Experiential education: Clinical training, internships, externships, practicums
Experiential education happens outside the traditional classrooms and is integrated into academic programs.
Examples include:
- Clinical training
- Internships
- Externships
- Practicums
- Field education
- Other work-based experiences for academic credits
How accommodations work in experiential education
Accommodations for experiential education differ from those provided in classroom settings. Classroom accommodations may include extended test time or note-taking support. Accommodations in experiential settings often align with those found in the workplace. They are designed to support students with disabilities in meeting the essential requirements of their field placement or training site.
The Office for Disability Equity (ODE) works with you to:
- Understand how your disability may affect your fieldwork
- Identify accommodations based on the essential functions of the role
- Collaborate with your academic department and field placement coordinator to ensure accommodations
To ensure a smooth and successful experience, we strongly encourage students, faculty supervisors, or field placement coordinators to contact ODE before the start of the placement. Early planning helps identify potential accommodations and supports a more positive learning environment.
Your role as a student
- Schedule an appointment with your access consultant as soon as you know you will take a field-based course.
- Learn the essential functions of your field placement.
- Work with ODE to identify potential barriers and accommodations in the setting.
- Communicate with your school's site supervisor or the appropriate contact persons to discuss accommodations for the field experience setting.
- Know that your access consultant can be part of meetings or communication upon request from you, your field placement coordinator, your site supervisor, or your supervising faculty.
- Communicate with your site supervisor or appropriate contact persons when any concerns arise.
- If a field site cannot or is unwilling to make an approved accommodation, contact ODE immediately to facilitate a resolution.
ODE's role
- Maintain your disability documentation.
- Engage in an interactive process with you and your school to identify possible accommodations that mitigate the barriers to perform the essential functions of the requirements.
- Share possible accommodations with you, your field placement coordinator, and the supervisor.
- Join meetings with you, your faculty, and site personnel when needed.
- Offer ongoing consultation to your school, site personnel, and you during the field experience.
- Coordinate a resolution meeting with you, school, and field site supervisor if issues arise.
Role of schools, field instructors, and supervisors
- Include the disability accommodation statement in every syllabus with a field placement.
- Describe the essential functions, duties, and technical skills the placement requirements.
- Work with the student and ODE to plan how accommodations will work on-site. When applicable, invite the student's access consultant to the process.
- Assist the student with providing the details about the accommodation to appropriate field site personnel.
- Monitor student progress. Contact the student's access consultant to adjust or add accommodations as needed.
Resources
Job Accommodation Network (JAN) – provides job hunting tips, examples of work accommodations, tips on when to disclose a disability and request accommodations, and the recommended interactive process for employers.