Accommodating Students with disabilities

The implementation of accommodations should be a collaborative process between the faculty member, the student, and the Office of Accessibility when needed. While we were not able to address every scenario faced by faculty, we included some of the most requested information about working with students with disabilities.

Confidentiality

Information concerning a student's disability should be disclosed only to those with a legitimate "need to know." Sharing of information with other faculty and staff to facilitate a student's accommodations needs to be balanced with the student's interest while maintaining their privacy. Further disclosure should only be made with the express permission of the student or in consultation with appropriate Office of Accessibility staff. Please do not discuss a student's disability or need for accommodations in front of other students.

Discussing Accommodations With Student

If a student with a disability submits accommodations electronically from our office and is requesting a meeting to discuss his/her accommodations, we recommend that you meet with the student in your office or another confidential location to discuss the requested accommodations. Discuss each accommodation and establish a plan for how the accommodations will be facilitated in your class. After meeting with the student, document through our system that the meeting occurred and/or address any questions or concerns.

It is also important that faculty do not:

  • Ask the student to disclose the nature of their disability. Most disabilities are invisible and while the student has been instructed to self-advocate and clearly state their needs, they do not have to discuss the disability.

  • Deny a student’s accommodation request. If there is concern that an accommodation would fundamentally change the nature of a course, contact the Office of Accessibility immediately either by phone (334-844-2096) or email (accessibility@auburn.edu). It is important that you provide the accommodation until the concern has been resolved. An accommodation cannot be denied without due process; therefore, all cases will be reviewed individually.

  • Tell the student that he/she requested the accommodations too late in the semester. While students with disabilities are encouraged to meet with faculty during the first week of class, there are many legitimate reasons why this may not be possible. Accommodations must be provided at any point in a semester; however, they do not need to be provided retroactively.

Syllabus Statement Example

Students who need accommodations should submit their approved accommodations through the AIM Student Portal on AU Access and follow up with the instructor about an appointment. It is important for the student to complete these steps as soon as possible; accommodations are not retroactive. Students who have not established accommodations through the Office of Accessibility but need accommodations should contact the Office of Accessibility at by phone (334-844-2096) (V/TT) or email (accessibility@auburn.edu). The Office of Accessibility is located in Haley Center 1228.

Disputing An Accommodation

Faculty can dispute an accommodation if it is felt the accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of the academic course. If there is a dispute regarding the appropriateness of a particular student accommodation, the concern should be raised with Office of Accessibility promptly, preferably before the semester begins or by the next business day after receiving an accommodation request. During the time that the accommodation is under review, the Office of Accessibility recommendation for accommodation should remain in effect.