Disability Issues in the
Postsecondary Education Setting
Faculty Responsibilities
Faculty are required by federal law to provide reasonable accommodations. This is a fairly vague term, and if you are unsure whether something a student is requesting is reasonable, contact the disability service provider on your campus for consultation.
An example of a reasonable request would be a student with a learning disability and attention deficit disorder requesting:
- extended time on exams
- to take tests orally or to have them read onto cassette tape
- a low distraction room.
An example of an unreasonable request would be a student with any type of disability requesting that:
- he or she not be required to turn in written assignments because he or she cannot physically perform the task of handwriting.
These examples illustrate the fact that the goal is not to change the requirements of your course, but to enable the individual with a disability to meet those requirements in a way that does not discriminate based on disability. When this does not appear possible to you or the student, consult the disability service provider to find an option that works for both parties.
Faculty Resource Council on Disability Model