Accommodations may include:

• accessible location for the classroom and place for faculty to meet with student
• special seating in classrooms
• note takers, use of tape recorders, computers, or photocopying of peer notes
• test accommodations: extended time, separate place, scribes, access to word processor
• special computer software: voice recognition, word prediction, keyboard modification
• extra time for assignments due to slow writing speed
• adjustable tables in classrooms
• lab assistance, accessible parking, customized physical education class
• alternative formats for textbooks and written materials
• advance planning for field trips to ensure accessibility

Descriptions of mobility impairments:

• Quadriplegia is paralysis of the extremities and trunk, is caused by a neck injury. Students with quadriplegia have limited or no use of their arms and hands and often use electric wheelchairs.
• Paraplegia, is paralysis of the lower extremities and the lower trunk, is caused by an injury to the mid-back. Students often use a manual wheelchair and have full movement of arms and hands.
• Amputation is the removal of one or more limbs, and is sometimes caused by trauma or another condition.
• Arthritis is the inflammation of the body’s joints, causing pain, swelling, and difficulty in body movement.
• Back disorders can limit a student’s ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, or carry objects. They include, but are not limited to, degenerative disk disease, scoliosis, and herniated disks.
• Cerebral palsy is the result of damage to the brain prior to or shortly after birth. It can prevent or inhibit walking and cause a lack of muscle coordination, spasms, and speech difficulty.
• Neuromuscular disorders include a variety of diseases, such as muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and ataxia, that result in degeneration and atrophy of muscle or nerve tissues.

• If necessary, arrange for a room change before the semester begins. (Example: If a classroom or lab can only be reached by stairs, it will be necessary to arrange to meet in an accessible location).
• Try not to seat a wheelchair user in the back row. Move a desk or rearrange seating at a table so the student is part of regular classroom seating.
• Make arrangements early for field trips and ensure that accommodations will be in place on the given day (e.g., transportation, site accessibility).
• Make sure accommodations are in place for in-class written work (e.g., allowing the student to use a scribe, to use assistive computer technology, or to complete the assignment outside of class).
• Some students may not be able to participate in a lab class without the assistance of an aide. The student will learn everything except the physical manipulation of the lab materials. Simply, the student can give all instructions to the aide in order to complete required lab assignments.
• Give the student plenty of advance notice in the event that research papers are assigned. Assignments that require library work or access to sites off-campus will consume more time for a student with a mobility impairment.
• Students with back or other orthopedic problems may need to change position frequently or during long classes. Be tolerant of this need.
• If a student needs writing assistance to take an exam, the Disability Resources & Services Director must be contacted in advance. Due to the time needed to make arrangements for a scribe, "pop quizzes" in class create tremendous difficulty. Either the student must be given prior notice of tests or the instructor may make contact ahead of time to arrange for an aide.