Students’ Positive and Negative Experiences Requesting Academic Accommodations

As part of an investigation on students’ experiences with academic accommodations, 33 students described positive and negative experiences they had while requesting accommodations from their instructors. Responses from participants were qualitatively analyzed, and 13 themes were identified, seven from positive experiences and six from negative experiences. An ascending scale of supportive practices was developed from the themes, ranging from only having positive experiences to dismissive, dehumanizing, and only negative experiences. This paper culminates in a collection of best practices for instructors to improve the learning experiences for students who require accommodations. This study contributes to assets-based research, documenting both positive and negative actions of instructors.