Access to Success

         I was once a student who didn’t know about my learning and impaired vision disabilities. When my professors gave me reading assignments, it took me several hours to just read one chapter. I knew that due to my unique disabilities that I had to request accommodations to meet the deadlines of papers, tests and quizzes. I met with a professor one day who saw that I was tilting my head while I was reading, and holding the paper within six inches of my face.  This started my journey of getting tested for a visual disability. I found that my reading was as slow as a third grader, I have a mild form of dyslexia, and issues with grammar and spelling.

            I then found that I could get accommodations for my disabilities but I didn’t know where to start. I talked to disability services at my university. The staff provided direction to talk to my professors to let them know my situation, and the accommodations I had requested. What I had not requested accommodations for was my anxiety, so I wasn’t sure how to approach each of my professors. I wasn’t sure how they would respond, what they would say and if they would be understanding or not. I had never received accommodations before and I knew that I could use the extra help if I was going to succeed, and keep up with my classmates. Luckily all my professors were empathetic and accommodating.

            So moving forward this school year, please know that you are an important member of the Access Team. Due to society's stigma, students often feel very vulnerable when approaching professors about their disabilities. On one hand they are anxious about disclosing a disability, and on the other hand students know how impossible it is to keep up without the accommodations they need. In order to do their very best, students undergo this risk. Your empathy and understanding helps remove some of these learning barriers. Thank you for being part of the process. Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” ​ -Written by Shelby Sawyer, Access Center Intern