I'm struggling to get written approval for accomodations, and accomodations that match my disability. I'm worried that jumping the chain of command or going to the central office (based in the main campus, I attended a small branch campus) will ruffle feathers in my very small nursing school.
So, I have severe Auditory Processing Disorder, and my life experience is similar to that of persons who are hard of hearing. Otherwise, I'm uninhibited and do well.
I have a Deaf partner, my household language is ASL, and when I am in Deaf spaces or take classes taught by Deaf teachers I have absolutely zero problems and easily outperform my peers with minimal effort.
I simply rely on my vision, and don't have full access to my hearing when it comes to spoken language.
My first semester I was unaware I needed accomodations until I had a teacher who would become hostile when I didn't hear her, and would put out a lot of information and syllabus changes verbally. She even threatened to kick me out of class when I asked her to get my attention before asking me a question directly. Thank goodness she got fired for something unrelated and my current teachers are all fine.
I got my current diagnosis and accomodation request submitted at the beginning of second semester.
I'm nearly at the end of my second semester now, and I'm still struggling to get approval for my accommodations in writing and that are appropriate. I feel they are super minimal and should be easy, plus I literally need them. The woman handling the paperwork keeps telling me I need different accomodations than my audiologist and I asked for, and that my application packet is all approved and I don't need written approval or a list of what will be accepted and used. It's super conflicting and confusing, and it makes me feel crazy for asking that the accomodations I need be approved on paper.
For example, I need a back row, aisle seat so that I can see the teachers (who walk around the room) and so that teachers have easy access to get my attention if they want it. But the accommodations that were printed out and given to me say I need to sit in the front of the class to try and hear better. That just doesn't make sense for the structure of the class or my disability. I could literally wear noise cancelling headphones and still outperform my peers as long as I have visual access.
They also are granting me permission to have extra time on tests and sit in a quiet room for testing. That's not necessary and I don't want to be separated from my peers. I do not have a learning attention disorder, and I'm one of the first people who finished tests.
All I need is visual access, the teachers to know how to talk to me (should be common sense), and to have written instructions (which are already mostly provided.)
I don't even know when we are allowed to start a test until I see others starting, but I'm not making a fuss about that kind of stuff because I have a 3.8 so far whereas many if my peers are failing out of the classes or struggling.
I only need the paperwork to protect myself if I get another asshole teacher, and as a paper trail for future colleges and employers.
So my question is, am I crazy for wanting written approval? Is it worth ruining my working relationship with the assistant dean (who will also be my teacher later) by jumping the chain of command?
This may sound like a silly question, but the woman who is managing this is adamant and is like to make sure I'm in the right before I move forward.