Who Receives This Accommodation?
Students with disabilities who navigate disability-related experiences that are particularly chronic or episodic in nature - such as concussions, gastrointestinal disorders, lupus and other autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, migraines, cancer, psychological disorders, and significant medical procedures - may be approved for this accommodation. Granting Attendance Flexibility ensures that the student is not unfairly penalized for absences due to their disability so long as the absences do not fundamentally alter the essential elements of the class.
How to Evaluate the Reasonableness of Attendance Flexibility in a Class
The accommodation for Attendance Flexibility should always be considered on an individual class basis, allowing for a diligent and critical analysis of how attendance is essential to the class learning objectives and pedagogical components. While an attendance policy may be already incorporated into the grading scheme and syllabus, and its value is inherent to student success and learning, this accommodation is intended to modify any stated attendance policies allowing some flexibility beyond that limit to account for the student’s disability-related need.
The accommodation should be provided unless the accommodation significantly compromises the integrity of the course as offered. If you believe additional absences beyond the stated policy would fundamentally alter the nature or essential elements of your class, then instructors should consult with a Disability Specialist to determine reasonability.
To evaluate the extent to which attendance is critical to the essential learning objectives of a class, and to make a determination whether Attendance Flexibility can be implemented reasonably, the office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) is available to guide faculty through a discussion of the following points:
- What does the class description and syllabus say about attendance?
- How is the final class grade calculated? Is attendance factored into the final grade?
- Is the attendance policy consistently applied? (i.e.., Have there been any exceptions made to the policy for non-disabled students, such as for athletic travel or religious observances? If so, then these exceptions must also be granted to students with disabilities.)
- Is there significant interaction between the instructor and students, and among students? If so, how much?
- Do student contributions and participation in class constitute a significant component of the learning process? (i.e., discussion, presentations, role play, group work)
- To what degree does a student’s failure to attend class compromise the educational experience of other students in the class?
When is Attendance Flexibility Not Reasonable
In general, if the class is mostly lecture based, the in-class experience focuses on reviewing content available in the text or from instructor/peer notes, and involves little student interaction during class, then more flexibility with excused absences and/or participation points is reasonable.
However, there are various classes in which Attendance Flexibility as an accommodation would not be reasonable. Attendance could be critical to the learning objectives of the class for those that utilize significant in-class participation/interaction as a method of instruction, classes where student learning is created/assessed in the classroom through experiential or conversational means, and classes in which absences would compromise the educational experience of other students in the class. In these situations, less flexibility with excused absences and/or participation points is reasonable.
Considerations to Keep in Mind When Implementing Attendance Flexibility
- Limits are reasonable; provide clear limits to the number of absences allowed and stay away from blanket “come-and-go and submit work as you please” policies.
- Make-up tests or missed work due to absences, when reasonable, will typically have short extension windows.
- The accommodation does not cover non-disability related illness (such as flu) or other non-disability related reasons as to why the student is absent.
- Accommodations are not retroactive; instructors are not obligated to adjust previous penalties for absences if an accommodation letter is provided later in the term.
If you believe the accommodation is not reasonable in light of your class objectives or pedagogical methods, contact the student’s Disability Specialist immediately as instructors should never unilaterally deny an accommodation. Instructors are expected to clearly articulate why flexibility is not reasonable.
- The instructor should engage in dialogue with the student or SSD regarding new attendance expectations: delineate the preferred communication process for when the student needs to notify you of a disability-related absence, any critical dates that cannot be missed, and whether there are any alternatives to missed participation points or quizzes on days in which the student is absent.
It is highly recommended that an accommodated attendance agreement is summarized in writing through email. The email summary helps ensure everyone is operating from the same point of view and that any confusion of the agreement can be clarified. Students and instructors are welcome to include Disability Services on these email exchanges for documentation purposes.
- When a student needs to utilize this accommodation, they are responsible for notifying their instructor in a timely manner. "Timely” is defined as “as soon as possible.” There may be some conditions and/or circumstances in which a student is not able to contact their instructor prior to the class and should contact them within 24 hours. Please note: At no time are students required to present documentation to instructors in order to justify a disability-related absence.
- SSD is always available to mediate any concerns about Attendance Flexibility, including concerns about academic integrity and logistics of this accommodation. SSD remains a neutral party in evaluating what is reasonable as an accommodation and is here to support you.