Support Through Structure

As a student, researcher, and instructor with multiple invisible disabilities, I learned far more than physics and astronomy throughout my career. I have been forced to learn how to accommodate my own needs, and the downfalls of trying to go without. In academia, accessibility typically depends on students with non-traditional needs to put in great effort to gain access to accommodations, and/or relies on their instructors to put in great effort to be "accommodating," often with few guidelines if any. Furthermore, with healthcare less accessible than ever, instructors cannot simply rely on official accommodations to support students with non-traditional needs. Implementing structural support in your courses can improve accessibility and equity for students, in a way that is approachable and efficient for instructors. In this talk, I will share a few insightful experiences from my career as a student and faculty member with invisible disabilities, and how I have implemented structures into my courses to accommodate both myself and my students. I will discuss what has worked, what has not, and offer tangible advice for implementing effective structural support into your own courses.