exams (without time penalty)
● Extended time (50% - 100%) for timed exams and quizzes
● Reduced Course Load Requirement
● Screen or text readers (whether in person or text-to-speech) for testing
● Notetaker/Scribe for testing
● Modified schedule
● Remote/hybrid work
● Ergonomic equipment
● Assistive technology
● Job restructuring
● Interpreter/support service
● Leave adjustments
HOW CAN I GET ACCOMMODATIONS?
Policies vary by institution; however, the majority are going to require a form of formal documentation. The most commonly accepted are a neuropsychological evaluation, medical records, or a letter from a treating provider. If you are lucky enough to have an IEP or 504 from high school, they are sometimes accepted at higher institutions with possibly some follow up questions– the more paperwork you have from these arrangements, the better.
Before even getting to paperwork, you need to identify which one will suit you the best. Think about what's actually hard for you on a day to day basis. Instead of thinking, ‘I have APD’, think, ‘I struggle processing the teachers talking when there is background noise taking place.’ Once you know the actual barrier it is a lot easier to match it with something on the list above. Don’t feel you need this all figured out on your own though, this is what the experts are there to help with.
You will then need to register with your school's accessibility office. This can typically be done through email, allowing you to provide one of the documentations which we spoke about just above. Also, depending on the institution, they may accept alternatives to documentation so that is a conversation you can have as well. Once approved, they will either ask for a meeting with you to have a brief conversation (This is usually to verify the issues informally) or issue a letter stating your approved accommodations right away and direct you to the allocated staff member to send this to. Once the instructor has received this, the accommodations will be under way. Depending on the institution you will need to continue to renew accommodations annually, so an occasional check in with the office every so often would be a good idea.
Let's take a look at some of the myths and stigmas that arise from seeking accommodations.
MYTH | FACT |
Accommodations give you an unfair advantage. | They remove a barrier so you are working on the same level as everyone else. |
Only students with visible disabilities qualify. | Most eligible conditions are not visible at all. |
Asking for accommodations makes you look bad to instructors. | Many instructors have already been through the process of having a student with an accommodation. |
You only get one chance to register at a specific date. | You can register any time during the year, and you can request changes as you go. |
I need a specific diagnosis to qualify. | Approval is based on how the condition affects you; sometimes a letter highlighting the impact can be enough for an OAS. |
Advocating for yourself in an educational setting can feel intimidating, especially when it is new and operates under a different system than you're used to. Just as it takes time to discover what could help you, receiving accommodations in school doesn't happen instantly. This process may call for patience, especially as you explore what kind of learning and support works for you. While beginning to use accommodations, you may ask yourself whether you “need it.” After so much time of being told to “try harder,” after comparing yourself to others, it can feel strange to see another path in front of you, especially when it’s a path where you aren’t the problem. It is up to you to decide which tools you want to include in your journey. Finding your own way to learn doesn’t mean that you are learning less!
Links...
Rutgers University List of Accommodations
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