What is a temporary disability?
Temporary disabilities are short-term and have acute as opposed to chronic impacts. Temporary disabilities are those that temporarily impair or influence a student’s ability to fully participate in academic activities. Students may require temporary accommodations due to a short-term disability such as a broken bone or a concussion.
What can students do?
Students who are experiencing a temporary disability can:
- Speak with instructors right away to develop a plan.
- If requested, share from your healthcare provider that indicates estimated recovery time, treatment plan and follow-up appointments you will need to attend. This need not disclose diagnosis.
- Consider barriers in classrooms, labs, studio, or physical education classes.
- Explore a reduced course load and/or discuss incompletes with your instructors.
- Speak with your advisor to plan next steps and learn about the process for withdrawal and leave of absence.
- Contact Housing & Residence Life for on-campus housing modifications.
What can instructors do?
Instructors can take steps to informally accommodate students with short-term disabilities.
- Provide time extensions for exams or assignments.
- Allow students to record lectures if taking notes is difficult.
- Share your notes or presentations, or ask students to serve as peer note takers.
- Contact facilities management for alternate seating or room arrangements.
- Provide lab assistance as needed
When is it important to contact Disability Resources?
If a student experiences a temporary illness or injury that is sufficiently severe and of significant duration, DR will work with the student to identify reasonable accommodations. If the student has sustained a concussion, please reach out to DR immediately to set up academic accommodations. Documentation that indicates the type of disability, severity, limitations, and estimated duration is required. The documentation should be recent and identify the current limitations. Additional documentation may be requested to verify the need for continued services after the estimated duration of the condition has expired.
