Accommodations for Students with Autoimmune Disorders: What Are They? And How Do You Get Them?

Students with autoimmune disorders fall under the umbrella of disabilities, and as such are eligible for accommodations from their school’s Student Disability Services Department. Universities are required to have a disability services department by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and students (and employees) are entitled by the ADA to “reasonable accommodations.”

What are reasonable accommodations?

The ADA defines reasonable accommodations, as posted on the ADA National Network website as “Any change to the hiring process, job, the way the job is done or its environment that allows a person with a disability who is qualified to work in the job to perform its essential functions, and enjoy equal opportunity employment.” Reasonable accommodations are not meant to “create an undue hardship or direct threat,” and are also applicable to students to gain an education to begin their career.

Reasonable accommodations for people with autoimmune disorders, for example, might be a copy of the lecture notes for days when their fatigue means that they can be present, but cannot write due to joint pain. Ergonomic chairs or equipment are another thing that could apply here.

From personal experience, my reasonable accommodations as a person with cerebral palsy have included, but are not limited to: printed notes as mentioned above, a school-appointed aide to help carry my books, permission to leave class early to get to my next class on time, and an accessible room in on-campus housing in college to live independently.

How do you access them?

Most universities have a page dedicated to their Disability Services department on their website. Sometimes, students may be required to re-apply for services at the beginning of every semester, especially as classes change, but there is an office on campus for students to visit.

Applying for services is meant to be an easy process, and it is simple to judge what accommodations you need based on your accommodations from High School, which could be expanded upon depending on your needs. An IEP (Individual Education Plan, which is helpful for students in grade school) to reference, as it gives the Student Disability Services offices precedence for the accommodations being asked for.

Students may learn that they need accommodations as they move through the semester. In this case, it is important to tell your instructor. Disability Services protect students’ accommodations — and students are within their rights to make the school aware if their needs are not met. If applicable, this even includes contacting the dean.

It is also worth your while to balance your schedule between virtual and in-person classes. Virtual classes can benefit those with chronic pain issues, but they also give students the freedom of a comfortable, already accessible environment. In-person learning has its own pros and cons, but personally, doing math in your pajamas is the way to go.

Ultimately, applying for disability services at your school may seem daunting, or even slightly exclusionary for people who do not want to be “Other’d” but they are there to help you, and could be the key to success in your college journey.

All students, including you, deserve to have everything they need to thrive in their educational environment.