College Student with a Disability:
A Faculty Handbook

There are many other conditions, such as cardiac conditions, diabetes, and respiratory disorders that probably will not effect a student’s ability to learn in a college setting.

For some conditions, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Muscular Dystrophy (MD), which are often characterized by fluctuations in the degree to which symptoms effect student activities, a student may not need any accommodation at the beginning of the semester, but may need extensive accommodations a month later.

It is important to recognize that while many disabilities are obvious – the question being one of degree of accommodation and assistance required, – there are other cases in which a faculty member may have no way of knowing that a student has a disability. For example, a student who has epilepsy, whose seizures are currently controlled by medication may not expect to need any accommodation and may not mention his or her condition to the professor. During a remission period, a student with multiple sclerosis may not feel the need to mention anything.

DSPS recommends making the following announcement at the first meeting of the class: "Any student who feels that he or she may need an accommodation for any sort of disability, please make an appointment to see me during office hours.  You may also call or visit the DSPS office on campus." This approach preserves the student’s privacy and also indicates the willingness of the faculty member to provide assistance.

Certain disabilities do not automatically preclude participation in certain activities or classes. Students, instructors, and counselors must be careful not to lower expectations solely on the basis of disability. Students enrolled in college classes should be held to the same academic standard, regardless of the presence or absence of a disability. Accommodations in the classroom and for exams are used to create an equal opportunity for learning for students with disabilities, not to give them an unfair advantage.

This handbook is not meant to answer all of your questions or address all of your concerns regarding every disability that you might encounter. The student who has the disability is always your best choice for discussing necessary accommodations. In addition, the DSPS office is your campus resource and will work with you as you accommodate students with disabilities.