#school accommodations

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Guide to Accessibility, Adiustments & Accommodations

General:

Reduce sensory overwhelm in spaces/provide safe and quiet space

Providing clear communication / no ambiguity or vagueness

More time to process questions or information

Choice to:

wear noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds

communicate via other methods (AAC: picture/word cards, sign language) . to use stim objects whenever necessary

to be excused /take a break if needed

Social:

Meeting in safe/comfortable settings

Advanced warnings of cancellations

Understanding if needing to cancel or leave early

No pressure to talk/make eye contact/make physical contact

Clear information on what is going to happen/when/with whom

School:

Private room for exams

Extended deadlines

Extra time in exams

Note-taking assistance

I-2-I Support/private tutoring

Nominated safe person/space

Support with technology/AAC

Breaks when needed

Support moving around school

Not to be picked on in class/signalling system to talk

Accompaniment on trips

Accessible fonts and backgrounds for worksheets/presentations

Exemption from assemblies

Safe space to eat with more time

Work:

Quiet(er)/less overwhelming workspace

Extra breaks

Time to think in interviews

Interview questions ahead of time

Bringing in notes for an interview

Clear schedule/routine, with advanced warning of changes

Mentorship/support

Flexible work times

Ability to work from home if able

Exemptions from group activities or meetings

Comfortable work equipment e.g. chairs/keyboards

Autisticality

Slightly edited the picture to make it easier to see

[void-galaxy-shenanigans]

“Reasonable” Accommodations that may get approved in a workplace (or school)

(this is obviously limited by our specific disabilities and varies job to job, but based on what we’ve asked for and what we’re currently discussing with our work’s HR/disability department)

a) headphones or earbuds with music

(In school we used this for tests. We were sometimes asked to test separately (different room, different time) from other students because of this, but it almost always got approved even pre ADHD diagnosis. At work, this helps us prevent overstimulation and thus work more effectively & safely. There’s more hoops and paperwork for a workplace, but we work in fast food and they’re actually letting us proceed with paperwork and the hoops to jump through so we can do it. We do have to have a “medical provider” sign off on paperwork &/or an official note stating that they know we��re disabled and agree we need the accommodation, but our workplace includes therapists for that. We’ll probably still involve our psychiatrist for backup/support, but they mostly just care that a professional backs us up. At school it didn’t matter what kind, but we’re discussing what kinds of earbuds/headphones are allowed with works disability people because food safety protocol limits which kinds they allow.)

b) texting in instead of calling out sick

(We go mute when we’re honestly sick, either because sore throat happens first or because the stress and overstimulation that come with being sick makes us mute (¿autism? ¿ADHD? ¿sensory processing disorder? it’s something around there). Usually a workplace avoids this because some people might text in sick when they just don’t want to work or have fun plans, so the big thing here is validating that you won’t call in just because and you’re texting because you *can’t* talk when sick. You do want to stress can’t or they’ll demand you to do it anyway. So it’s possible to ask for the ability to text instead (using text capable phone numbers or a messaging app if your work has one), and discuss with management or go through the HR paperwork to have that.)

c) more frequent breaks / more breaks

(This is a big one for physical disability. We usually ask for this because asthma & POTS together can be a nightmare. They usually don’t want to let you sit while doing your job in fast food, but they may be willing to let you take more frequent breaks or more total (a ten minute break every two hours as an example). Usually they stick to the legal minimum, so you may have to do HR paperwork for this &/or have a doctor’s note about why you need this (injury or physical disability).)

d) shorter breaks

(this one can better for ADHD/autism sometimes, or any dissociative disorder. the longer breaks usually get me out of Work Mode™ or give me too long to start dissociating. (I don’t always ask for this but it might work for you.) sometimes this just means breaking your 10min breaks into 5's, or breaking a 30 into two 15's or three 10's. it can also go with more breaks overall. it depends on your needs. this also usually requires a doctor’s note unfortunately.)

e) ability to take an Emergency Break™

(by this I mean an unscheduled break. In this case I’d need it for PTSD or a panic attack— the ability to step away (just nudge a manager or tap a code or have them know that sometimes you’ll have to duck out without communicating at the time) to let ourselves calm down. this could also be for physical disabilities where you may have an unpredictable episode, collapse, or a sudden/unpredictable need to use the bathroom or eat. usually managers get angry if you step away when you aren’t scheduled to do so, especially if there’s a lot of customers (peak period, rush, etc.).)

f) alternate communication methods

(we work in a kitchen environment. there are alerts for hot, cold, knife, blind corners, etc. as well as alerts when something runs out or is about to run out up front. we need to communicate (acknowledge or respond) with coworkers. but we go mute sometimes. so having a method like....three knocks means ‘working on it’, two knocks means ‘I heard you/acknowledged’, and four knocks means ‘I’ll do that now / I’ll start that now’. Or sign language (official language or one you work out between coworkers & managers; I haven’t learned ASL yet so I rely on signs most people will understand, like a hand drawn across my neck and then miming speaking (mouth movement with hand) to say ‘I can’t speak’/I’m mute), or hums/whistling/non word noises, or another method that works for you.)

g) ability to bring/have stuffed animals / comfort items or fidget toys

(this is obviously limited by what job you do. but when in school, we often did this to help us regulate. some jobs may allow this as well, especially with backup from a doctor, therapist, psychiatrist, or mix thereof. they might limit the size or type, but it’s worth investigating, if any fidgets or comfort items will help you concentrate or work easier or more effectively.)

~~~~

This is a starter list, but it may be a good leaping off point or give you ideas for something you may not have considered or thought possible/worth asking for before. If this helps even one person get the accommodations they need, then it’s done its job. ☺💜

¡Please add on if you have any suggestions for your disabilities or any of the ones included here!

~Nico (he/they)

[lesboytistic]

new disabilities dropped

[anonymousdandelion]

A general tip for students who are sending those dreaded Religious Absence Emails to your professors: Rather than asking permission to take the day(s) off, politely let them know that you will be taking the day(s) off.

In other words, consider not saying this:

"May I miss class on [date] so I can observe [holiday]?"

It's not that there's anything wrong with the above, per se. But because it's phrased as a request, it risks coming across as optional — a favor you hope to be granted. Problem is, favors are not owed, and so unfortunately asking permission opens the door for the professor to respond "Thanks for asking. No, you may not. :)"

Instead, try something along the lines of:

"I will need to miss class on [date] because I will be observing [holiday]. I wanted to let you know of this conflict now, and to ask your assistance in making arrangements for making up whatever material I may miss as a result of this absence."

This is pretty formal language (naturally, you can and should tweak it to sound more like your voice). But the important piece is that, while still being respectful, it shifts the focus of the discussion so that the question becomes not "Is it okay for me to observe my religion?", but rather, "How can we best accommodate my observance?"

Because the first question should not be up for debate: freedom of religion is a right, not a favor. And the second question is the subject you need to discuss.

(Ideally, do this after you've looked up your school's policy on religious absences, so you know what you're working within and that religious discrimination is illegal. Just in case your professor forgot.)

[bewithus4u]

What is a 504 Education Plan

Introduction In the realm of education, the 504 Education Plan stands as a crucial resource, ensuring equal opportunities for students with disabilities. This comprehensive guide aims to shed light on the intricacies of the 504 plan, its significance, and how it supports students in their academic journey. What is a 504 Education Plan? A 504 Education Plan is a legal document crafted under…

[fairandfatalasfair]

I've seen a few fics where Charles is dyslexic, and while I'm not wedded to it, I do kind of like that headcanon.

In which case, I do think that Edwin has noticed on some subconscious level that if he describes his books to Charles by shape, colour, and location, rather than just title, that Charles is more likely to hand him the right book.

But I do not think that Edwin is likely to be consciously aware that Charles is dyslexic, or indeed of what dyslexia is, nor do I think Charles knows. I think if you asked Edwin he would say that Charles is brilliant and therefor is refusing to learn to read Aramaic out of pure stubbornness, and if you asked Charles he would say he's just not great with reading and that's what he has Edwin for.

[passions-and-pupils]

just a reminder that if an accessibility aid would help your quality of life, then you can use it.

this goes for everything from wheelchairs and noise cancelling headphones to fidget spinners and acupuncture rings. You don’t need a diagnosis to start accommodating yourself. Especially on the mobility side. Trust me when I say that the only people who want those are people who need them. you aren’t taking resources from others you are using them as intended. you don’t need anyone’s permission to make your own life easier.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Common Accommodations for Kids with Autism Eligibility

Mrs Speechie P

I thought this might be useful to those going back to school. It can apply to teens and adults too.

[gayestcowboy]

one of the reasons i hate generative AI is that i have a chronic injury that makes me unable to write by hand for longer than a few sentences and therefore i need a keyboard in order to write essays for classes, and i’m a bit worried that professors won’t allow me to type essays as a result of potential AI use, even though i have a perfectly valid medical reason to need a keyboard. i’ve seen a few posts online saying that the only way to prevent students from relying on AI is to make them write by hand, and while i understand the sentiment and don’t even necessarily disagree with the general point, the matter of accessibility still needs to be addressed somehow, and it’s just a bit frustrating on a personal level as someone who has had to fight with teachers and professors in order for my needs to be met even before the era of chatgpt

[writing-with-olive]

ADHD task completing tip

okay so growing up i was usually told "do the hard thing first and then you get to do the fun thing." and generally that's reasonable.... if you've got decent executive function. but for those of us who don't, this is a thing i've been using to get through school/work/general human functioning. It's still using hard thing/fun thing, but it interweaves them WAY more

first step: find something that sparks some dopamine quickly. i usually use short-timer online chess or mobile games. if you pick scrolling social media or something that doesn't have a clear endpoint, make sure you have an easy way to set a timer. On apple phones, there's a timer setting that says "stop playing" instead of playing a sound. I love this because it'll take you to your lock screen so you can't accidentally dismiss the timer and keep going. Do NOT make this movement or taking care of bodily functions; eating/hydrating/going to the bathroom/moving around are things you can and should do when your body tells you. take care of ya self

second step: look at your task and break it up TINY. If you have to write a paper, don't break it up by paragraph. break it up into something like fifty words. Cleaning a room: ten items put away. Close reading: 1 page. Really you want something that if your executive functioning was playing nice you could do in 1-4 minutes. I recommend NOT saying "work for x minutes" however, since that's a really quick way to sit there watching the clock. You wanna tie progress to completion not time spent.

third step: estimate how many levels/games/etc of your dopamine source it takes to last 1-5 minutes. Ideally you will already have a sense of this. I'd advise not "testing it out right now" and procrastinating that way.

fourth step: get to work. every time you complete a tiny task, you can do one unit of the dopamine thing. If you get some momentum, you can stack rewards, so if your tiny task was 50 words for one mobile game level, 150 words straight would be three levels. If you are having a really hard time getting going, you can start with 1-3 units of your dopamine thing to kinda jumpstart the process, just decide how many you're doing first so you don't lose hours to it.

note that this ONLY WORKS if you don't ignore your timer/level cutoff. The idea is to get dopamine levels up and use that to power through the next tiny task.

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

Big celebratory shoutout to disabled/mentally/chronically ill school dropouts. You’re brilliant. You’re a hero. Don’t be ashamed. In fact, be proud. Be proud that you were…

…perceptive enough to see the situation for what it was…

…smart enough to know what you needed to do…

…strong enough to defy expectations…

…brave enough to forage your own path…

…and don’t let anyone convince you that their degree makes them smarter than you. or better than you. or more successful than you. or harder working than you. or more deserving than you. All it means is that they had better support systems. better resources. adequate accommodations. All it means is that you both had goals and plans and dreams, but the world let you down while it was seeing them though. All it means is that our society is deeply lacking both systemic and systematic equitability. And that is something to be angry or upset about, absolutely, but not ashamed of.

[helyeahmangocheese]

realtalk about casting: annabeth mattered SO. MUCH. to me as a kid, and that was when I only identified with her as another bright, fiesty, amibitious girl with ADHD (something that manifests differently for us with our gender and how we present in things like our interests, school, etc). and to see her now as an actual adult in architecture school (still with ADHD in an ableist af industry) and realizing that the discrimination she'd face as a woc resembles mine so much more now... that's so powerful and it's such a gift, and I hope kids like me are watching too

[sizzleissues]

I got my portfolio results back

[theatrekidenergy]

Hey, I’m looking for some guidance from some members of the disabled community.

I’m a disabled teen on the younger side, and I’m going to be going into the school year using a cane / forearm crutches for the first time (hooray!) after: 1. Finally being diagnsoed after having had chronic pain for multiple years 2. Finally going to a physical therapist who suggested the idea. I’ve been at this school for the past two years (and where I will continue to be for the next 5 including this year), and I’m just scared. For context, I was never super athletic at school (Never on sports teams and stuff), but a lot of people know I figure skate at a high level which I know will confuse them because dynamic disabilities can be confusing.

I’m scared of how people will act, especially of what teachers will think or say, of how I’ll be treated differently, I’m scared of having to explain to people (especially because I know people will ask “what happened” because I kinda became involuntarily popular for just being someone people could always turn too), but I have been bullied in the past and I don’t doubt it’ll get any better when they see the local trans kid using a cane or crutch.

Do you guys have any tips or advice on how to deal with it? I guess just deal with the staring, or whispers, especially because teenagers can be dicks. Maybe tell me some things to expect to hear from adults and peers. Or just any tips on surviving school as a teen with a mobility aid, or even gaining the courage to use one publicly even when you haven’t before.

Anything is appreciated, tips, advice, your own experiences, everything. Thank you so much for all your time and happy disability pride month. ❤️

[horsegirlhob]

Honestly the worst thing about being raised by and around professors is that I can't really do the whole students bitching about professors thing even when I mostly agree with it, because my whole life I have been hearing the professor's side of the story. Every time someone talks about how ridiculous mandatory attendance or participation is there's a part of me that starts loudly protesting about how actually being in class is really important for learning, and it must be so hugely frustrating for the professor when students just don't show up to your class half the time and then when they do show up they're playing sudoku on their computer.

[ace-of-hugs]

the most annoying thing about being a low support needs autistic person is that you are never an autistic person.

at school, none of the teachers believed that I was autistic. nobody was really willing to accommodate properly for my needs and expected me to do things that were clearly too much for me. in year six, I nearly had my part in the leavers play taken from me because I was unable to access school after having masked every day for the last six years and I had completely burnt out. my teachers were aware of this. we were trying to get an autism diagnosis and they knew that. but to them, I would only ever be a person, like everyone else, so if everyone else can do it, why can’t you.

then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, you have people like my dentist (who I do not like, but that’s a story for later in the post) and the people from the school that I was nearly forced to go to by the local authority (who I dislike even more). both of them went into meeting me with a preconceived notion of me because I’m disabled. my dentist speaks to me like I’m five, explaining everything clearly in a condescending voice that grates on my ears. and it’s not just me, because my dad hears it too. and then when I went to visit the school, I told them that I want to go to university and study psychology and their response was “we’ll have to see if that’s a realistic option” and I was like??? just because I’m disabled, you automatically think that I can’t go to uni??? and I did some tests to see what educational level I was at and the teacher was genuinely surprised when I’d finished quickly. and this is made more annoying by the fact that neither of them are that great at actually accommodating me anyway! they just see “disabled“ and refuse to see past that

outside of my family and my friends I can only think of one person/authority figure in my life who’s ever actually treated me like an autistic person, who has support needs but is also intelligent, who doesn’t understand the questions initially but just needs a bit of a prod in the right direction and will be fine soon. I will be eternally grateful to her for helping me trust again.