Fostering Accessibility and Inclusion: A Conversation on Supporting Students with Disabilities in the Classroom

By: Audrey Farrugia & Autumn Persinger

At the Faculty Development Center’s CONNECT Teaching Conference in February, we presented in a session together about supporting students with disabilities. This pairing led to a later conversation about how instructors can foster accessibility in the classroom. Here is an excerpt from our conversation…

Audrey: The first suggestion I share with faculty is to regularly acknowledge visible and invisible disabilities. One of the ways to do this is through an accommodation statement for their syllabus that acknowledges visible/invisible and documented/undocumented disabilities that they reference throughout the semester. Here is my accommodation syllabus statement: 

“Students needing accommodations for completing assignments or exams should contact the instructor with appropriate documentation from the Disabilities Resource Center (DRC) no later than the second week of class. In addition, I encourage students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with me with or without documentation.”

Reading the statement in your syllabus at the beginning of the semester is not enough, though. Students should be reminded of it throughout the semester. It is helpful to pair a statement with campus accessibility resources such as the Disability Resource Center, the CATE lab, the College Supports Program, and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Have conversations about these services and invite staff from these offices to talk to your class. 

Autumn: Regularly acknowledging all disabilities, not just within the syllabus, makes the classroom environment more accessible. Knowing that the professor is willing to provide support despite not necessarily having DRC documentation creates more of an inclusive space where disabled students will feel more comfortable approaching the professor. This allows more open communication between students and faculty. As someone who receives DRC accommodations and who is physically disabled, this wording assures me that the professor will assist in supporting anything I need disability-related. In my case (and others that I know of), the DRC cannot provide everything. A statement like this tells me that I can bring my concerns to the professor and that they are more than likely willing to work with me on what I need.

Audrey: While accommodation statements do focus on disability it should also signal to students that faculty are open to supporting them, no matter the need, and that there are open lines of communication.

Establishing clear rules and routines is also essential for a successful learning environment. The best way to do this is to be explicit in instructions, avoiding sarcasm and slang, and providing information in writing, following up with other formats. If you make changes to the syllabus or assignment verbally in class, be sure to note these changes in writing. This is particularly helpful for students who use supports like the University Writing Center and tutoring so that all parties have clear directives. Where you are able to, provide examples. This applies to assignments as well lectures. Having an example provides structure and a model for students.

Autumn: Having clear expectations of student roles within the classroom is essential for setting them up for success. It is never fun for a student to guess or be unsure of what the expectations are. For instance, when receiving constructive criticism through Canvas comments, it is essential to provide feedback on what needs improving instead of just saying everything is wrong. For the learning environment, it is important to have direct instruction for assignments while also having a specific plan for what to expect for lectures instead of skipping around. Having explicit instructions and clear expectations sets ground rules for how each lecture and assignment should go, which is beneficial for each student, but especially those who have executive functioning difficulties. 

Audrey: One of the things I have really been focusing on in my classes is offering choices to students. I offer choices differently in all of my classes. Sometimes I come up with different assignments that meet the same objective. I allow students to add suggestions so they can be creative and meaningfully contribute to the course. Sometimes I give a choice of format so students can record an assignment or write it. Sometimes I allow for choice in participation where students can work individually or in pairs/small groups. Sometimes it is the due date that is the choice. When I allow for choice I find that it empowers students to explore according to their interests, time, and other resources and their engagement increases. Not to mention, it makes grading a lot more fun.

Autumn: Having the flexibility to adjust the curriculum to the students' interests is essential in maintaining participation. For example, having the option to record versus writing makes it more accessible for those who have difficulty writing. Offering different assignment choices is fun because each student has their own perspective and it is crucial as a faculty to explore the different perspectives. I appreciate having a relaxed due date as a student because I can focus on the quality of the work more than simply getting it completed on time. Offering choices can benefit many students but also challenges students’ self discipline.

Audrey: That brings up a really good point. While providing choices can be valued by students, it may also overwhelm them. Instructors should be mindful of how many choices they offer and be willing to have discussions with students so they feel comfortable and confident making choices. 

We hope you found our conversation useful and that it inspires you to talk about teaching and learning, and to have this conversation with your students.