Designing syllabus accessibility statements
Syllabi often set the stage for the whole course and serve as the first interaction for students with their instructors and courses. Thus, a syllabus accessibility statement is the earliest opportunity for students to understand the instructor’s ethos, expectations, and attitudes toward accessibility.
The syllabus accessibility (accommodation, or disability) statement is a declaration of an instructor’s commitment to providing student accommodations. It communicates their attitude toward issues of access and UDL and their willingness to support diverse learners, and shares resources that might be helpful for students. It also serves as the first opportunity for students with disabilities to contact the instructor to share their needs for accommodation. During the semester, instructors can refer to the statement to foster an inclusive environment and support students requesting accommodations.
In this chapter, you will find evidence-based strategies for developing a syllabus accessibility statement. If you have been using a standard statement borrowed from someone else, consider developing a personal statement relevant to your teaching context so that it is more inclusive and specific. If your college provides you with a standard statement, consider adding an additional paragraph to it. In any case, we encourage you to seek feedback from colleagues or the Center for Teaching as to whether your statement accomplishes your goals and is in alignment with departmental and collegiate policies. This chapter aims to guide your reflection to inform this work.
Here are some important considerations and steps that can help you craft or hone an accessibility statement for your course.
1. Personalize your statement using a welcoming and inclusive tone
Accessibility statements historically use contractual, defensive, or even punitive language that can alienate many students and reinforce power hierarchies in the classroom. However, studies show that students who read a syllabus with a welcoming and warm tone perceive the instructor as more approachable and motivated (Harnish and Bridges, 2011). Adding first- and second-person pronouns and communicating encouragement and value to your students can foster belonging for diverse learners.
Please review this statement:
Usability, Disability, and Design
Your success in this class is important to me. We will all need accommodations because we all learn differently. If there are aspects of this course that prevent you from learning or that form barriers to your inclusion, please let me know as soon as possible. Together we’ll develop strategies that can enable you to succeed in the course. I encourage you to visit Student Accessibility Services to determine how you could improve your learning as well. If you need official accommodations, you have a right to have these met. There is also a range of resources on campus, including the Writing Center, Residential College Tutors, and Academic Strategies. (Yale Poorvu Center)
Pause and reflect:
What do you notice in this statement? How might it affect the classroom climate?
What aspects of this statement would you want to adopt?
How might you adapt this statement to align better with the specific aspects of your course and our institutional context?
2. Be specific in addressing groups and providing examples of disabilities
Make sure you are inclusive of various types of disabilities and accommodations in addition to using general statements like “all students” and “everyone.”
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Please review this statement:
This class seeks ways to become a working and evolving model of inclusion and universal design for all participants. Individuals with disabilities of any kind (including learning disabilities, ADHD, depression, health conditions), who require instructional, curricular, or test accommodations are responsible for making such needs known to the instructor as early as possible. Every possible effort will be made to accommodate students in a timely and confidential manner. Individuals who request accommodations must be registered with the Office of Disability Services (804 University Avenue, Room 309, 3rd floor, 443-4498), which authorizes accommodations for students with disabilities. (Wendy Harbour)
Pause and reflect:
What do you notice in this statement? How might it affect the classroom climate?
What aspects of this statement would you want to adopt?
How might you adapt this statement to align better with the specific aspects of your course and our institutional context?
3. Share concrete UDL-informed teaching strategies
Syllabus accessibility statements often sound contractual and bureaucratic. If the statement’s general ethos of making learning accessible for diverse students and supporting learners with disabilities does not inform course and content design, it might send a mixed message to students. Being transparent about your teaching approach and supporting your commitment by showing how you incorporate concrete techniques based on UDL (e.g., providing digitally accessible materials, creating asynchronous ways to participate, incorporating more flexible assignment deadlines and grace periods) can make your statement more authentic and build trust (Wood and Madden, 2022).
Please review this statement:
We will all need some accommodations in this class because we all learn differently. If you need specific accommodations, let Jay and your section instructor know. We will make an effort to ensure that all students have multiple means of accessing class information, multiple ways to take part in class activities, and multiple avenues for being assessed on class work. You should also seek the accommodations you need through the Waterloo Office for Persons with Disabilities. (Wood and Madden, 2022)
Pause and reflect:
What do you notice in this statement? How might it affect the classroom climate?
What aspects of this statement would you want to adopt?
How might you adapt this statement to align better with the specific aspects of your course and our institutional context?
4. Make your statement an action-oriented communication tool
It is essential to go beyond stating your commitment and focus on concrete actions. Use your syllabus accessibility statement to co-construct a collaborative learning atmosphere in your class and promote self-advocacy for students’ learning needs. You could explicitly encourage them to reach out and share steps for navigating resources and campus services.
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Please review this statement:
In the spirit of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), I will strive to provide an environment that is equitable and conducive to achievement and learning for all students. I ask that we all be respectful of diverse opinions and of all class members, regardless of personal attribute. I encourage persons with disabilities or particular needs that impact on performance to meet with me to co-design accommodations, if necessary, beyond those listed under UDL. I ask that we all use inclusive language in written and oral work. Students with disabilities may also want to register with the Office of Disability Resources, located at 19 Campus Ave. Bld. (Wood and Madden, 2022)
Pause and reflect:
What do you notice in this statement? How might it affect the classroom climate?
What aspects of this statement would you want to adopt?
How might you adapt this statement to align better with the specific aspects of your course and our institutional context?
5. Share campus resources
One of the primary purposes of accessibility statements is to provide students with institutional resources that might help address accessibility issues. For example, you could consider and assess the costs of your course materials in the context of resource disparity and, if possible, adopt open-access textbooks and open educational resources (OERs); the university libraries might be able to assist you (Addy et al., 2021).
Pause and reflect:
List campus services and open educational resources you would like to direct your students to for further support in learning and engagement with your course.
One of the examples could be the Basic Needs website https://basicneeds.uiowa.edu
6. Consider the statement title and placement
When promoting inclusion and an asset mindset, it is important to avoid deficit phrasing. In Suggested Practices for Syllabus Accessibility Statements, Tara Wood and Shannon Madden point out that “naming the statement an ‘Accommodation Statement,’ ‘Inclusion Statement,’ or ‘Statement of Commitment to Universal Design for Learning’ resists the potentially disparaging rhetorical positioning of ‘Disability Statement’” (Wood and Madden, 2021). We want to acknowledge that without the instructor’s comment and a discussion in class, some of these titles obfuscate what the statement actually is and might be confusing for some students. Some additional options for naming include:
- Accessibility statement,
- Usability, Disability, and Design,
- Accessibility and Accommodations, and
- Inclusive environment statement.
Placing the accessibility statement earlier in the syllabus ensures students see it, highlights the instructor’s genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion, and helps foster students’ belonging (Branch et al., 2018; Vidali, 2011). As Tara Wood and Shannon Madden note, “positioning the statement near the beginning of the document allows instructors to foreground their flexible approach to disability and demonstrate their interest in providing an inclusive and accessible classroom for all students (Wood and Madden, 2022).
Pause and reflect:
What is an appropriate title for your accessibility statement? How does it communicate your ethos and teaching philosophy? Where in your syllabus would it make sense to place the statement to signal your commitment to support diverse learners?
7. Consider various types of accommodations
When crafting your accessibility statement, you could also consider discussing accommodations for religious observances, conflicts due to participation in athletic events, or upcoming conference presentations and interviews. This could become a part of your accessibility statement or result in a separate statement.
Review two religious observances statements:
Religious Observances: The observance of religious holidays and cultural practices are an important reflection of our diversity. As your instructor, I am committed to providing equivalent educational opportunities to students of all belief systems. At the beginning of the semester, you should review the course requirements to identify foreseeable conflicts with assignments, exams, or other required attendance. If at all possible, please contact me within the first two weeks of the first class meeting to allow time for us to discuss and make fair and reasonable adjustments to the schedule and/or tasks.
Observance of Religious Holidays/Events: I recognize that when students are observing significant religious holidays, some may be unable to attend classes or labs, study, take tests, or work on other assignments. If you provide adequate notice (at least one week or longer if at all possible), you can make up course requirements as long as it doesn’t impose undue burden on me or the larger institution. You will not be subject to any grade penalties for missing an examination, study, or course requirement on the day of religious observance, and you will not be marked absent if you are observing a significant religious holiday.
Pause and reflect:
What do you notice in these statements? How might each of them affect the classroom climate?
What aspects of these statements would you want to adopt?
How might you adapt these statements to align better with the specific aspects of your course and our institutional context?
8. Revise and consult with colleagues
We encourage you to seek support and feedback from trusted colleagues, campus experts, and leaders. Please make sure to revise your statement for each course to reflect on your specific context and positionality and adjust the changing language around disability, neurodiversity, and DEI if needed.
9. Ensure the accessibility of your syllabus
We encourage you to consult with various campus resources on digital accessibility, including Iowa page Accessibility 101. We, at the Center for Teaching, would be delighted to consult you on your syllabus design and connect you to other campus resources and stakeholders.
To learn more about syllabus accessibility, please check these resources: UDL Syllabus and Accessible syllabus.
10. Make a plan to discuss your syllabus policies about accessibility
When would be appropriate times to remind your students about your syllabus statement and policies? The first day of class? A reminder a few weeks into the course or before a high-stakes assignment?
References
Accessible syllabus. (n.d.). https://www.accessiblesyllabus.com/
Addy, T. M., Dube, D., Mitchell, K. A., SoRelle, M. E., Longmire-Avital, B., & Felten, P. (2021). What Inclusive Instructors Do: Principles and Practices for Excellence in College Teaching (1st ed.). Stylus Publishing.
Branch, S., Stein, L., Huynh, H., Lazzara, J. (2018, October). Assessing the value of diversity statements in course syllabi: Annual Conference on Teaching (ACT). Talk presented at the Society for the Teaching of Psychology ACT, Phoenix, AZ.
CAST. UDL On Campus: UDL Syllabus. (n.d.). http://udloncampus.cast.org/page/planning_syllabus
Harnish, R.J., & Bridges, K.R. (2011). Effect of syllabus tone: Students’ perceptions of instructor and course. Social Psychology of Education, 14: 319-330.
Vidali, Amy. (2011). Embodying/disabling plagiarism. Journal of Rhetoric, Culture and Politics, 31(3-4), 248-266.