Flexible Assignment Deadlines

Some students have medical conditions that may require flexibility regarding assignment deadlines. As part of the interactive process required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a student and their instructor should work together to identify the parameters of the student’s flexible assignment deadlines in ways that align the student’s disability-related needs with the essential requirements of the course.  

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are flexible assignment deadline forms required?

    If a student has been approved by the Access Center for flexible assignment deadlines as a reasonable accommodation, the student and their instructor can complete the flexible assignment agreement or memorialize their agreement via email or some other writing.  

  • Where can I access a blank copy of the agreement form?
  • What are my responsibilities when a student has flexible assignment deadlines listed as an accommodation?

    • Have an interactive discussion with the student to identify their needs and determine how the flexible assignment deadline accommodation will be applied to the course. 

    • Thoroughly complete the flexible assignment deadlines agreement form in collaboration with the student, sign the form, and keep a copy of the signed form for your records. 

    • Provide the student with assignment extensions in accordance with the agreement. 

    • Contact the student’s Access Advisor in a timely manner if you have any questions or concerns regarding the student’s Flexibility in Assignment Deadline accommodation or how it can be applied to your course. 

    • While not required, the Access Center encourages instructors to reach out to students with the Flexibility in Assignment Deadlines accommodation to explain how the student can schedule with the instructor or provide the instructor’s available meeting dates to discuss flexible assignment deadlines.  

  • What are the student’s responsibilities?

    • The student is responsible for contacting the professor to schedule a meeting to discuss their need for flexible assignment deadlines in alignment with the form.  

    • Have an interactive discussion with their instructor to identify their needs and determine how the flexible assignment deadlines accommodation will be applied to the course. 

    • Thoroughly complete the flexible assignment deadlines agreement form with their instructor, sign the form, keep a copy of the signed form for their records, and return one to the Access Center to keep on file. 

    • Communicate with their instructor as soon as possible if they will need an extension on an assignment or activity for disability-related reasons, as defined in their agreement with their instructor. 

    • Complete and submit the assignment or activity by the agreed upon deadline if an extension has been discussed. 

    • Contact their Access Advisor promptly if they have any questions or concerns about their flexible attendance accommodation or how it can be applied to their course. 

  • If my course is already designed to provide flexible deadlines for all students or I have a late work policy in my syllabus, do I still need to complete the agreement form with the student who has flexible assignment deadlines as an accommodation?

    Yes, reasonable accommodations may require additional flexibility. Each student’s needs are different, and the agreement form is designed to serve as a record of the agreement you have made with the student regarding their flexible assignment deadline accommodation as well as ensure all parties have the same understanding of the expectations and how the accommodation will be applied. The student may determine that they do not want to use their accommodation in a specific course, but that is not a decision the instructor can make on their behalf. 

  • Are accommodations retroactive?

    No. The Flexible Assignment Deadline accommodation will be in effect once the instructor and student agree. 

  • Do I need to meet with the student to fill out the form?

    Meeting in person is not a requirement, but the agreement process does need to be interactive and completed in collaboration with the student, whether by phone, email, virtual meeting, or other means. 

  • A student with the flexible assignment deadline accommodation contacted me after the deadline to request an extension. Do I have to accept their work?

    Due to the episodic and unpredictable nature of many conditions, some students may not be able to communicate with you prior to the deadline. If the student communicates with you within 24 hours before or after the original deadline, it is reasonable to accept their work by the agreed upon (extended) deadline without penalty. 

  • Can the agreement be revised during the semester?

    Yes. If the student’s needs have changed since the agreement form was completed, the student and the instructor should meet again to review and revise the terms of the agreement. If the instructor has concerns that the flexibility agreed upon is fundamentally altering the course, the instructor should reach out to the student’s access advisor to discuss these concerns. 

  • How frequently can a student request an extension?

    The flexible assignment deadlines accommodation is designed to provide flexibility when the student’s condition is active. If you have concerns about the frequency with which a student has been requesting extensions, please contact the student’s Access Advisor for additional guidance. 

  • Can’t the student work ahead to avoid needing an extension?

    Many conditions are episodic and unpredictable in nature, so students do not know when their condition will become active. Providing students with access to course content and assignments early can encourage them to work ahead, but additional flexibility and extensions for disability-related reasons may still be needed. 

  • The structure of my course makes it impossible to provide extensions on assignments because students are provided the answers to homework questions immediately after the deadline. How do I provide this accommodation?

    Please contact the student’s Access Advisor for additional guidance. 

  • What should I do if a student with flexible assignment deadlines does not submit their work by the agreed upon (extended) deadline?

    If the student does not submit their work by the agreed upon deadline, the late work policy for your course can be applied. You should apply your late policy to the date the student was supposed to turn in the assignment, per the flexible assignment agreement. You are not required to provide multiple extensions for a single assignment. Please contact the student’s Access Advisor if you have any questions or require additional guidance. 

  • How does the Flexible Assignment Deadline accommodation apply when a student is working on a project or assignment as part of a group?

    This should be discussed with the student during your meeting about the flexible assignment deadline form. However, if the instructor and student cannot agree, they must contact the student’s Access Advisor for help. 

  • What is the procedure if the student and instructor cannot find an agreeable solution together?

    • If agreement cannot be reached on one or more points of the agreement, then the student and/or instructor must contact the student’s Access Advisor immediately. The Access Center will work with the student and the instructor, to help determine the appropriate level of flexibility to be granted, if any. Factors include:  

    1. What do the course description and syllabus say regarding assignments?  

    1. By what method is the final grade calculated?  

    1. How do assignments connect to each other? 

    1. When are assignments announced and when is content shared to complete the assignment? 

  • I think that turning in assignments late is a fundamental alteration to my course. What is the process for a fundamental alteration?

    Whether a requested accommodation would fundamentally alter an essential requirement of a course or program will generally need to be determined on a case-by-case basis. It is important to distinguish general expectations and common practice from what are the true essential objectives and components of the academic course or program. Methods of instruction and assessment and alternative accommodations should be evaluated and considered for achieving the course outcomes. 

    Formal determinations about fundamental alterations must be made by a group of people who are trained, knowledgeable, and experienced in the area. This group may include individuals familiar with: 

    1. The instructor’s course policies, teaching methodology, and assessment criteria 

    1. The academic requirements of the course, program, or activity 

    1. Licensure and accreditation requirements 

    1. The individual student’s disability related needs and limitations, and 

    1.  Appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities.  

    Decisions must be made through a careful, thoughtful and rational review of the academic program and its requirements, and decision-makers must consider a series of alternatives for the essential requirements, as well as whether the essential requirement in question can be modified for a specific student with a disability, or whether an alternative accommodation would allow the student to successfully complete the essential requirement in question.  

    For more information, please reach out to Assistant Dean of Students, Dr. Matthew Jeffries at matthew.jeffries@wsu.edu.