As you develop your course, please reflect on these key questions, suggested by Sally Scott in the classic essay “Accommodating College Students with Learning Disabilities: How Much Is Enough?” (Scott, 1997, pp. 94-95): 

• What is the purpose of the course?
• What methods of instruction are absolutely necessary? Why?
• What outcomes are absolutely required of all students? Why?
• What methods of assessing student outcomes are absolutely necessary? Why?
• What are acceptable levels of performance on these student outcome measures?

We hope that these questions will help you think critically about the disciplinary norms and priorities in your course. Is an in-person written exam the sole option for summative assessment, or would a take-home exam be possible? Do you need to assess grammar and writing in a final research paper, or are you focusing on other aspects of student writing (e.g., central argument and logic)? What elements of your course allow flexibility, and which are non-negotiable? Could student choice be incorporated into some assignments?

References

Scott, S. S. (1997). Accommodating College Students with Learning Disabilities: How Much Is Enough?. Innovative Higher Education, 22(2), 85-99.