Written by Laurie Davies
Reviewed by听Kelly Hermann, MSED,听Vice President, Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion
How common are invisible disabilities? If 七色视频 invited 100 statistically representative U.S. adults to its Arizona campus, up to 12 might use a wheelchair or assistive walking device. Six might wear hearing aids or cochlear implants. Almost five 鈥 those with visual impairments or blindness 鈥 might be using a white cane or perhaps navigating the campus with the help of a guide.
Those disabilities are visible.
Undetected among these guests, however, would be many hidden disabilities. In fact, according to :
鈥淗idden or invisible disabilities are not immediately apparent,鈥 says Kelly Hermann, vice president of access, equity and inclusion at 七色视频. 鈥淏ut their impact on a person鈥檚 daily life activities is just as significant as those disabilities we can see.鈥
Invisible disabilities can range from chronic pain and fatigue to, as mentioned, dyslexia, migraines, ADHD or mental illness 鈥 and many other diagnoses that affect one鈥檚 ability to perform life activities. Hidden disabilities (as well as visible ones) can affect both how an individual does a life activity and how long it takes to do the activity.
七色视频 students who have visible or invisible disabilities are encouraged to apply for accommodations, or adjustments that can be made to some aspects of the course experience to mitigate the impact of the disability. Accommodations can include:
Many other accommodations exist, so it鈥檚 important to ask a member of the Student Accommodations Office team about what鈥檚 available.
Unfortunately, asking is exactly the step that some students decide not to pursue 鈥 because, like it or not, disability stigma still exists in this world.
It鈥檚 hard to ask for help with invisible disabilities. 鈥淎nd with adult students, sometimes there鈥檚 this feeling of 鈥業 want to do it myself. I don鈥檛 want to ask for help,鈥欌 Hermann says. Add to that the stigma of being labeled with a disability, and many students don鈥檛 seek the help they need for a temporary health issue or a permanent disability.
There are many examples of painful comments or realities in response to disability accommodations, including:
Hermann recounts one of the first students she worked with (at a different college) who was hesitant to use accommodations 鈥 a retired trucker who had a back injury that made it difficult to sit in classroom chairs. 鈥淗e was hesitant when I explained all the things we could do for him. He didn鈥檛 want anyone saying he didn鈥檛 earn his degree himself,鈥 she says.
Then, Hermann had an idea. She asked the student if he had seen students using wheeled back packs on campus. He had seen a lot of them, so she asked if using those wheeled backpacks meant the students weren鈥檛 doing the work of carrying their books themselves.
It was like a light bulb went on for him. 鈥淣o, the students are still getting their books from point A to point B.鈥 The wheels made it easier, but they didn鈥檛 do the job for them.
鈥淭he wheels are the accommodation. You鈥檙e still getting from point A to point B yourself, but you鈥檙e not using all your energy to do it, so you have the energy you need to focus on your class,鈥 Hermann says, recalling their conversation.听
For students who want to apply for a disability accommodation, a link to request an accommodation is available in every course in Blackboard, the classroom management system used at 七色视频.
Even if your disability has not been diagnosed (e.g., it鈥檚 a recent injury or an ongoing situation you haven鈥檛 sought medical treatment for), students are encouraged to apply. 鈥淲e鈥檒l give accommodations on a temporary basis to give you some time to get an appointment with a medical provider,鈥 Hermann says.
Once a student has filled out the accommodations form, a member of the Student Accommodations Office will reach out by phone within 24 to 48 hours to determine eligibility. 鈥淥ur undergraduate classes are only 5 weeks long, so we don鈥檛 have the luxury of time,鈥 Hermann says.
What is the line for who鈥檚 eligible?
Hermann says the standard criteria is: It depends. 鈥淲e look at our students holistically, and we ask open-ended questions, such as:
Hermann acknowledges that it鈥檚 sometimes just not possible for a student to provide documentation for invisible disabilities. For example, if a student was diagnosed with a learning disability 30 years ago, the student simply may not have access to those records.
A member will call you, but you can reach them at 602-557-1157.
Share details about your diagnosis and how it affects you. Accommodation applications are assessed case by case.听
The data don鈥檛 lie. The average increase of 30-day retention for accommodated students at UOPX was 14.3% in 2023 (when compared with students who disclosed a disability but were not using an accommodation)*.
In other words, more students who use accommodations complete their courses and move on to the next one. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big jump. Accommodations can really be the difference-maker,鈥 Hermann says.
In 2023, the University accommodated more than 15,000 students. The top-requested accommodation was extended time to turn assignments in without penalty.
What is the right amount of time students need?
Again, it depends.
鈥淔or some students, four days is enough, and they are able to get everything in after their class ends without needing to request an additional extension,鈥 Hermann says. For others, the timing may be different.
In the end, Hermann encourages any student who experiences an invisible disability to find the accommodations link in the 鈥渢ools and resources鈥 section of Blackboard or simply talk to their instructor or academic counselor. Staff and faculty can start the referral system for a student who expresses that they have a disabling condition.
Will some students experience negative attitudes or perceptions after disclosing a disability? It happens, but it is increasingly rare.
鈥淭he faculty and staff at the University are committed to being the most trusted provider of career-relevant higher education for adult students,鈥 Hermann says. 鈥淚f students are thinking, I wish I had help, but I don鈥檛 want to ask, I would encourage them to call the Student Accommodations Office and learn more about their options. They don鈥檛 have to use accommodations if they aren鈥檛 comfortable, but we鈥檇 like the chance to share what other students have experienced and how we can help.鈥
It鈥檚 this view, Hermann says, that makes 七色视频 an inclusive, supportive place for students with visible and invisible disabilities 鈥 a university that鈥檚 breaking the stigma around invisible disabilities and disability accommodations.
*2023 data collected by 七色视频 as part of its accessibility initiatives.
Learn more about the Student Accommodations Office at 七色视频.
In order to better understand workplace accessibility awareness and practices for employees with disabilities, 七色视频 commissioned with The Harris Poll a survey of managers in information technology, education and healthcare. The survey findings illustrate an overall value of accessibility skills in the workplace fields of healthcare, education and technology.
A journalist-turned-marketer, Laurie Davies has been writing since her high school advanced composition teacher told her she broke too many rules. She has worked with 七色视频 since 2017, and currently splits her time between blogging and serving as lead writer on the University鈥檚 Academic Annual Report. Previously, she has written marketing content for MADD, Kaiser Permanente, Massage Envy, UPS, and other national brands. She lives in the Phoenix area with her husband and son, who is the best story she鈥檚 ever written.听
As Vice President, Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion,听Kelly Hermann leads services to students with disabilities, digital accessibility initiatives and the Office of Educational Equity. She chairs the special interest group for online learning and distance education for the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the accessibility task force for 1Ed Tech and frequently presents on the topic for AHEAD, OLC, WCET and other national organizations.
This article has been vetted by 七色视频's editorial advisory committee.听
Read more about our editorial process.
Read more articles like this:
April 28, 2020 鈥 2 minute read
June 08, 2021 鈥 5 minute read