ADA Accommodations for Internships & Practicums – On-Demand Training

Address Challenges in Determining Responsibility at U.S. Sites & Abroad 

With an increasing number of eligible students with disabilities on our college and university campuses, it’s important for institutions to remember that the duty to accommodate extends beyond our traditional classrooms and into our practicum and internship settings. Students may face challenges as accommodations that were appropriate and reasonable in the traditional classroom setting may not be reasonable in these special learning environments, as they may change the essential functions of the practicum or internship or may be unfeasible to implement due to administrative burden.

When the internship or practicum takes place outside of the country, institutions must also explore how accommodations may be implemented internationally. Oftentimes, students will need to engage in a second interactive reasonable accommodation process with the practicum or internship site location that will more closely mirror accommodations in the employment setting versus the traditional college student setting.

Our expert presenter examines the challenges of determining who is responsible for the implementation of accommodations in practicum or internship settings and sets a clear road map detailing the roles of all parties involved. She will also help you explore struggles and questions about responsibility when there is a monetary commitment required for the accommodation at the internship or practicum site.

You’ll be better able to develop a plan to assist students with disabilities who wish to explore internships, practicums or study abroad experiences and create a network of key stakeholders who can assist in the building of a comprehensive program for these programs.

Topics Covered

Gain actionable takeaways so you can:

• Understand the interactive reasonable accommodation process for students with disabilities and how to apply it to the practicum and internship experience – know what is and is not reasonable so you can make educated decisions and avoid a lawsuit.
• Create a network of key stakeholders or disability liaisons to assist in the implementation of “out of classroom” accommodations – work together as a team to help ensure students are successful.
• Explain how “employment-based accommodations” are different from “student classroom-based accommodations” – understand what you are and are not required to provide and what to do when there is a monetary commitment required for accommodations at an internship or practicum site.
• Explore accommodations in study abroad and study away programs – sift through the differences so you can adequately prepare students to help themselves to prevent academic failure and personal frustration and increases their academic success.

Presenter

Leigh Davis Fickling' is the Director of the Disability Resource Center at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Click here for full bio.