Five sentence summary There are many accommodations that can make managing ADHD much easier. The table below may be helpful in determining what accommodations you should investigate. By thinking of meetings as lectures, defenses as tests, and so forth, graduate students may find a lot of the accommodations in the table could apply. The Job Accommodation Network can be a great source for more information and ideas on potential accommodations. ADHD manifests itself in different ways in different people. Some of these accommodations may work for you and some may be useless. Some may work at certain times and not at others. Some may not be available at your college.
If you're learning and you have ADHD (you're an undergraduate student, you're taking a single class at a college, you're a graduate student, or you're enrolled in a course for professional development or for a skill), here are some accommodations that might be useful.
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Five sentence summary:
If your professor refuses or changes your accommodation, start with the assumption that they don't realize their mistake or are unaware of what you need. Clarify what you need, remind them of the specific accommodation and that it has been approved, and refer them to your disability advisor or that office if they have questions. Send a follow-up email and document as much as you can in writing for your own record and if things turn sour. If your professor outright refuses, politely inform them what you are entitled to under the ADA and/or refer them to your disability office.
A few disclaimers here:
A professor can (wrongfully) deny your accommodation for a number of reasons. They can also decide they know better than the Disability Office or you and modify the accommodation to suit their needs, which is also illegal 98% of the time. Good professors want students to succeed and learn and they'll want to make sure you have what you need to succeed. At worst, you're well within your right to explain to them that they're violating your rights under the ADA but let's start assuming your professor isn't a jerk. Five sentence summary:
The process varies depending on the school but it can take a long time and it can be a serious headache. You will have to essentially prove that you're disabled, and this can mean finding a lot of documentation from specific doctors and/or making new appointments. You should contact the disability office to find out specifically what is needed, how recent documentation needs to be, and what to do after. If they want additional documentation, it is your responsibility. I recommend starting this early because you may have to jump through some hoops.
Regardless of whether or not you expect accommodations, I recommend every student register with the disability office. Yes, this includes graduate students! If you don't register and you have a professor who acts particularly ableist, you won't be able to do much until you're registered with the disability office. Reminder: Yes, ADHD can be considered a disability. Read more: Is ADHD a disability?
Every school is different, but this process can take a really long time, so you should reach out and contact them sooner rather than later. Keep in mind, they're likely to be busy at the start of the semester, so you may want to reach out over summer. Another thing to remember is that you can register AT ANY TIME. If you are diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the middle of the semester and you need accommodations, you have every right to contact this office and start the process. Now, accommodations aren't retroactive, so you can't apply in October and expect to receive extended testing for the tests you've already taken. Your professors and the office also have to be given a reasonable amount of time to provide the accommodations, which is why it's better to apply before the semester starts, but it's not a requirement. |
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