It was interesting to know that "emotional support animals" are not included into the category of "service animals". Also, I would challenge the statement regarding the excess of accommodations to one student with disability and the right of the institution to refuse access to another with an identical case.
This is a topic that will continue to evolve. In my role it will important to develop annual trainings to help all departments understand and remain compliant and confident when handling questions regarding accommodation.
Dissabilties vary and so do acomodations for them we need to be aware and responsive
Comment on Va Yang's post: Va, I felt the same way. I was glad they clarified the point about a service animal versus an emotional support animal. I do teach students with Asperger's and have learned a meltdown may just need a "calming" down room, but I can just see my students showing up in class with support animals...
I find it fascinating that these ADA and 504 plan were put into effect way before the Internet and online learning became so accessible. I had a sister, that lived her adult years in a motorized wheelchair, and put herself through college. She had to fight for wheelchair access for her classrooms. This all makes much sense. My challenge is I am a SpEd teacher for high school and now a part time employee of a college. My tendency is to give my college students with disabilities all those accommodations I am allowed for high schoolers, but not so in college. I am learning.
I've learned that in the USA there are laws that govern equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities.
Learning about the differences between the laws and the history behind them has been very helpful
I learned and gained a better understanding of ADA and what it entails.
It is bias that students with disabilities be viewed as less than other students with out disability, the student must provide notification and documentation of such disability and provide ways of accommodating such disability.
I understand that a student with a disability should not be denied the opportunity to achieve his or her dreams
I have learned about the progression of the American with Disabilities ACT as well as the appropriate accommodations for those with disabilities.
Accommodations are needed to ensure equal access to education for all members of an educational community. However, these accommodations are not to become a hinderance for the institution, or its members. Therefore the accommodations may not protect an individual from their actions. They are not a free pass to chaos, rather a door to the same platform given to the rest of the educational community, disabled or not.
Interesting to learn about the laws governing service animals vs emotional support.
I have been in Higher Education for about 15 years and have had students with accommodations. I think what stood out to me in this first module is that it is not necessarly a right of the disabled person to have an accommodation. I think we get hung up on request of students sometimes and that we have to grant it even if they have equal access to something. There seems to be an uptick on the amount of students requesting "quiet" space for testing and getting their PCP to write a note. To the point that having enough space for "individual room" testing has become a burden on the institution. I would like to see more training on the medical practitioner side regarding who and what criteria must be met to write such a note for a student. At times, it seems like they are provided just because they are asked for and not because of a true disability.
There is a difference between a service animal and an emotional support animal.
I learned specifically what is covered under the law 504
I learned about the federal laws that protect those with disabilities against discrimination. The purpose of providing accommodations is to give all students an equal opportunity. Students must have medical documentation of their disability and be willing to share that information with the institution to receive reasonable accommodations.
It is imperative that the student also understands their responsibility in acknowledging, as soon as practical, that they have a disability for which reasonable accommodation is required. It is not the responsibility of the institution to seek out the information, but rather that of the student to provide it.
It is also important to remember that there is to be equal access, and this equal access isn't designed to be special, or more than what the typical student is afforded. In other words, as was described in the educational content, the accommodation levels the playing field. It is not designed to give one group of people an unfair advantage over another group.
As educators, it is important to recognize that we seek understanding of all the potential disabilities that might require accommodation. This is especially true of those disabilities that might not be visible in an obvious way.
Ii believe that everyone should be provided an equal opportunity to succeed in life regardless of having a physical or mental disability. Hence. The Section 504 and ADA alleviates many types of perceived disadvantages by offering a somewhat level playing field which fortunately can be further developed as technology advances and society/cultural changes are more readily accepted as the norm.
To give all people the same access to the learning material regardless of their disability.
