The AEC establishes flexibility with attendance policy as an accommodation when a documented disability may periodically impact a student’s ability to attend class and reasonable adjustments and/or alternatives should be explored. This accommodation should only be used for absences directly related to disability and should be communicated as close as possible to the absence.
Determining the scope of reasonable attendance policy adjustments
The AEC does not establish course attendance policies but supports instructors in determining reasonable adjustments and/or alternatives based on disability. Flexibility with attendance policy may not be a reasonable accommodation in all situations (e.g., class sessions which are highly participatory, class sessions where aspects of the educational environment cannot be replicated, etc.). Instructors may – in consultation with the AEC – need to reduce the scope of this accommodation when necessary due to the nature of class activities.
Procedure
Students approved for this accommodation should send their AEC notification letter to their instructors as early as possible in the term.
If an eligible student experiences a disability-related event that impacts their ability to attend class, it is their responsibility to communicate prior to a missed class, or as soon as possible thereafter. These requests will be considered case-by-case, and students may be asked to submit additional information to AEC supporting the request.
Student will:
- Email their instructor and cc their AEC access advisor when the need for a disability-related absence occurs. The following template may be used:
- "I am in your (CLASS SUBJECT AND NUMBER) class, am registered with the AEC for disability-related services, and I receive accommodations for flexibility with attendance. This email is to notify you that my absence on (DATE) was due to disability-related reasons. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this accommodation or its use, please contact my AEC access advisor who I have included in this correspondence."
Instructor will:
- Confirm attendance adjustment has been made, OR:
- Contact AEC if an absence, or number of absences, is believed to fundamentally alter the nature of the course.
Joint responsibilities:
If an instructor is concerned that a student’s absence or number of absences has interfered with their ability to meet essential learning objectives, they should notify AEC. AEC will work with the instructor to determine the appropriate scope of this accommodation for their class. Questions to guide this assessment include:
- What is the attendance policy for the class?
- How is attendance related to course goals and/or objectives?
- How is participation related to course goals and/or objectives?
- Is attendance an essential component?
- Can there be alternative methods for meeting course goals and/or objectives, such as attending a different section of the course, reviewing recordings, submitting alternative assignments, etc.)?
If students or instructors have questions about the application of this accommodation in their classes, they should contact AEC.
Optional Templates
If an instructor would like to provide their students with a starting point for how this accommodation may be implemented in their class, the following template can be used:
- "All students may miss up to X classes without penalty. Due to the nature of the course, students with flexibility in attendance may have X additional absences without penalty (total of X). If disability-related absences exceed this amount, AEC will be consulted with consideration of course objectives and participation requirements. If you have concerns regarding this, please contact your AEC access advisor."
If a student has exceeded the limit specified by the instructor, the following template can be used:
- “This absence exceeds the number outlined in the course attendance policy, including the additional flexibility connected to your accommodation. At this point, we will need to consult with AEC to determine whether any additional flexibility is reasonable given the course objectives and participation requirements. I have copied your access advisor on this email to begin this process.”