The Impact of Disability module clarified that functional limitations matter more than diagnostic labels when determining appropriate accommodations. Two students with the same diagnosis can have vastly different needs depending on their experiences, skills, and resources. The blind student case study illustrated this powerfully — John and Sally are both blind, but Sally is better prepared for independent college work because of her training and assistive technology.
The most prevalent disabilities on college campuses today are learning disabilities and ADHD, both invisible disabilities that account for over half of disability accommodations in higher education. The reframe for LD/ADHD was instructive: rather than asking "what can other students do that this student cannot," the question becomes "what do other students do unconsciously that is functionally limited for this student?"
The discussion of psychological disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, traumatic brain injury, and disabled veterans expanded my awareness of the diverse populations institutions serve. Each requires individualized consideration grounded in actual functional limitations rather than stereotypes.
In my context at an Early College Center, this principle reinforces partnership with CVCC's Disability Services rather than independent judgments based on diagnoses alone.
