Tuesday, November 17, 2026
2:00 – 3:30 pm ET

Navigate Academic Accommodation Requests with Clarity, Consistency & Legal Confidence

Colleges and universities are navigating a growing number of academic accommodation requests, and faculty are often the first people students turn to for answers. Yet many instructors have never received practical training in their legal responsibilities, where their role begins and ends, or how to work effectively with disability services. Without clear guidance, even well-intentioned decisions can lead to inconsistent practices, student frustration, faculty stress, formal complaints, and increased institutional risk.

Gather your faculty and accommodation coordinators on November 17, 2026, for practical, legally grounded guidance from an expert presenter who is both an attorney and professor. This session will move beyond policies and legal theory to help you confidently navigate the real-world situations you encounter every day, from responding to accommodation requests to determining what you can ask, what you should document, and when to involve disability services.

Give your faculty the knowledge and confidence to handle accommodation requests consistently, appropriately, and with less guesswork while reducing risk and better supporting student success.

Topics Covered

Leave the webinar prepared with strategies to confidently:

• Recognize your legal obligations under Section 504 and the ADA and understand exactly what they mean for classroom accommodations.
• Differentiate reasonable accommodations from fundamental alterations, ensuring academic standards remain intact while meeting student needs.
• Apply a clear decision making framework to evaluate accommodation requests confidently and consistently across courses and departments.
• Communicate with students more effectively, using language that is professional, supportive, and aligned with institutional policy.
• Identify common faculty missteps that increase institutional risk—and learn how to avoid them.
• Collaborate more strategically between academic affairs and disability support services, knowing when to consult, when to defer, and how to document decisions appropriately.
• Reduce conflict and confusion by setting transparent expectations that help students feel understood, supported and respected throughout the accommodation process.
  

Presenter

Daiquiri Steele, J.D., Ph.D. serves as an Assistant Professor of Law at The University of Alabama School of Law. She teaches Employment Discrimination, Employment Law, Labor Law, Education Law, Torts, Civil Rights, and Legislation & Regulation.
Click here for full bio.