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ANNOUNCEMENT:

Disability Access Services is moving to a new accommodation software that will better serve the needs of our students and community. This is exciting news; however, it means that the current system is going offline while the new system comes online. DAS will be unable to accept accommodation requests until July 1. Feel free to reach out to DAS directly with any questions you have: das@cui.edu

Learning how to communicate with your instructors, peers, and support team is an essential piece in advocating for yourself. Sometimes it can be challenging to know what to say, and the conversation prompts and email templates below are meant to help as a starting point. Note: always use your Eagles email, and always review what you’re sending so it reflects your own circumstances.

Requesting a Meeting With the Instructor

Students must notify professors of their intention to use accommodations prior to the actual need since accommodations are not retroactive. Depending on the format of your class, you can email or talk with them in person. Here are some potential email templates to help get you started. 

Email Template to Arrange a Meeting

Dear [insert Professor’s title and last name, Prof. Smith, Dr. Jones],

My accommodation letter recently went out, and I would like to meet with you to talk about how to use my accommodations in your class. Can I stop by during your office hours, or is there a better time to connect?

OR (if you have a class conflict):

My accommodation letter recently went out, and I would like to meet with you to talk about how to use my accommodations in your class. Unfortunately, I have class during your office hours. Is there another time we could meet? I am available [list a few different days/times you are available.]

OR (if the professor’s office is not accessible):

My accommodation letter recently went out, and I would like to meet with you to talk about how to use my accommodations in your class. I plan to stop in to your office hours after class on [insert your day and time]. Unfortunately, your office is not physically accessible to me. Can we find an alternate space to meet?

Email Template For Online Courses

Dear [insert Professor’s title and last name, Prof. Smith, Dr. Jones],

My name is [insert your name here], and I'm in your [insert your class name and number] class. I'm looking forward to being in your class. DAS sent you a notification about me, and I'd like to talk about my accommodations.

As a result of my disability, I experience [insert symptoms, such as: chronic exhaustion, difficulty with concentration, challenges with processing a lot of new information]. This means [insert impact, such as: it will take me a little longer to get through reading material]. I appreciate your patience with me.

[Insert goals for class and request for using accommodations, such as: My goal is to prioritize the discussion board posts during the week, and then work on the papers over the weekend. It's likely I will need to utilize my extended time accommodation for these weekend assignments. Are there any assignments that you feel will be difficult to accommodate with extra time? Also, how would you like me to let you know when I will need the extra time?] I am confident that I can do the work, and with accommodations, I believe I will be successful in this class.

I look forward to hearing from you!

[Insert your name]

First Meeting with the Instructor

Think about your specific accommodations beforehand so that you’re prepared to express your needs. Examples: if you need to use your computer in a class that has a policy against computers, if you need to record the lecture, if you have testing accommodations and need to find out if there are timed exams.

Conversation Starter

“Hi, my name is [insert your full name], and I'm in your [insert your class name and number] class. DAS sent you my accommodation letter, and I’d like to talk about my accommodations.”

Ongoing Communication with the Instructor

Throughout the semester, you may need to connect with your instructor to ask for extra help or clarification. Remember that being pro-active is the best communication plan, and emailing an instructor with questions the night before an exam or assignment will often reflect poorly on you unless you are explaining an emergency.

Email Template to Ask for Clarification

Dear [insert Professor’s title and last name, Prof. Smith, Dr. Jones],

I am having a difficult time understanding and being able to complete the assignment for [insert your class name and number] that is due on [insert date]. Would it be possible to meet with you during your office hours on [insert date] so that I can receive some additional help?

In the meantime, are there other resources you could recommend that might help me understand the material better?

Thanks,

[Insert your name]

Email Template To Ask To Meet

Dear [insert Professor’s title and last name, Prof. Smith, Dr. Jones],

I have reviewed the lecture notes and course reading, but I am still having difficulty understanding the concepts in this class. Can we arrange a time to meet?

Thanks,

[Insert your name]

Disclosing Your Disability (to Faculty, Classmates, Roommates, Academic Advisor)

You are not required to disclose your diagnosis to anyone, but in order to be successful, it may be helpful to talk about how your disability impacts you. Typically, when disclosing a disability it is best to focus not on the condition or diagnosis itself, but how the condition impacts you, and what you need in order to be successful.

Conversation Starter with Academic Advisor

Situation: A student with a learning disability is registering for classes with an advisor who suggests they take a 17-credit load.

  • “It takes me longer than other students to get through reading material. I want to do well this term, so I think we should look at 12-15 credits, and mix-up the classes so that I have some that don’t have a lot of reading.”

Conversation Starter with Roommate

Situation: A student with chronic migraines is talking with their roommate about needing a quiet place to recover

  • “When I have migraines, I’m really sensitive to light and sound. If I’m getting a migraine, what’s the best way for me to let you know that I need to quietly rest for a bit while I recover?”

Conversation Starter with Instructor About Using Testing Accommodations

Situation: A student with dyslexia is meeting with their instructor about using testing accommodations.

  • “It takes me a little longer to read, and so having more time on tests gives me the chance to finish an exam. Do you have timed exams in this class, and should I take them in the DAS Testing Center?”

Conversation Starter with Classmates for Group Project

Situation: A student is talking with classmates about how to work together for a group project.

  • “I communicate better in writing and would like to provide my comments by email.”
  • “I tend to be a perfectionist and might need encouragement to say, ‘Good enough.’”
  • “I have difficulties with public speaking and would prefer to be assigned duties other than spokesperson.”
  • “It might take me a few minutes to respond to your questions. I’ll appreciate your patience!”
  • “I struggle to hear in noisy environments and might need you to repeat some things.”
  • “I can’t follow a conversation if more than one person is speaking at the same time.”
  • “I sometimes have a hard time in group projects unless I have a clear idea of what everyone’s roles are. Let’s figure out what everyone will be doing in this group project and share that info in a Google doc.”

Reporting Alternative Testing Problems to the Proctor

Unless you have made arrangements with your professors, students who have testing accommodations on the Turtle Rock campus will take their exams in the DAS Testing Center, located in the Student Success Center. If environmental or situational circumstances are negatively affecting your exam performance, and IF these circumstances can be influenced by your proctor, students should inform the proctor as soon as possible during the test so that action can be taken. Do not wait until the exam is finished to complain, as that will likely be too late.

Share your concerns with the proctor OUTSIDE of the testing center. You are expected to remain courteous in sharing your complaints.

Conversation Starters

  • “Excuse me, but the student next to me is constantly sniffling.”
  • “My exam seems to be missing a question.”
  • “The people in the hallway are talking real loud, and I can’t concentrate.”

Questions Regarding Grades

It is important to track your grade in your classes. One way to do that is to keep track of the grades on each of your assignments in Canvas or assignments/tests returned to you.

If you receive a low grade on an assignment/exam, you may want to meet with your instruction to over questions you missed to help prepare for future exams.

For essays or papers, check to see where you missed points. If it is not clear, ask the instructor for specific areas where you could improve.

Conversation Starter for missed test questions

  • "I had a concern about my grade on this exam test/assignment/quiz. Can we review the exam test/assignment/quiz together, so that I can have a better understanding of your expectations?"

Conversation Starter requesting improvement

  • "It looks like I missed points on my introduction/conclusion/[insert area of concern] and I would like the opportunity to talk about how I can improve on my next paper/essay."

Conversation Starter for grade questions

  • “I am having trouble figuring out my grade in this class. What’s the best way to find that info?”

Questions for DAS

At times you may need to reach out to DAS to ask about your accommodations or share academic concerns. We understand that students have a variety of communication styles, and we do not want you to avoid reaching out to DAS for fear of not knowing what to say. The most important thing is to reach out, but here are a few conversation starters as possibilities.

Conversation Starter to Change Accommodations

  • “I was wondering if we could talk about adding a new accommodation? I’m struggling with [identify what you are struggling with], and so I’d like to figure out if there’s an accommodation for that.”

Conversation Starter to Talk About Professor Concerns

  • “My professor discouraged me from using this accommodation in class. What next steps should I take?”

You are always welcome to meet with the Director of Disability Access Services, your Academic Advisor, or a Wellness Therapist to talk about additional communication strategies and resources.

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