Disability-Related Assignment Extensions FAQ
This accommodation is provided to students with chronic physical or mental conditions that have unpredictable flare-ups or episodes, to ensure that they are not penalized when they’re having an exacerbation of their disability and thus cannot meet an assignment deadline.
This accommodation allows the student to request an extension of up three days. The extended due date is proposed by the student and must be accepted by the instructor, in writing, via email communication, prior to the assignment due date. This accommodation also applies to rescheduling exams if the disability-related circumstance arises on the day of a test/quiz/exam.
No. Additional leniency beyond what the guidelines of the accommodation provide is always allowed and encouraged if the instructor feels that it is reasonable and appropriate, without fundamentally altering the course requirements or expectations.
Disability-Related Assignment extensions do not provide for permit:
- The unlimited acceptance of late work. The accommodation is not intended to be used on a regular basis. It is not a “blanket statement” that applies to all assignments.
- Retroactive requests for extensions (i.e., request for extensions after the due date has passed)
- Extensions for non-disability related circumstances (e.g., not intended to cover situations such as work conflicts, personal issues, travel, etc.)
- Extensions that would present a fundamental alteration to the course expectations or requirements
- Extensions that would pose an unfair academic advantage
When students are experiencing an unpredictable disability-related circumstance and will not be able to meet an assignment deadline, they should:
- Reach out to their professor as soon as they know they will need an assignment extension or that they will be absent from class. They should CC their assigned Access Coordinator on the email every time.*
- Propose a new assignment due date that is within three days of the original due date and ask if the instructor agrees to the proposed date.
- *NOTE: When requesting a disability-related absence or extension, students are NOT required to go into detail about the specific symptoms or circumstances they are experiencing in their email communication with instructors. They should simply state that they will be making use of their approved accommodation. Here is a sample template that students may use:
- i. “I am registered with the Disability Services and I receive an accommodation for disability-related assignment extensions. This email is to request an extension for (ASSIGNMENT NAME) originally due (DATE) for disability-related reasons. With your permission I would like to submit it on (DATE). If you have any questions or concerns regarding this accommodation or its use, please contact my Access Coordinator access advisor who I have included in this correspondence.”
- *NOTE: When requesting a disability-related absence or extension, students are NOT required to go into detail about the specific symptoms or circumstances they are experiencing in their email communication with instructors. They should simply state that they will be making use of their approved accommodation. Here is a sample template that students may use:
- Follow up with their Access Coordinator as needed for additional support. Access Coordinators are available to provide clarification for instructors as needed through these email communications, so it is important to CC them each time.
“Up to three days” means that it would be reasonable for a student to request a 1-day, 2-day, or 3-day extension, depending upon the disability-related circumstances they are experiencing. Instructors are expected to provide this level of flexibility at minimum. The student should propose a new due date based upon their disability-related needs, and the instructor should either agree, or if it will not be reasonable/appropriate, communicate the reasons why to the student and their Access Coordinator.
Accommodations can never be applied retroactively, which is why we ask that students communicate in advance of an assignment deadline. We recognize that there may be disability-related circumstances which prevent timely communication. Students should communicate with their instructors as soon as they are able and reach out to their assigned Access Coordinator for any additional support needed.
It would not be appropriate for faculty to issue blanket-statement policies that limit all students to only requesting one-day extensions. Accommodations must be determined on a case-by-case basis and ADA laws discourage the use of blanket-statement policies, which fail to take the student’s unique disability needs into consideration. The language of “up to three days” provides a base-level of flexibility that instructors should provide to students with this accommodation, at minimum.
If an instructor feels that the request for an extension fundamentally alters their course expectations or requirements, they should reach out to the Access Coordinator that is CC’d on the student’s email to communicate your concerns.
Providing a guideline for the appropriate usage of the accommodation is necessary and important to ensure that all students are consistently being provided with a base-level of flexibility from all instructors, without having to negotiate. Many rulings by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) have found that it is problematic to place the students in a position to have to negotiate the terms of their accommodations with their instructors due to the power dynamics at play. Clarifying that 1–3 days, at minimum, is expected to meet the needs of the accommodation ensures that students are not unduly denied their right to access this accommodation. If an instructor is comfortable providing more than three days for extensions, then this accommodation would defer to the most flexible policy.
Accommodations can never be applied retroactively, which is why we ask that students communicate in advance of an assignment deadline. We recognize that there may be disability-related circumstances which prevent timely communication. Students should communicate with their instructors as soon as they are able and reach out to their assigned Access Coordinator for any additional support needed.
It would not be appropriate for faculty to issue blanket-statement policies that limit all students to only requesting one-day extensions. Accommodations must be determined on a case-by-case basis and ADA laws discourage the use of blanket-statement policies, which fail to take the student’s unique disability needs into consideration. The language of “up to three days” provides a base-level of flexibility that instructors should provide to students with this accommodation, at minimum.
If an instructor feels that the request for an extension fundamentally alters their course expectations or requirements, they should reach out to the Access Coordinator that is CC’d on the student’s email to communicate your concerns.
Providing a guideline for the appropriate usage of the accommodation is necessary and important to ensure that all students are consistently being provided with a base-level of flexibility from all instructors, without having to negotiate. Many rulings by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) have found that it is problematic to place the students in a position to have to negotiate the terms of their accommodations with their instructors due to the power dynamics at play. Clarifying that 1-3 days, at minimum, is expected to meet the needs of the accommodation ensures that students are not unduly denied their right to access this accommodation. If an instructor is comfortable providing more than three days for extensions, then this accommodation would defer to the most flexible policy.
Determining reasonable and agreed upon extensions through a facilitated discussion for all students and each one of their instructors every semester would not be scalable at a school the size of UMass Amherst. This guidance helps outline a base-level of flexibility that instructors should provide at minimum, establishing a floor, and Disability Services will help facilitate a discussion about additional leniency as needed on a case-by-case basis.
We recognized that instructors may have developed their own policies for deadline flexibility. This accommodation would defer to the most flexible policy. Additional leniency beyond what the guidelines of the accommodation provide is always allowed and encouraged if it does not fundamentally alter the course requirements or provide the student with an unfair academic advantage. Instructors are encouraged to use their best judgement and reach out to Disability Services directly with questions or concerns.
As long as the student is following the expectations to communicate proactively before the deadline, requesting reasonable extensions, and copying your Access Coordinator on the email so that we have record of your attempts to communicate, Disability Services will support the student in ensuring that their accommodation needs are met.
Due to features of some disabilities, the student may be unable to communicate prior to the deadline and are expected to communicate as soon as they are able. We encourage faculty to be understanding and provide flexibility within reason without fundamentally altering course requirements or expectations. Students should contact their assigned Access Coordinator as soon as possible if they need more support communicating their needs.
In extenuating circumstances such as hospitalizations, students should contact their assigned Access Coordinator directly, as soon as they can, for support.
Students should start by requesting the extension they need, proposing a new deadline by email to the instructor, with their Access Coordinator copied on the email. The instructor's reply to the request should copy the Access Coordinator and, if the request is denied, should include the concerns and reasons for not providing the flexibility. In that case, the Access Coordinator will mediate the situation between the instructor and student. If the additional flexibility is determined to be a fundamental alteration to course
expectations or requirements, then Disability Services cannot mandate the additional leniency.
No. Under ADA laws, accommodations are provided to disabled students to ensure that they have access to the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers, while holding them accountable to the same academic standards and expectations. Accommodations cannot fundamentally alter course expectations or requirements, and they cannot pose an unfair academic advantage over other students. Moreover, accommodations are not intended to guarantee success.
The accommodation is intended to mitigate the impact of unexpected flare-up symptoms. It is generally not intended for students who take longer to complete assignments because of issues with executive functioning (e.g., time management, organization, focus, processing speed, regulating effort, motivation, regulating actions/behaviors, etc.) or have learning disabilities. Students with these areas of limitation typically will require extensions on all assignments consistently, all the time. This is beyond the scope of what this accommodation can reasonably provide before it presents a fundamental alteration, or an unfair academic advantage. For most courses, curricular material for each week builds on the learning goals from prior weeks; therefore, accumulating incomplete assignments weekly throughout the semester hampers a student's readiness to digest the new material. Requesting assignment extensions beyond a reasonable limit, regardless of whether it is covered by an accommodation or not, will inevitably set the student behind in the course and have implications on their ability to demonstrate progress towards learning objectives. Taking a reduced credit load is more appropriate to remove the barrier to access for students who will consistently take longer to complete tasks.
Yes. Faculty are encouraged to use their best judgment in providing flexibility when possible, while maintaining core academic requirements and academic integrity. Any student, regardless of disability status, could experience personal emergencies, short-term illness, or other life circumstances that warrant faculty understanding and leniency. We recommend that faculty review the University Policy on Class Absence, which applies to all UMass students, and outlines some scenarios where faculty can and should allow flexibility. Additionally, faculty are encouraged to have a clear attendance/late assignment policy in their syllabi so that all students understand course-specific expectations and requirements.
Please be aware that any informal arrangements between a student and instructor apply only to the current course and do not extend to other courses or future semesters. These arrangements are not equivalent to formal accommodations that are granted by Disability Services. Formal accommodations provided by Disability Services apply across all coursework and remain in place throughout the student’s studies at UMass (unless granted as a temporary accommodation).
If a student’s need for leniency becomes ongoing or exceeds what can reasonably be managed informally, please refer the student to Disability Services to explore formal accommodations. If a student or instructor would like to consult with Disability Services about whether their needs are best met through informal faculty support or formal accommodations, they can call 413-545-0892 or submit an inquiry through this Contact Form.