Work Smarter, Not Harder, with Accommodations

Whether because we’re too proud, we think it will make us appear weak or lazy, or we fear repercussions, we often believe it’s better to push ourselves past our limits than to ask for the help we need to be successful. For people with disabilities, that help often comes in the form of accommodations, also known as supports.

Accommodations come in many forms, but they may include:

Additional time to complete tasks or tests
Additional break time for stress management
Alarms and calendars
Modifications to furniture, doorways, or spaces to enable mobility and access
Wheelchairs or canes
Text-to-speech tools
Magnifying tools
Screen readers
Ramps
Glasses
Hearing aids
Medications, such as those for ADHD or pain relief

Accommodations may take the form of devices, software, architectural design, medication, services, and even people. But whatever the accommodation, here’s what’s most important to remember:

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength.

As an example, think about glasses. You may not consider people who wear glasses as “needing accommodations.” But in a study by The Vision Council, most people — 83% — said they need some sort of vision correction. Glasses are, indeed, an important type of accommodation. Some people see better at a distance, while others see better up close. Glasses (and contact lenses) help to address these issues, and you wouldn’t expect a person who typically relies on glasses to try to perform basic tasks without their glasses. And you wouldn’t think of them as “weak” or “lazy” for wearing them. On the contrary, we expect them to wear their glasses so they can perform at their best without delay.

In the same way, closed captioning can help you to better understand what characters are sayingon television, and anyone who has broken a legknows that crutches are essential in getting from place to place safely. No one would question the value of these accommodations in completing tasks successfully.

But for those with physical or intellectual disabilities, there is, unfortunately, a fear of asking for accommodations and being seen as inferior to their peers. That’s likely why about two-thirds of workers with disabilities withhold their requests for accommodations — even when their employers specifically invite them to do so.

Remember that any accommodation that can help you to perform at your best and be successful at completing tasks is essential. It’s a way to work smarter, not harder!

Part of disclosing your disability is understanding both your strengths and your challenges, and knowing how supports can help you to overcome those challenges in order to be successful. When you’re an adult and living independently, you will be the person in charge of asking for the accommodations you need, whether at school, at work, in public spaces, or even at home. So let’s take a look at how to start asking for what you need.

How to Ask for Accommodations

Once you accept that you need accommodations, you still have to ask for them, and it isn’t always easy. Everyone’s situation is different, but here are some tips to get you started.

Step 1: Know Your Rights

Firstly, you should have the confidence of knowing that federal laws support your right to get the accommodations you need.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to make a free, appropriate public education available to all eligible children with disabilities in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their needs. Under this law, a student’s IEP must include a statement about the appropriate accommodations necessary to measure the child’s academic achievement and functional performance. And each public agency identified in the IEP must ensure that assistive technology devices or technology services, or both, are made available to children in K-12 schools.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability and guarantees “reasonable accommodations” for students in public schools (including colleges that receive federal funding).

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.

Bottom line: You have the right to receive accommodations at school, in public or commercial buildings, at work, on public transportation, and even when using the phone. But using these rights requires that you disclose that you have a disability (although you don’t have to state your specific diagnosis unless you want to). So that’s the first step in asking for accommodations.

Step 2: Know Which Accommodation You Need

Everyone’s experience with disability is unique, and accommodations aren’t one-size-fits-all. The best way to be sure you get the best support for your needs is to speak to your health care provider, therapist, or educational psychologist about how your disability affects your performance of certain tasks.

The provider should document this for you in your medical records, which you may need to show in certain circumstances.

You may already know what accommodations will work best for you because you know best what barriers your disability presents. But in some cases, you may not know what’s available. That’s where step 3 comes in.

Step 3: Prepare a Script

It’s good to prepare a script to present to an employer or teacher that covers these basics:

“I have a disability (with or without the diagnosis name) that affects _________.”
“Because of my disability, I sometimes have a hard time with _______.”
“_________ is an accommodation that helps me to perform at my best. Can you help me receive this accommodation?”

If you aren’t sure exactly what accommodation(s) you need, create a script that addresses the challenges created by your disability and how it affects your ability to perform specific tasks. Then you can ask what the other person would suggest as an accommodation to help.

Prepare your script ahead of time, practice it on your own until you’re comfortable, and then request a private, one-on-one discussion with your teacher, manager, trainer, school counselor, disability resource center, or other professional. It’s best to do this at a time when neither of you is rushed and you can speak privately, without interruption.

Step 4: Begin the Conversation

Sometimes, a good, honest conversation with someone in charge whom you can trust is enough to get the ball rolling. If you find you’re encountering challenges with specific tasks as a result of your disability, you can brainstorm together to find a solution — even if you aren’t sure what specific accommodations are available or would best help.

For example, if your disability affects your memory and it’s causing problems at work, perhaps you can arrange for the reasonable accommodation of receiving a written checklist of tasks for the day. If you have applied for a job and are invited to an interview, it’s reasonable to ask that it take place on the first floor to accommodate your wheelchair or a sign-language interpreter if you are deaf. Or if low vision is affecting your ability to read documents on a computer, maybe your employer can provide you with large-print materials, a screen magnifier, or text-to-speech software.

Step 4: Formalize Your Plan

At work or at school, it’s best to document your conversation to spell out what accommodations will be provided and by when. There may be several. For example, you might decide that, to best address the challenges presented by your disability in a college classroom, you will receive extra time on assignments or exams, seating at the front of the class, and permission to record lectures. Or at work, there may be a combination of screen readers, magnifying tools, and large-print documents.

Whatever your plan, it’s a good idea to document it in case there are any concerns with future teachers, counselors, employers, etc. This way, if you’re ever refused accommodations due to it being deemed “unreasonable,” you have documentation about what you discussed, in case you plan to escalate the request to human resources, student services, or a legal professional.

Step 5: Keep the Communication Going

Your needs may change over time, and that’s totally normal! Be sure to stay in communication with the teacher, disability resource specialist, or employer about how the accommodations are working for you, if they’re meeting your needs for evolving responsibilities, or whether there might be a better solution. Be as clear, direct, and specific as possible about what works and what isn’t. Continue documenting the situation so that you can keep track of important dates, actions taken, and adjustments made.

And know that it’s okay to say, “I need a break right now” or “Can we discuss this after work/class?”

What If You’re Refused Accommodations?

Your Center for Independent Living is a great place to start. Contact one of your CIL representatives about the issue; they can refer you to legal services that advocate for people with disabilities and are trained in this subject area.

Any refusal to provide accommodations may be cleared up with additional documentation from a medical provider, counselor, or other professional. Ask questions about why, exactly, your request was refused and what specific measures must be taken to clear it up.

One Final Thought

Remember that securing your accommodations is not about getting an unfair advantage over others. It’s about ensuring that you’re on a level playing field with other students, coworkers, and the general public. Accommodations simply help remove barriers to achieving success, and you have every right to ask for them!

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