Disability Access provides students and instructors with written notice of approved accommodations called a Faculty Accommodation Notice (FAN).

FAN Student Checklist

• Read your FAN thoroughly to understand your accommodations and how to use them.
• Meet individually with your professors (during the first week of classes or as early in the semester as possible) to discuss the accommodations you plan to use for the course, and how these will be provided.
• Request a new FAN each semester by emailing your course schedule to disabilityaccess@highlands.edu.

If you have questions or concerns regarding your accommodations, contact your Disability Specialist

Make an appointment to meet with your professors. Find a time during scheduled office hours, or by appointment, to meet privately with your instructor. Email your professor to arrange the meeting as soon as possible.  In general, the time immediately following class is usually not a good time to talk.  This is often when everybody with a question bombards the professor.  Most importantly, the environment does not provide the privacy to ensure confidentiality.  It is better to make an appointment.

Start in your comfort zone. Start by approaching those professors you feel most comfortable around. As you gain confidence, set up appointments with the other professors.

Be prepared.  Bring your accommodation letter to the appointment. Be prepared to educate your instructor about your accommodation needs. Helping them understand how you learn will allow the best possible relationship.

Discuss your accommodations.  Be ready to discuss the approved accommodations you plan to use for the course and how these will be provided.  Making the arrangements clear in the beginning will avoid problems and possible conflicts later.

Understand the effect of your disability.  Focus the discussion on your accommodations, not your disability. You do not need to disclose your diagnosed disability to your professors to receive accommodations, but it is helpful for them to know how it affects you in the classroom.  Do you have trouble concentrating?  Is it hard to follow the professor while taking notes?  Can you see information presented in class?  If professors have this information, they may have a better idea of how to appropriately accommodate your disability.

Be polite.  If you are rude or demanding, both you and the professor may get defensive and the conversation becomes unproductive – it turns into a “battle of wills.”  You can still receive help or accommodations to which you are entitled without demanding them.

Know your rights. Students with documented disabilities are entitled to receive reasonable accommodations, as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Online students may follow these tips using email to communicate with course instructors.