Nuanced Accommodations

Nuanced Accommodations 

At times, certain accommodations may not be straightforward and require nuance. OALA does not know all the pedagogical approaches, parameters, and structures of each course at Baylor and, likewise, faculty members are not aware of a student’s medical and academic history, diagnosis, and documentation. Consequently, collaboration and communication between OALA and faculty is critical. Cases with more nuanced accommodations are not always clear, require consultation, and should be handled on a case-by-case basis. Consultation is defined as a collaborative discourse between a faculty member, student, and OALA to assess the reasonableness of an accommodation based on the course structure, the student’s disability, and their specific needs. All these factors are considered in determining how application of an accommodation will occur. Please note that a student can be eligible for an accommodation even if it does not apply to your course or may not be reasonable in each situation. Letters of accommodation notify faculty of what accommodations have been approved by OALA and the student is eligible for but that does not mean they will necessarily be utilized for a course. 

Academic accommodations are not retroactive and are only applied forward once faculty is notified. Each academic accommodation will be balanced with the specific parameters, core components, learning outcomes, and standards of each course. If a faculty member disagrees with OALA regarding the reasonableness of an accommodation, the case will be escalated to the Director of OALA, and, if needed, to the Associate Vice Provost for Student Access. If there is still no resolution, the case will be escalated to the Office of the Provost and the college’s legal counsel who will engage in a fact-finding process and make a final determination.