19 Working with Disability Resources for Students
Working with Disability Resources for Students
UW’s Disability Resources for Students (DRS) unit “is dedicated to ensuring access and inclusion for all students with disabilities on the Seattle campus.” Working with DRS is an important part of teaching in the PWR. The PWR is committed to accessibility, beginning with a recognition that we all have bodies and minds (or bodyminds) whose needs vary and impact how we navigate classrooms and other university (physical or digital) spaces. Beyond making course materials and classroom environments accessible, the PWR aims to value, embrace, and enable different forms of presence. Doing so involves engaging meaningfully and intentionally with DRS accommodation requests and responding actively and in an ongoing manner to students’ disability-related needs.
Receiving an Accommodation Letter
Each term, you may receive an accommodation letter from DRS requesting your compliance with a student’s approved accommodations. The letter will outline the required steps you must take to accommodate a student who has DRS-approved accommodations within the context of your course. When you receive this letter, you should read it carefully and consider how you will meet the accommodations in your course (e.g., if a student needs copies of presented materials, be sure to make all of them available on Canvas, or have a means for giving them directly to the student if you do not want to post on Canvas). You should then reach out to the student welcoming them to the class, letting them know you received their accommodations list from DRS and explaining why/how you think each of them are met by the class, or what you are thinking of doing to meet the accommodation or might expect from the student. We suggest that you offer to meet the student (by inviting them to your office hours or to schedule a meeting if they have a conflict) if they have any questions, and/or to check in on this.
Often, DRS accommodation letters refer to accommodations for test-taking or coursework that might not apply to your composition course (e.g., alternative testing options). Here, rather than simply ignoring accommodations that do not seem to impact your course, you should still, as indicated above, reach out to the student and talk with them about their accommodations and how they will work in your class.
In addition, you could (e.g., in an entrance survey) include a question that invites students to share anything they want you to know about their learning or anything you should know to help them feel more comfortable and successful in the course. In other words, keep the student involved in the process of accommodation and let them know it is ongoing so that they can reach out later with any other accommodation requests—students often don’t know everything about how your course will work for them until after the quarter has begun.
Below we share an example of what you might see included in an accommodation letter:
- Alternative testing (extra time, use of a calculator, reduced distraction environment, etc.)
- Course Participation: Computer for In-Class Assignments
- Presented Material: Audio Recording during Classes, and Copies of PowerPoints and Displayed Materials
Three Step Process
- Communicate with the student
- Implement the accommodations
- Contact the Access Coordinator as needed
Responding to Students Who Informally Request Accommodation
Although you are not required to provide accommodations outside of those listed in the accommodation letters, you may get informal accommodation requests from students. In this case, you have two choices. If you think the request is something everyone in the class would benefit from, you are welcome to implement it as a standard for the entire class. If this is something that is really useful for only one student, or is something the student needs in addition to what is available to the entire class in order to equalize their opportunity for success, a good first step is to provide the student with information on Disability Resources for Students (DRS) so that they may formally ask for accommodations. DRS provides template emails to students who may need a referral on this page. However, not all students want to register with DRS and, in some cases, accommodation processes can require time, money, or access to professional care and/or services. In addition, many students who take PWR courses are first- or second-year students who may still be learning what supports and structures are needed for their learning and success in coursework.
Keep in mind that you have time to think about how to approach discussing accommodations with students, and we recommend prioritizing relationship-building and learning with your students, especially if you have questions or concerns about how to navigate a student request; you don’t need to respond right away and can take time to learn and think before responding. If a student approaches you with an accommodation request that is not already approved by DRS for that student, gather the information you need to understand the student’s concern and circumstances, solicit suggestions from the student about ways that could potentially accommodate the student’s need, and then assure the student that you will follow up with them. You might say “You have raised some really interesting points, I appreciate you bringing them to my attention and working with me to make sure we can both be successful in this class. Let me give this some thought and I will follow up with you within a week.
We support PWR instructors in designing their courses to fit their pedagogy and commitments to antiracist, ethical, and inclusive writing pedagogy, and we encourage attention to Universal Design for Learning (for more, see resources available on the DRS website as well as Teaching@UW’s Accessibility page). But even the most thoughtful, inclusive, and accessibility-forward course may not work for some students, or some students may still request changes or shifts in the course.
Instructors and students should communicate about course goals, learning needs, and workable supports; if you have questions or concerns after talking with students about how to best support them, please connect with a member of the PWR Administrative Team or other mentors committed to inclusivity and access to think through your next best moves. In other cases, you can reach out to ADs or other mentors for ideas on how to respond or refer to the paragraph above.
If You Have Questions About DRS or Providing Accommodations
If you have any questions about implementing accommodations, you should contact the Access Coordinator listed on the accommodation letter or you can always seek guidance from the PWR administrative team, including the director, associate director, assistant directors, and other faculty mentors in the English Department. Moreover, keep the information below easily accessible and reach out to DRS with any concerns or questions.
Resources
DRS Website
Email: uwdres@uw.edu
Phone: (206) 543-8924
Address: 011 Mary Gates Hall, Box 352808