This collection features real stories from university students navigating barriers related to accessibility, accommodations, and inclusion on campus. These voices are often underrepresented and highlight the emotional and logistical challenges students with both visible and invisible disabilities face while pursuing their education.

From navigating ADHD, nonverbal learning disorders, and physical disabilities, to encountering stigma, inaccessible systems, and dismissive attitudes, these students open a window into the daily realities that many in academia overlook. They also offer valuable insight into what genuine inclusion can look like when instructors show empathy, systems are flexible, and accommodations are viewed not as special treatment, but as essential support.

Whether you’re a student, educator, or staff member, these stories invite you to reflect: Are we creating spaces where all students feel seen, supported, and respected?

Before engaging with the Untold Stories submitted by students, read this poem “Because I am a Human” written by a student and consider what does it mean to make others feel “worth the effort” and what intentional steps can you take to affirm each person’s humanity? How might the spaces you are in (physical, social and emotional) be creating “doors with no handles” for some as you reflect on the invisible barriers that may exist in these spaces.

ADHD feels less like a burden and more like a gift

As someone with severe ADHD, I’ve often felt unsupported in academic settings before my diagnosis. I received positive report cards from elementary to high school saying “Jayden is very likeable and social”, teachers never noticed/addressed my struggles or saw that I was trying, even If the work wasn’t great. A psychologist I saw as a child casually mentioned he’d known that I had severe ADHD since fourth grade, which was frustrating. Why not tell my parents or get me help?  Proving my disability for support is exhausting and invalidating. However, my experience in this class at KPU and at another institution have been different.

In this class, I’ve felt encouraged, and my work effort has been seen. Some people may see this as “seeking validation”, but it’s the opposite, when you’re genuinely trying and having to work harder, it’s nice to be told that the work you did was good.

Professors have recognized my vast knowledge of medicine for my age and have praised my work, which has made me grow as a person and see myself differently. This recognition has made my ADHD feel less like a burden and more like a gift. My ability to hyper focus on topics I’m passionate about is a result of this. Healthcare and medicine being an example. These positive experiences show the difference that supportive and inclusive environments can make for students with disabilities.

In terms of advice for Professors (especially those teaching in an online format), I would say:

• Frequent breaks – Taking short breaks throughout class helps me feel less stressed and overwhelmed when learning.
• Short Lectures – breaking up recorded lectures into smaller segments helps me maintain focus and doesn’t feel overwhelming when I’m learning. I’m able to understand and learn better when lectures are less than 60 minutes.
• Having A laid out plan for the class – When I’m given the syllabus, I find that its best for me to plan out what to do on certain days, for example: watch the lecture on Monday, do the assignment on Tuesday, and then the quiz on Thursday. I find it challenging when certain portions of the course are locked or only accessible on specific dates set by the professor. This can make it difficult to plan ahead and manage my workload efficiently.

By Jayden, Student

Navigating Post-Secondary with an invisible disability

Having a nonverbal learning disorder (NLD) has made navigating post-secondary education particularly difficult. NLD is frequently misinterpreted because it causes problems with nonverbal cues, spatial awareness, and processing specific kinds of information, yet it has no effect on vocal communication. These difficulties might make completing group assignments, following directions, or adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings more difficult.

I have asked for accommodations during my time at KPU, such as longer exam times and access to lecture recordings. Even though my requests were eventually fulfilled, it was emotionally draining to have to justify them. Since NLD is an “invisible” disability, I frequently had to defend my accommodations in front of skeptical teachers who were unaware of the disorder’s effects on my learning. I felt alone at these times and like my difficulties weren’t real.

However, there were also some good experiences. One teacher tried to schedule a one-on-one meeting with me and asked insightful questions about how they could help me in their class more effectively. I felt less nervous about asking for help because of this modest but significant gesture, which demonstrated their concern for my achievement. Other approaches that I’ve found helpful in supporting my learning in the classroom are extra time on assignments, tests, and audio recording classes.

I wish more people realized that accommodations are about fostering an environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed, not about gaining unfair benefits. Listening to and believing others when they express their needs is the first step toward inclusivity.

I’ve gained more self-confidence as a result of this experience, but I also hope that organizations will keep advancing their knowledge of neurodivergent disorders like NLD in order to create an atmosphere of sincere belonging.

By “A”, Student

Asking for an accommodation in the workplace

In my former workplace, a lack of understanding of the urgency and necessity of my accommodations unfortunately forced me to adapt to an unaccommodated work schedule. Although my employers were for the most part supportive and inclusive, there was a bit of a disconnect when it came to understanding that my accommodation requests were a necessity for me to work without undue strain. Since I have a physical disability that makes prolonged standing really tough, I asked for a chair for those shifts. I made it clear during interviews, training, and my first days on the job. I was told there was a process for requesting a chair since it had to fit the store’s aesthetics and layout.

After waiting several weeks for the chair, I requested my managers to schedule my shifts in a way that I would have a few more sitting-down shifts, at least on the days that I worked six to eight hours. However, unless I specifically requested for such roles every day, I was not automatically provided with an accommodated schedule.

I felt that my employers did not consider my requests as urgent or even as a necessity since I carried out my work regardless of the accommodations. They did not understand the pain and discomfort I faced, especially on long shifts. Although most of my disability is visible, this pain was not apparent, and I did not feel comfortable diving into my medical details to get reasonable accommodations.

Unfortunately, this matter was not resolved since I did not have the energy to continuously push my managers to understand my needs and to keep repeating my accommodation requests. My only comfort was that being a seasonal worker, I would not need to work in these conditions for more than a few months.

By Usha, Student

Accessibility Services on Campus

My experiences with accessibility services in post-secondary have been rather diverse. At the first institution I attended, I was given the option to have exams booked on my behalf; the only requirement was that I send the accessibility services a copy of the syllabus for each of my courses, and the wonderful staff there would arrange them for me. The next institution I attended wasn’t as convenient as the first – I had to use an online portal to book the exams, but the issue arose with professors that were not keen on answering emails or those who had not planned their exams well in advance. The online portal required the booking to be made a minimum of two weeks before the exam was scheduled to take place. This on its own isn’t an issue, but I was also supposed to supply the website with information about the exam length, something that professors typically don’t even tell us until the week before a given exam. If a professor missed my email or didn’t know the length at the time, I was able to write an email to the testing services to manually book. Though this was fine, I was informed in the next academic year that they could no longer book exams themselves – I would have to use the portal to book all my exams.

This has forced me to almost pressure my professors for the exam length much sooner than I feel is needed, which I don’t feel comfortable doing. This is also quite frustrating since it is already difficult enough to get the exam length in advance, and I feel as though I should not have to reach out to the professor, email testing services, and meet with my accessibility advisor just to be able to book one exam.

By Felix, Student

Checking in

My sister has a hearing disability; she is deaf in her right ear. Throughout high school, she often felt anxious about attending classes because many (high school) teachers didn’t fully understand her needs. Some even refused to use the microphones that connected to her hearing aids, making it difficult for her to follow lessons. When she started at KPU, she was initially hesitant to share her disability with her professors, fearing she might face the same challenges. However, to her surprise, the support she received has been exceptional. Both the instructors and the institution have gone above and beyond to assist her, providing improved learning aids and regularly checking in to ensure she was thriving in her studies.

By Cayden, Student

Plain Language and Tone Matters

Definitely inclusive language and communication can make a big difference in some places. I work as Drywall Installer and at construction sites I meet many people who have different backgrounds and are from different countries and many of them are not fluent in English. They understand and speak some few words only but as a current student my English skills are better. But i always use simple and clear language helps everyone understand better, which can make the team feel more respected and valued. When people take the time to explain things patiently and check for understanding, it shows that they care about everyone’s contribution. This kind of inclusive practice not only improves teamwork but also boosts moral value and productivity.

By Mehakdeep, Student