Invisible Disabilities – On-Demand Training

Understand the Expansive Definition of ADA to Provide Proper Accommodations for Non-Apparent Disabilities

With the rise in the number of people with disabilities on today’s college campuses, it’s easy to understand that those with “visible disabilities” and those who use assistive devices may need potential accommodations while on campus.  However, there are many students with invisible or nonapparent disabilities who may quietly sit in classrooms or reside in residence halls and struggle to request accommodations because they fear that no one will believe them since the disability is hidden.

Because there isn’t an “outward sign” of the disability, students with nonapparent disabilities often feel that professors may not support them as equally as those with visible disabilities, because their condition cannot be seen as they walk into the classroom, activity or event. While the disability may not be able to be “seen” upon first glance, it still needs proper accommodation under the ADA and students that fall into this ever-increasing category need to feel supported by disability offices and other supporting offices on campus.

Our campus legal expert will discuss how to create a culture of accessibility and inclusivity for those with invisible or non-apparent disabilities on our campuses today.

Gather your staff and administrators to learn strategies on language usage for the “disabilities we can’t see” and how to help facilitate accommodations for all students with disabilities. Create a more student-centered approach to the facilitation of accommodations, so you can reduce potential complaints from those who feel that they are not being accommodated properly.

Topics Covered

Gain specific, actionable takeaways to help you:

• Help professionals understand that the expansive definition of disability under the ADA includes a wide variety of conditions that are nonapparent so you can avoid complaints and potential lawsuits. 
• Educate faculty, staff and administrators on the types of comments that are hurtful and potentially discriminatory to someone with an invisible disability. 
• Advocate for individuals who have disabilities that are not readily apparent to faculty, staff and even peers. 
• Create proactive programming and work directly with academic affairs leaders to ensure that the process for seeking accommodations is not burdensome.
• Create a disability liaison program or accessibility champions program in academic service areas or key college stakeholding areas to help facilitate a smooth interactive accommodation process for students with invisible/nonapparent disabilities. 
• Create a mentoring program to assist incoming students with disabilities in feeling more comfortable and accepted at your institution despite their disability or medical condition.

Presenter

Leigh Davis Fickling is the Deputy Coordinator of Title IX and Clery Compliance and an ADA Accommodations Consultant at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Click here for full bio.