What should I ask my school about regarding chronic pain/mobility issues
September 14, 2022 12:33 PM Subscribe
What sort of questions or advice should I ask my school's academic affairs/student life department regarding my physical disability?
I just started law school. I have damaged cartilage in my knee and also a chronic pain condition in my leg called complex regional pain syndrome.
I'm going to meet with someone from my campus to talk about this, and I'm trying to figure out what to ask and what kind of help I might need over the next three years. I'm especially interested in anyone who has experiences in (law) school with either a mobility issue or chronic pain condition and what sorts of problems did you run into and what could the school have done to help you?
As an example, I have some daily stretching and physical therapy and getting access to somewhere private in the building to do that would be helpful. In theory, on days when I'm in extreme pain or having trouble walking, attending class on zoom would be nice, but it seems like my school is very reluctant to grant people permission to attend remotely.
I have previously developed my life around work options and a work schedule that worked great with my limitations, and I'm now coming to grips with having to mold myself into a much more rigid program. Have you been through anything like this and do you have any advice on how I can make this easier for me and what topics/concerns I should talk to the school about?
I just started law school. I have damaged cartilage in my knee and also a chronic pain condition in my leg called complex regional pain syndrome.
I'm going to meet with someone from my campus to talk about this, and I'm trying to figure out what to ask and what kind of help I might need over the next three years. I'm especially interested in anyone who has experiences in (law) school with either a mobility issue or chronic pain condition and what sorts of problems did you run into and what could the school have done to help you?
As an example, I have some daily stretching and physical therapy and getting access to somewhere private in the building to do that would be helpful. In theory, on days when I'm in extreme pain or having trouble walking, attending class on zoom would be nice, but it seems like my school is very reluctant to grant people permission to attend remotely.
I have previously developed my life around work options and a work schedule that worked great with my limitations, and I'm now coming to grips with having to mold myself into a much more rigid program. Have you been through anything like this and do you have any advice on how I can make this easier for me and what topics/concerns I should talk to the school about?
Yes, your school has a disability resource center, and you should get registered with that office and bring these questions to them.
posted by bluedaisy at 1:04 PM on September 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by bluedaisy at 1:04 PM on September 14, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Yes, disability services is housed within student life. Those are some of the people I am talking to.
posted by davidstandaford at 1:58 PM on September 14, 2022
posted by davidstandaford at 1:58 PM on September 14, 2022
Larger campuses offer free door-to-door transportation for disabled students who need it -- this is very helpful if your campus has a northern winter.
An attitudinal caution: Depending on the institution, disability services may be engaged in denying you help. DREAM helps disabled students navigate educational needs. They can best serve you if you know what you need.
DREAM: Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring provides info on advocacy groups at specific colleges, as well as national groups.
The federal Office of Civil Rights hosts a basic who's-responsible-for-what resource that draws the bright lines between what you're required to ask for and when.
posted by Jesse the K at 2:42 PM on September 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
An attitudinal caution: Depending on the institution, disability services may be engaged in denying you help. DREAM helps disabled students navigate educational needs. They can best serve you if you know what you need.
DREAM: Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring provides info on advocacy groups at specific colleges, as well as national groups.
The federal Office of Civil Rights hosts a basic who's-responsible-for-what resource that draws the bright lines between what you're required to ask for and when.
posted by Jesse the K at 2:42 PM on September 14, 2022 [3 favorites]
At my law school, professors had the option to record or not record their classes for later listening, but if a student in the class had an accessibility need for recordings there was more pressure on them to do so. They might have even been required to record, though not to make the recording available to anyone other than that student.
posted by jacquilynne at 3:16 PM on September 14, 2022
posted by jacquilynne at 3:16 PM on September 14, 2022
I used to work as a staff member at a university and I attended a training on better accommodating students with disabilities I found useful. A student with chronic pain mentioned that her pain sometimes made it difficult to pay attention, so she would often need to ask people to repeat themselves or provide written follow-up information.
Hopefully your school already knows this information and staff will proactively repeat and clarify information for you and provide information in writing so you can process it at times that work best for you, but if not, you may need to request it or mention it to your disability services office so they can appropriately set expectations with staff and faculty.
posted by shesbookish at 4:00 PM on September 14, 2022
Hopefully your school already knows this information and staff will proactively repeat and clarify information for you and provide information in writing so you can process it at times that work best for you, but if not, you may need to request it or mention it to your disability services office so they can appropriately set expectations with staff and faculty.
posted by shesbookish at 4:00 PM on September 14, 2022
Definitely investigate the reputation of your institution's disability office. Even if it's good, treat them like a decent HR department: at the end of the day, they're still there to protect the institution, not the individual. As you think about the accommodations you need, prioritize what you need on the worst days. The worst days are where your accommodation needs start, not the extreme end of a spectrum. A reasonable, kind human would hear, "Most of the time X is fine, but when my pain is bad I need Y" and respond, "Got it! Let's get you set up with Y so you have it when you need it." You can't count on that in a disability accommodations discussion. You're going to have better luck getting what you need if you keep the focus on "I need accommodation Y for my chronic pain."
If you can, meet with your doctor before you meet with the university representative. Talk about your daily life as a student in this program and ask for advice about accommodations to limit risk and pain while maximizing your ability to participate. When you meet with the university representative, use concrete medical recommendations (e.g., "My doctor told me attempting to walk when my CRPS symptoms are in a flare increases my risk of injury and prolongs the flare, and my flares are recurring and unpredictable, so I need the option to attend class virtually or watch a recording," or, "My physical therapist told me if I'm sitting in classes or meetings, every 4 hours I need to complete a set of stretches and exercises to prevent muscle spasms, so I need access to a private space to do that," or, "My doctor told me going up or down stairs puts too much strain on my knee joint, so I need to be in classrooms that are either on a ground floor or accessible by elevator"). Remember that accommodations are about ensuring you can access the education you're entitled to as a student of the institution. They are not special treatment: they are corrections to the ways the institution has made itself inaccessible to disabled students.
(Also, it's extremely stupid that in the era of Covid they're being difficult about students attending classes virtually, considering this policy forces students who have been exposed recently or are infected but have mild symptoms to choose between quarantining responsibly but missing class or attending class and exposing peers to Covid.)
posted by theotherdurassister at 4:14 PM on September 14, 2022 [4 favorites]
If you can, meet with your doctor before you meet with the university representative. Talk about your daily life as a student in this program and ask for advice about accommodations to limit risk and pain while maximizing your ability to participate. When you meet with the university representative, use concrete medical recommendations (e.g., "My doctor told me attempting to walk when my CRPS symptoms are in a flare increases my risk of injury and prolongs the flare, and my flares are recurring and unpredictable, so I need the option to attend class virtually or watch a recording," or, "My physical therapist told me if I'm sitting in classes or meetings, every 4 hours I need to complete a set of stretches and exercises to prevent muscle spasms, so I need access to a private space to do that," or, "My doctor told me going up or down stairs puts too much strain on my knee joint, so I need to be in classrooms that are either on a ground floor or accessible by elevator"). Remember that accommodations are about ensuring you can access the education you're entitled to as a student of the institution. They are not special treatment: they are corrections to the ways the institution has made itself inaccessible to disabled students.
(Also, it's extremely stupid that in the era of Covid they're being difficult about students attending classes virtually, considering this policy forces students who have been exposed recently or are infected but have mild symptoms to choose between quarantining responsibly but missing class or attending class and exposing peers to Covid.)
posted by theotherdurassister at 4:14 PM on September 14, 2022 [4 favorites]
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Are you sure this is the right place? Most schools will have a Disability Services office and that's who's in charge of accommodations.
I would ask about Zoom classes, wheelchair accessible classrooms (because if they won't let you Zoom, on the days when walking is an issue you can conserve your spoons with mobility devices), elevator use if that's restricted, parking passes, and make sure the Disability Office informs your professors there may be days when you are late to classes and tests due to requiring extra time to move between classrooms.
I'm sure other people will have more specific ideas.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:03 PM on September 14, 2022 [5 favorites]