Tips for Communicating with Faculty about your Accommodations

An important step in getting your accommodations in place is meeting with your instructors to discuss your needs. The tips below will help you prepare for this meeting.

Before meeting with your instructor

Schedule an appointment with the instructor after you have sent them your Letter of Accommodation (LOA). Do this as early as you can in each quarter, ideally during the first week of classes.

• Think about how you want to meet – can you stop by their office hours or would you rather make a pre-arranged appointment?
• Plan in advance how you would like to talk about your needs and accommodations? What accommodations, supports, or teaching techniques have helped you in the past?
• Talk about your strengths and what you are most looking forward to in their class or at Highline in general?
• Write down any questions you want to ask them in advance.
• Adopt the attitude that your instructors want to help you succeed!

During the meeting

Do’s

• Show up on time.
• Be friendly and courteous.
• Be assertive about your needs and assume you are working together to plan for your accommodations.

Don’ts

• You do not have to share information about your disability
• If you choose to share about your disability, that is okay too. It is your choice.

After the meeting

Communicate

Continue to communicate with your instructors throughout the quarter. Frequent communication between instructor and student helps the accommodations work well.

• Ask questions to clarify statements from your instructor. Repeat what you heard to make sure you understand.
• Send emails that contain language you would feel comfortable saying in person. Do not send emails in ALL CAPS.
• Remind your instructor about your agreed-upon arrangement for testing a minimum of 3 days before the exam

Class Work

Remember the basics. Be dependable. Attend all classes, arrive on time, and complete work by the due dates.

Troubleshooting

If it appears your instructor has questions about your accommodations or the process, contact Access Services for an appointment. You may also suggest the instructor contact us directly for clarification.

If you are unsure what to say in a meeting with your instructor, use the following script as a guideline:

Sample Script

Introduction

Hi Professor _______. My name is __________ and I am in your ___________ class. Thank you for meeting with me today.

Letter of Accommodation

I would like to review my letter of accommodation with you and discuss how the accommodations will work in your class. Did you receive the letter from me in your email inbox?”

Feel free to bring a printed copy of your Letter of Accommodation just in case.

I feel I am strong in ___________________ (fill in one or two academic skills or abilities that come easy for you) and an area I need more support is ____________________. The accommodations I would like to discuss with you today are:

(describe the accommodation)

(describe the accommodation)

Can you share with me how you have put accommodations like these in place before?

How do you prefer I remind you of my accommodations prior to tests? Do you prefer an email, phone call, or talking to you after class?

Can you offer some suggestions about how to best succeed in your class?

Closing

Thank you for meeting with me today to talk about my needs. I am looking forward to working with you this quarter.