If you’re a student with a disability, you probably have some familiarity with how accessibility issues work. Your elementary school or high school likely identified your disability early on and took steps to make sure you got the resources and materials you needed to succeed academically.
You may never have seen “behind the curtain,” though, to what goes on behind the scenes and how schools actually handle disability issues. The thing is, now that you’re going to college, you’re expected to take more responsibility for yourself in all kinds of ways. That includes speaking up about your disability and making sure your needs are met.
Federal laws, like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, prohibit unfair discrimination and harassment against persons with disabilities, and they place important responsibilities on schools to create a level playing field for all students. Washington State doesn’t have to identify you, though, or provide you with an IEP. WSU will typically help you in any way it can, but only if you ask for that help.
Asking for help can sometimes be uncomfortable. Worse, you can sometimes run into people who make speaking up more uncomfortable. You’re not alone, though. The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team was founded to help college students deal with the complicated bureaucracy that is the hallmark of university life. We’re always ready to step in and help. We can help you find your voice. We can also stand up and protect you any time you feel you’re being mistreated.
We’re on your side and ready to help no matter what the situation. What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 today to find out, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
The Key to Access
To its credit, WSU does try to make it as easy as possible for you to self-identify as a student with a disability. The university maintains a Disabled Student Center to address your needs. The Center connects students with community resources and generally serves as an advocate for you across campus. It is also responsible for coordinating all accommodations.
Again, though, no one is going to come looking for you. If you want access to resources and materials, you have to register with the Center.
- First, you need to fill out an online application for accommodations. You want to start the process as early as you can—as soon as you’re accepted at WSU—since it can take some time to complete.
- In addition to the application, you’ll need to submit documentation supporting your diagnosis. The Disabled Student Center offers a template to help guide you through this part of the process.
- A Student Accommodations Specialist reviews your materials and then schedules an appointment to meet with you.
- At this meeting, you and the Specialist work out an accommodations plan to meet your specific needs.
- The Center then issues letters of accommodation for all of your instructors.
- In future semesters, you return to the Center’s portal and request new letters for your new courses.
Things might go smoothly with this process, but keep in mind that you’re dealing with a university. Things can and do go wrong at WSU all the time. The LLF National Law Firm has been at this a while, though, and we know what to expect. We can help you organize materials and fill out your application, minimizing the possibility that you’ll make a mistake. And if something should go wrong? We’re always here to advocate on your behalf.
Invisible Disabilities
Not every disability is readily apparent to others. In fact, the majority of disabilities are “invisible.” Conditions like ADHD and autism spectrum disorder can create their own problems.
You will occasionally run across students and even instructors who refuse to accept your disability simply because they cannot “see” it. More commonly, people around you will simply forget about your diagnosis. There are times when it’s better to blend in and avoid the spotlight. But if an instructor forgets about your dyslexia, they may also forget to provide you with special testing conditions.
Of course, the Disabled Student Center is set up to handle these kinds of problems. The Center can get busy as well, though, and it sometimes runs into professors who are especially cranky when it comes to disabilities. The LLF National Law Firm is always ready to step in and remind faculty—gently or otherwise—of their responsibilities under the law.
It also sometimes happens that a disability can be invisible even to the person who has it. If you or someone you know struggles to keep your GPA up despite your best efforts, it could be that a disability is the root cause. The LLF National Law Firm can make sure you get an accurate diagnosis, and we can work with you to go through the accommodations process at WSU. In fact, you might even be eligible to drop low grades from your transcript if you took courses before you realized you needed accommodations.
Speaking Up More Forcefully
As we’ve tried to suggest, while we’re always willing to help you get the resources you need, most conflicts over disability can be handled through simple conversation. Most faculty and administrators are willing to help in whatever way they can.
What do you do when talking doesn’t work, though? WSU offers several formal means of getting the treatment you deserve.
- All students have the right to file a grade appeal at any time they think they’re being graded unfairly. The appeal process begins after the semester is over, and you’ll need to have copies of all your work to give reviewers a sense of your capabilities.
- Harassment and discrimination are illegal under federal law. They’re also contrary to WSU’s Standards of Conduct. Any time you’re facing unkind treatment from other students or a student organization, you should file a complaint with the Office of Student Affairs immediately.
- The Disabled Student Center offers its own complaint process. If you feel like an Accommodations Specialist is treating you unfairly or that the Center is denying you an accommodation you genuinely need, you can submit a formal grievance to the Director of Student Accommodations and Disability Resources.
- Finally, any time you feel it is the university that is mistreating you, you always have the right to contact the WSU Compliance and Civil Rights office. This office is responsible for making sure the university follows the law, and it can put you in touch with government agencies if that becomes necessary.
None of these resolutions is simple, but they can help you get the resources, materials, and fair treatment you deserve. And again, you don’t have to go through them alone. The LLF National Law Firm can help you decide which approach is best for your situation. We can work with you to gather evidence, and we can even coach you in how to talk with university officials. We’re always on your side, no matter what.
Issues With Disciplinary Misconduct
You know this already: access issues don’t just affect you in the classroom. Disciplinary misconduct allegations are always complicated, no matter who you are, but like so much else about your university experience, they can present special challenges for you.
- Students with disabilities actually sometimes find themselves the target of unfounded disciplinary misconduct accusations. If someone doesn’t take the time to understand the nature of your disability, they may decide that symptoms of that disability are misconduct violations. ADHD can masquerade as a classroom distraction. Tourette’s can mask as deliberate disruption.
- Unfortunately, students with disabilities are also sometimes mistreated by other students and student organizations. When you face harassment, you may be tempted to respond in kind. Even if you handle the situation appropriately, though, you cannot count on school officials to get things right. You could wind up charged along with everyone else.
- Let’s face it, though—you may actually have made a mistake, broken some rule, or violated some policy. The disciplinary misconduct system isn’t always set up to accommodate your disability. Beyond that, though, everyone deserves a fair defense. Everyone deserves fair and reasonable sanctions.
When you’re accused of misconduct, you’ll quickly find that the university has become your adversary. If that happens, make sure you have someone who is legitimately on your side. The LLF National Law Firm’s only interest is in ensuring you the best possible resolution to your case. You can count on us to use every resource at our disposal to get you that resolution.
How Can We Help?
It’s hard enough for any student to get fair treatment from a school like Washington State University. Large institutions can be a tangle of bureaucratic rules and regulations. When you’re a student with a disability, it can be challenging to convince faculty and administrators to honor your rights. Even just ensuring your professors treat your disability confidentially can be difficult.
You don’t have to deal with this bureaucracy alone, though. Whatever disability issue you might be dealing with at WSU, the LLF National Law Firm’s Education Law Team is here to help. We know what to expect from colleges and universities, and we’re always on your side, whatever the situation. You can count on us to use every resource at our disposal to ensure you the best possible outcome.
It’s unfortunate, but sometimes, you have to fight for your educational rights. You don’t have to do that alone, though. To find out more about how we can help, contact the LLF National Law Firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.