Invisible and Visible

A Faculty Perspective

Disability awareness and the concomitant need for inclusive pedagogical strategies and design are matters of urgent political and educational nature.  As educators, we would not assume, for instance, that all learners with sight challenges are “the same” – either in terms of physical strengths and challenges or with respect to familial support structures, academic prowess, and so forth. That said, we do receive accommodation requests which might all, on the surface, ask for the same considerations -- extended time to complete a paper is but one of many possible examples.

Taking this discussion a few steps further underscores the immediate complexity of the topic.  What global assumptions do we make about students with disabilities – no matter the mode of study?  Do we assume that only the students asking for accommodations are those for whom inclusive pedagogy is necessary?  Are students taking courses online more or less likely to ask for accommodation?  Do we assume we can “see” a disability in the face-to-face environment?  Do we assume no disability if there is not a concrete signal – like a cane or a walker?  Can we always “see” a disability in the first place? 

This last question hints at the specific topic here:  invisible disabilities.  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the American with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA) note that while the disability itself might not be “signaled” in ways that more visible disabilities are, they are nonetheless extremely important to recognize.  Updated language includes references to conditions that are episodic in nature, conditions in remission, and which can impact an individual’s ability to concentrate, perform certain physical activities,  breathing, sleeping, and communicating – to name a few¹.  Said differently, we cannot – and should not – judge a student’s abilities or disabilities based on either what we think we see or what we presume to know about a given condition or set of conditions. 

The student in the online modality is especially disadvantaged in this regard:  While she or he might appreciate the asynchronous access of the online classroom, this student may never be seen by the instructor, support professionals, or anyone else in a facilitative campus role.  In the online classroom, all disabilities – whether readily evident or not – are in fact invisible and hidden. 

Advocacy and deliberate and inclusive pedagogy can level the opportunities for all learners.  Therefore, while we might be discussing disabilities, we are in actuality discussing how to challenge the assumptions we make about our diverse learners with awareness, and inclusive and flexible universal design and points of access - no matter the mode of delivery. 

¹ADA Legal Series brief written by Barry C. Taylor, Legal Advocacy Director, Alan M. Goldstein, Senior Attorney, and Rachel Margolis, Staff Attorney with Equip for Equality, the Illinois Protection and Advocacy Agency (P&A). Equip for Equality is providing this information under a subcontract with the DBTAC: Great Lakes ADA Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research Award No. H133A060097. http://www.ada-audio.org/Archives/ADALegal/Materials/FY2010/2010-06-02_Invisible_Disabilities_and_the_ADA_Brief_13.doc Links to an external site.

Estimated time: 3 minutes