This page covers accommodation meetings with instructors from start to finish. If you are uncomfortable talking about your accommodations with your instructors at any point, please reach out to your Access Coordinator!
Who initiates the communication?
You are initiating communication by activating course accommodations, which generates a Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) or other eligibility letter. If you don’t hear from your instructor after they have received this letter, we recommend that you reach out to them. You can send a brief email introducing yourself and asking if they would like to meet to discuss how accommodations will be implemented or if they would prefer to email you that information.
Preparing for a meeting
If you and your instructor plan to meet, take some time to look over your accommodations beforehand. Visualize using each accommodation in each class. Ask yourself “how?” “where?” and “when?” to figure out what information you need to gather from your instructors and what information you want to share with them. Jot down a few notes. Make sure to write down any needs or ideas you have.
Do not rely on your instructors to know what will work for you. If you’re unsure if it would be useful to talk about something, it’s safer to err on the side of bringing it up. Take this list to your meeting. We find students have a hard time preparing for these meetings when they are not sure how they can be beneficial. If you’re feeling unclear, review our information on the purpose of meeting with instructors.
Get into a collaborative mindset
The way you approach a conversation can make a big difference in the outcome. The same communication skills that are useful in other contexts can be used when you talk with professors. Take time to think about how you want to talk about your accommodations.
Effective vs. ineffective approaches to communication
More collaborative communication
- Show your enthusiasm for the course
- Let the instructor know what you need in a friendly way
- Check in to see if they have preferences or concerns
- Ask questions until you have the information you need
Keep in mind that you don’t need to have all the answers ahead of time.
Less collaborative communication
- Starting off with demands
“You have to let me take my exams at DRS!”
- Assuming it’s not important
“It’s not that big of a deal so I just won’t mention it.”
Participating in a meeting
The main focus of your accommodations meeting is to clarify how your accommodations will be implemented. Remember, how you approach your meetings can make a big difference. When possible, take a collaborative stance.
Gather information about how your accommodations will be implemented
Begin by asking your instructor for their thoughts about implementing your accommodations. You’ll want to focus on the when, where, and how of your accommodations. Start with a simple, polite inquiry focused on logistics. The word “would” is often a good word to use in question format during this stage of the process.
Example: If your accommodation is time and a half on tests, you can start by saying “I have an accommodation to receive extra time on tests. Where would you like me to take the test so I can receive that extra time?”
Offer input
If your instructor’s initial plan for implementing your accommodation works for you, confirm it with the instructor and move on. However, if you have a concern that all your accommodations cannot be implemented effectively in the way that the instructor has suggested, you may want to offer some input.
Example: Your instructor may say that they would like you to come to their office to implement your extra time on tests. However, maybe you also have the accommodation of reduced distraction, and you believe it would be distracting to complete an exam in your instructor’s office. Or perhaps you have a speech-to-text accommodation and you’re concerned about how it would work to dictate the exam with your instructor there in the same room.
You can share your concerns with your instructor. You can also suggest alternatives if you know about them.
Example: You could ask your instructor if it is possible to take the test at the DRS testing center.
The instructor may be fine with this option, at which point you can move on to the next accommodation on your list. However, if your instructor has concerns about your request, you may choose to go through another round of input.
Example: Your instructor may say that they do not want you to take the exam in the DRS testing center because they want to be available for you to ask questions during it. You could ask if there would be a way that DRS could contact them if you had questions during the exam. Or you could ask if they would be able to arrange for an empty room next to their office to take the exam so you would have a quiet, private space but could still come talk to them.
Of course, you may not be aware of all of the options for implementing accommodations. Reach out to your Access Coordinator at DRS at any point for assistance.
Create a plan for addressing unresolved questions or concerns
It’s helpful to create a plan for addressing any unresolved concerns or questions. Sometimes the plan is as simple as following up with one another after an option is investigated.
Example: Your instructor may need to look into room availability in their department before a decision can be made about where you will take your test.
Other times you and your instructor may need help problem-solving or resolving differences in how you would like to approach an accommodation. If you find that your instructor does not seem to understand your needs or if you are unable to negotiate an outcome that works for you, please reach out to your Access Coordinator at DRS as soon as possible. You are not alone. We are here to help! We will meet with you to discuss your concerns and to figure out next steps. Your instructors can contact us for help too!
Do I need to explain my disability?
In most cases, you do not need to share your diagnosis to figure out how to implement your accommodations. You’ve already gone through the process of disclosing your disability with the DRS office. What’s left is to clarify how those accommodations will be implemented in each one of your courses and that’s what you’ll be talking about with your instructors in this meeting. We have some additional tips for how to talk about your needs without disclosing your diagnosis.