Developing effective academic accommodations in higher education: A collaborative decision-making process
Abstract
This case study describes a collaborative decision-making process for developing effective academic accommodations for a music major with a disability, whose prior accommodations suggested by the Disability Support Services (DSS) failed to address her needs. Cross-departmental collaboration between the DSS and the School of Music, as well as dynamic interactions among students with disabilities (SWDs), faculty members, peer tutors, and DSS specialists are emphasized. Multiple sources of information were collected, including in-depth/semi-structured interviews and a review of all relevant documentation such as case reports, weekly logs, email correspondence, results of psychological testing and academic portfolio contents. The themes that emerged from the data include resistance to the unknown, the language of negotiation, the decision-making process, and transformation (with three sub-themes: from fear of stigmatization to self-advocacy, from resentfulness to acceptance and commitment, and from reaction to pro-action). Key elements contributing to the collaborative process consist of effective communication among all members, the promotion of self-advocacy skills for SWDs, and faculty’s recognition of SWDs’ potential to succeed and while engaging flexible methods for delivering course content and assessing outcomes. A framework for delivering viable services for music majors with disabilities is outlined and discussed.
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These barriers often force students to expend additional time and energy for engineering workarounds that meet their access needs.
“These barriers often force students to expend additional time and energy for engineering workarounds that meet their access needs [52, 100].”
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- Authors
- Hsiao, F., Zeiser, S., Nuss, D., & Hatschek, K.
- Affiliations
- University of the Pacific (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hsiao, Feilin
- ORCID
- Zeiser, Shelly
- Venue
- International Journal of Music Education
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-09-07
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 244-258
- ISSN
- 0255-7614 (ISSN-L)
- 1744-795X
- OpenAlex
- W3097063507
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 1.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Music Education (publishedVersion)
- Scholarly Commons (University of the Pacific) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
- Social Sciences › Education › Music Education and Analysis
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport
- Keywords
- academic accommodations, students with disabilities, music education, disability services, collaborative decision-making, self-advocacy, stigma, faculty attitudes, peer tutoring, cross-departmental collaboration, higher education, service delivery framework
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