Five sentence summary
That first conversation about your accommodation requirements can be stressful, but keeping the conversation short and understanding what instructors are and are not allowed to ask helps. Writing down a script can also reduce some of the burden. You shouldn't be afraid to refer people to the disability office. Educating everyone on accessibility is not your responsibility.
Depending on your school, your disability advisor may handle notifying your professors themselves. Or you may need to login to a website that will then allow you to notify each professor for each course electronically. In some cases, you may have to disclose your accommodations to your instructors yourself, which can be intimidating.
Why this is even necessary
Legally, all you are required to do is notify your professors that you have X,Y, and Z as formal accessibility accommodations. They are not entitled to know anything about your diagnosis or your medical history.
Instructors may ask you follow-up questions about your accommodations, especially if it is an accommodation they are unfamiliar with. It may be helpful to share specific examples of what you need or your past experiences, but this is your choice entirely. Instructors may be hesitant to agree to certain accommodations, such as allowing students to record lectures, because they misunderstand how those accommodations are used. They might worry you will sell your notes online or that their ideas will be stolen by others (it happens). It can be nice to share examples such as, "Last semester, I deleted all of my recordings after the grades were submitted" or "This one professor would warn me in advance if we were going to discuss highly personal information that I wasn't permitted to record. Then we worked together to make sure I still had the information I needed in order to study." You can always refer instructors to your disability office, especially if they have a lot of questions. Legally, you are not required to disclose anything about your condition(s), so keep that in mind. You don't even need to tell them what you are diagnosed with. A professor can only refuse an accommodation if it is unreasonable or would change the core content of the class; letting a professor know you need double time on an exam the night before might cause issues or asking for written assignments only in a public speaking course. That doesn't mean instructors won't deny your request, and you may already have experienced this. I have advice on what to do if a professor denies your accommodation request here.
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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. 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. |
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AuthorThere's a reason theADHDAcademic is an anonymous account and there's a reason why this website will remain anonymous. That said, there are some basics it might be helpful to know about me: DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional or a lawyer of any kind. All text, graphics, and content on this website are for educational purposes only. Any and all content should not be substituted for medical or legal advice. Although I strive to provide the most accurate, current, and scientifically sound information, content should never be substituted for professional advice. Always consult a medical and/or legal professional before making any decisions. Links are provided only for reference and do not necessarily imply endorsement.
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