When we talk about diversity and inclusion on campus, we often speak about race, culture, nationality and gender. These conversations are important. But there is another community among us that is too often overlooked or misunderstood: Students with disabilities.
Disability services are not charity. They are not special favors. They are rights. Across college campuses, including ours, there are offices dedicated to academic accommodations: extended testing time, note-taking support, accessible classrooms, assistive technology, mental health-related adjustments and more.
As someone who has navigated multiple institutions and educational systems, from Ghana to Iowa, I have seen how easy it is for important services to remain invisible. A student can attend an entire semester without ever hearing a detailed explanation of how accommodations work.
Others may assume that disability services are only for visible physical conditions, not realizing they also support students with learning disabilities, ADHD, anxiety disorders, chronic illnesses or temporary injuries.
When awareness is low, students suffer quietly. Some struggle through exams without needed adjustments. Others withdraw from classes or even drop out, not because they lack intelligence but because the system was not fully accessible to them.
A college education should challenge us, but it should not unnecessarily disadvantage us. Let us be honest: Stigma remains powerful.
Some students fear that if they register with disability services, professors or peers will see them differently. Others worry that accommodations mean they are less capable. This mindset is deeply flawed.
Accommodations do not lower standards; they level the playing field. If one student uses glasses to read the board, no one accuses them of cheating. Academic accommodations function in a similar way. They remove barriers so that ability, not limitation, determines performance.
We need campus-wide conversations that normalize this truth. Raising awareness cannot rest solely on the disability services office. Faculty members should include clear, welcoming accommodation statements in their syllabi and take time to explain them, not just print them in small font.
Student organizations, residence halls and campus media should also participate. Orientation programs should include explicit discussions about how to access accommodations. Workshops, panels and student testimonials could reduce fear and build understanding.
When leaders speak openly, others feel safer doing the same. We pride ourselves on being a supportive campus community. But support must be visible. It must be accessible. And it must be loudly affirmed.
As a person who believes deeply in education as a tool for transformation, I know how fragile opportunity can be. Many of us have overcome financial hardship, cultural adjustment or personal loss to sit in these classrooms. Students with disabilities carry additional layers of challenge that we may not see.
The least we can do is ensure they know the door to support is open. Raising awareness of disability services is not about labeling people. It is about empowering them. If we truly believe that education should be equitable, then we must move beyond quiet compliance and toward active advocacy.
Let us remove the shame around accommodations. Let us ensure that no one struggles in silence because they didn’t know help was available.
Categories: Editorials, Opinion
