My journey at McMaster was not without its challenges. My professors, for the most part, were very understanding and supportive; however, some experiences negotiating accommodations were dehumanizing. In this piece I share several examples of demoralizing experiences.

Accommodations Are a Right, Not a “Consideration”

The accommodation that caused the most issues for me was listed in my accommodation letter as follows: “Consideration for extension on assignments/lab reports in discussion with the professor within a reasonable time prior to the due date.” This line contrasted significantly with a different provision in my letter: “Student allowed 24 hours rest between scheduled start times for tests/exams.”

There was a clear difference between accommodations that were viewed as acceptable and guaranteed versus ones that were up for debate. The word “consideration” gives power to professors to decline an extension and deny accommodations even though I am a part of a protected group under the Human Rights Code. I would have liked to see the word “consideration” removed from my accommodation list. Accommodations are a right, not a “consideration.”

On one occasion, I requested a 2-week extension. The professor said, “I give a 1-week extension to all students with disabilities.” I had never experienced this type of response before, which made me feel uncomfortable and powerless. Thankfully, during this anxiety-provoking interaction, my gut told me to get the professor to write on my accommodation form that they provide “a 1-week extension to all students with disabilities,” and sign the note with their name. I later reported the professor to the Equity and Inclusion Office. I found the resolution inadequate. The Equity and Inclusion Officer met with the professor and explained how their behaviour “creates barriers for students with disabilities.” At that point, I dropped the professor’s class and registered in a different course. Since it was after the drop deadline, I had to visit the Faculty of Social Sciences and explain why I could not remain in the course to ensure I wasn’t charged for dropping the course late. Extensions should be granted on a case-by-case basis. One standard for all disabled students will not support everyone’s needs because each person has different disabilities.

On another occasion, I stopped by a different professor’s office and requested a 1-week extension for an assignment. The professor said, “You’re doing great in my class. You worry too much! I believe you can submit the assignment by the due date.” That was the end of the conversation. The idea of who is given “consideration” for an accommodation and who is not is further complicated by the type of disability. My disabilities are invisible. This professor’s response that “I worry too much” made me feel unseen and invalidated; psychoanalyzing a student during an accommodation meeting is inappropriate. More importantly, this professor was telling me what my capabilities were based on their vantage point; they disregarded my disability and need for accommodation. I didn’t escalate the matter because this happened in the beginning of the term, and I didn’t want to create any problems with the instructor that would impact my grades in the course. While I managed to submit the assignment on time and received an A+, meeting this deadline caused me unnecessary stress and anxiety. The professor left that interaction feeling justified in their unfair assessment.

In the past, when I mentioned my struggles negotiating accommodations to my Student Accessibility Services program coordinator, I was told that I have to advocate for myself. The passive nature of the program coordinator role as it pertains to their involvement with professors is a major problem. According to their job description, the program coordinator is not required to intervene when there is conflict between a student and professor. However, they are required to “use professional judgment to respond to signs of psychological distress.” My program coordinator was aware of the psychological distress I was enduring but kept redirecting responsibility to me to manage my conflicts. I was told that an accommodation request is a “negotiation” between myself and the professor, yet the incident described above proved otherwise. How was I to negotiate against a professor’s belief that I didn’t need an accommodation? Without support, there really is little opportunity for “negotiation” if a professor says no or exhibits prejudice towards students with disabilities. In this situation, I would have appreciated if my program coordinator stepped in to advocate on my behalf. You can only advocate so many times before you become exhausted.

Right to Accommodations AND A+ Grades?

When some professors see you get good grades, such as in the example above (“You’re doing great in my class… I believe you can submit the assignment by the due date.”), they think you don’t need an extension for an assignment. As a result, they may be more likely to reject “considerations for extensions” from a student’s accommodation form. I experienced this when I requested an extension for a second time with this professor and was met with resistance, as if he was questioning the legitimacy of my disabilities. He was always annoyed when I requested an extension. He said that if I had an extension he would have to “submit an incomplete grade” to meet the final grade submission deadline. My perception of this professor is that he felt it was a hassle to submit my grade late. This was not the case with other professors.

When I made this second extension request, things became more complicated. Up until this point I had been in the Teaching Assistant’s grading group, while the other half of the class had their assignments graded by the professor. The professor, in a threatening manner, said “If you need a 2-week extension, your paper will not be marked by the Teaching Assistant. It will be marked by me.” This statement made me worry that his grading would be harsher because of my accommodation advocacy. I had already asked the Teaching Assistant if she would be okay with this extension request because I understood that the end of her contract was approaching. She agreed to my extension request, and to grading my assignment. To avoid the outcome of the professor potentially harshly grading my assignment, I negotiated with the Teaching Assistant to submit my assignment directly to her by email as opposed to the online dropbox where the professor could access it.

Why is a Teaching Assistant more accommodating than the professor who is teaching the course? The Teaching Assistant was the saving grace for me during this course. Overall, I ended the course with an A+; however, this course was the most trying in my time at McMaster, purely because the professor was creating barriers and was combative the entire course. This is just one example of how students with disabilities have to advocate for ourselves when professors are ableist. We must find unique ways to get our needs met, coupled with taking on battles for the sake of principle. I think there is a need for Teaching Assistants in all courses because they can take on a third party role for students with disabilities when you feel that the professor is creating barriers.

My frustration with the types of accommodations provided at McMaster University led me to request one that would fit my needs, but was not commonly used. On Student Accessibility Services’ website there are commonly used accommodations related to written assignments, group work, and tests and exams. For instance, under Tests and Exams, these accommodations are provided:

• Scheduling of extra time for test/exam
• Scheduling of one test/exam per day
• Scheduling a day break between test/exam sittings
• Use of technology (e.g. computer with adaptive software)
• Use of ergonomic equipment (e.g. chairs)
• Individual room
• Small group room
• Sensory adjustments: modified lighting, noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs, listening to music
• Alternate time of day for test/exam sitting
• Use of a reader or scribe
• Accessible format (e.g. text format, Kurzweil, test copy printed on coloured paper).
• These examples of common accommodations are not dictated by a particular disability; individual students may require accommodations not listed here.

My program coordinator offered me some of these commonly used accommodations, which were not all geared to my needs. As I moved further along in my academic journey, I wanted to have more control over my accommodations.

In the past, while attending another university, I received options to complete the course assessments in alternative ways that fit my needs because the multiple-choice test format does not work for me. Therefore, although it was not listed as a commonly used accommodation at McMaster, nor formally noted on my accommodation letter, I spoke to a professor to negotiate an accommodation alternative for a multiple-choice test. I was told, “You will have to complete the written test. If you get a C, we can explore the oral test format.” I received a B-, so this exploration did not occur. The professor approached accommodations with a focus on grades. They seemed to believe that accommodations are solely intended to mitigate barriers or unfair disadvantages to the grades of students with disabilities. The professor did not consider other reasons for accommodations, such as reducing the amount of stress and anxiety taking the test in its original format would cost me. Also, this decision meant I lost the opportunity to potentially get a better grade if I had received what I needed. Students shouldn’t have to prove that something doesn’t work for us to be believed.

Requesting an Accommodation That’s Not On the List

Moving forward, I proceeded to request the accommodation for oral exams be formally added to my accommodation list. This endeavour was a year-long battle with Student Accessibility Services (SAS). My SAS program coordinator told me that someone in the Faculty of Social Sciences Office was in charge of determining what accommodations are available to students in my program. I wonder if the process is different for each faculty. This individual came up with the following wording for a specialized accommodation:

Where in the opinion of the instructor it would be deemed reasonable and appropriate, a take-home test or exam in lieu of a class test/exam may be provided. Where a take-home test/exam or an extension on an assignment is given, the student shall adhere to specific timelines and logistics for submission.

The phrase “where in the opinion of the instructor it would be deemed reasonable and appropriate” is similar to the word “consideration” discussed earlier. Additionally, I had asked for an oral exam, not a take-home one: I experience barriers in writing and working with a transcriber was not an option provided to me, so this new accommodation was useless. Perhaps the Faculty of Social Sciences had decided that professors do not have the capacity for oral assignments or exams, but that is an excuse. An invigilator could have asked the questions and recorded my answers for the professor. Also, I was not consulted when this staff member formulated their revised accommodation. It’s not appropriate for accommodations to be determined without the input of the person using them. What is the purpose of going through the arduous task of gathering medical documentation and having multiple appointments with Student Accessibility Services to secure accommodations if you can’t use them or they’re not useful?

Final Reflections and Recommendations

Four years after graduation, I still feel guilty recalling these experiences because I could have done more to further the cause for students with disabilities by pushing harder for the accommodations I needed. However, navigating the educational system alongside other identity factors is very complicated. To survive, you must pick your battles.

I recommend that accommodation letters use language that does not create a power imbalance between the student and professor. Language like “the student must have” would leave no room for ambiguity. Moreover, accommodations should be carefully crafted to fit each student’s needs, rather than selected from a list determined by a staff member who does not share your disability needs. Accommodations must be tailored to each individual and consultation is key. Lastly, professors who create barriers for students with disabilities must be held accountable. There must be a more rigorous process in place for responding to professors who are in violation of the rights afforded to individuals with disabilities under the Human Rights Code.