Flexibility Requests
When students experience chronic health conditions, there can be unexpected flare ups that impact participation, attendance, or alignment with timelines. There are emerging models in which flexible deadlines are provided to all students as part of the course design, but at a minimum, instructors need to consider these requests on an individualized basis.?Accessible Ed and Disability Resources facilitates this process to ensure the request does not pose a fundamental alteration or lower standards.
Students should not be asked to provide doctor’s notes or other specific documentation to instructors.?
Specific Eligibilities
Flexibility with Deadlines
There may be disability-related impacts on the ability of the student to meet course deadlines. This does not waive requirements for work to be completed by the scheduled end of the course.
Flexibility with Attendance
This student experiences disability that has the potential to impact attendance. This does not waive requirements for participation.
Flexibility with Group Work
This student may request alternatives to group assignments. Accessible Ed & Disability Resources has advised the student that this request may not be reasonable in situations where the group work is vital to satisfying essential learning outcomes.
PCC Process
We offer collaboration and engagement through an interactive process. When students are eligible for consideration for flexibility there is an e-form that needs to be signed before requesting accommodations. ?Please reach out to Accessible Ed & Disability Resources with any questions about rights and responsibilities. The language for this e-form students sign can be reviewed in advance.
When requests for consideration of adjustments to course-specific policies are included on faculty notification letters, Accessible Ed & Disability Resources provides brief questionnaires called Flex Plans to assist. These forms document ways flexibility can be put in place on a course by course basis without fundamentally altering or lowering standards.
Beginning in the Summer 2025 term, faculty will initiate one form for each class they teach. If the form is not completed by week 3 of the term, the default entries will be put in place automatically.?The questions (with the default entries) can be previewed in advance. Once a form has been completed, it is available to both the student and instructor through the Accommodation System. Exceptions to the class flex plan can be put in place as needed.
AEDR is available to assist at any point in the process.
Handouts
We are making updates for Summer 2025. Please review the new handouts and slide decks as soon as they are posted.
Applying the Interactive Process
Requests for flexibility require an interactive process. AEDR is available to work with faculty and students to determine how these types of adjustments can be put in place. The questions below are the type of questions that we will want to talk through with faculty.
- Is there regular classroom interaction between the instructor and students and among the students themselves?
- Do student contributions in class constitute a significant component of the learning process?
- Does the fundamental nature of the course rely upon student participation as an essential method of learning?
- To what degree does a student’s failure to attend class constitute a significant loss of the educational experience of other students in the class?
- What does the course description and syllabus say regarding attendance?
- What is the method by which the final course grade is calculated?