Accommodations are large issues when considering writing about ableism. While requesting accommodations comes in different forms, this happens more often when it comes to school or work. It's funny to be writing of this after having to look through various files from high school and college to find an immunization form for shadow work to finish my social work internship. While looking through the files, I came across many documents and letters from ACT and PSAT/SAT (tests to get acceptance for college/university) and Committees on Special Education (CSE) to request for necessary accommodations; that was high school. With college/university, it is very different; there is no crazy forms, only meeting with a person of accessibility department and giving letters to professors.

Able-bodied people may think it is so easy, but there are times when notifying teachers and professors that you need specific accommodations, to be successful in the classroom, can be difficult. What can be irksome is that despite what accommodations I have or how much time I have to complete a test, professors tend to brush off what is on the accommodation letter and make up their own rules; this can bring so much anxiety and irritate the persons who have these accommodations. I can't tell you how many times my professors have had made up their own rules about giving me limited time to complete a test, and I would be furious if I couldn't finish the tests.

When it comes to specific accommodations to participate in lectures, I used TypeWell for all of my classes, which can end up being more irritating. There has definitely been a professor who has made up his own rules (putting microphone in his shirt pocket and letting it sit on the podium instead of wearing the velcro strap around his neck), and cursing up a storm while making jokes about me reporting them for cursing. That, to me, is really irritating, but I refuse to show that I am easily hurt by it. I remain quiet instead of telling someone because I cannot change a professor's altitude on my own -- not when there is a slim chance of something being done. Also, if professors have a belief that I am using an accommodation to report them, they need to know that it will never happen, as it is between me and a person who transcribe the lectures for me.

With work, requesting for accommodations may be more demanding than requesting for accommodations for education. I have not had a job, yet, but I would have to think of working part-time due to restrictions by Social Security, and also deciding if I should disclose. With having benefits from Social Security, there is the threat of having no benefits if working too much/making so much money. Regarding about disclosing the fact that I have multiple disabilities, as much as I am a person to be upfront about it, I do wonder why it is a bad idea to disclose having any disability. Employers are ableist towards people with disabilities, even if the American with Disabilities Act mentions not to discriminate, and we hardly have a chance of working because of our disabilities. There needs to be more encouragement and motivation if people with disabilities do want to be able to work in a job.

Accommodations are a vital part of life that can be explained by people with disabilities because what we need depends on a variety of situations. If we never have the right to request for specific accommodations, how would we be successful in life right now? We may not always get the accommodations that we all deserve to have, but at least we have acquired the necessary skills needed to fight for our rights.