Party Mouse, PhD
@partymousephd.bsky.social
Novelist represented by @laurenbieker.bsky.social. Educational researcher focused on sense of belonging, ethics of AI in education, and disability justice/disability studies. Collector of overthought tattoos. Opinions my own.
The best cure for impostor syndrome is spending a few minutes with an absolutely terrible commercial success.
December 3, 2025 at 4:11 PM
The best cure for impostor syndrome is spending a few minutes with an absolutely terrible commercial success.
There's some research that suggests that it serves disabled students who need it, but has less impact on those who do not:
nceo.info/references/s...
nceo.info/references/s...
Rodeiro, C. V., & Macinska, S. (2022). Equal opportunity or unfair advantage? The impact of test accommodations on performance in high-stakes assessments . Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy ...
nceo.info
December 2, 2025 at 9:34 PM
There's some research that suggests that it serves disabled students who need it, but has less impact on those who do not:
nceo.info/references/s...
nceo.info/references/s...
This isn't to say that any of this is easy! But there is an answer, and that answer is to work with and place trust in disability services professionals. We're not perfect, but I promise that most of us are trying our best and are worthy of that trust. End🧵
December 2, 2025 at 9:31 PM
This isn't to say that any of this is easy! But there is an answer, and that answer is to work with and place trust in disability services professionals. We're not perfect, but I promise that most of us are trying our best and are worthy of that trust. End🧵
All of these demands can be avoided if the environment itself is accessible. If no test is timed, there is no need for testing time accommodations. If materials are in canvas, I don't have to give that accommodation to a student who might need it.
December 2, 2025 at 9:29 PM
All of these demands can be avoided if the environment itself is accessible. If no test is timed, there is no need for testing time accommodations. If materials are in canvas, I don't have to give that accommodation to a student who might need it.
DSO professionals (like me) need to:
Balance the needs of students/faculty, gather expertise in a wide range of disability contexts, expertise in a wide range of academic settings, and divert energy to implementation and mediation
Balance the needs of students/faculty, gather expertise in a wide range of disability contexts, expertise in a wide range of academic settings, and divert energy to implementation and mediation
December 2, 2025 at 9:28 PM
DSO professionals (like me) need to:
Balance the needs of students/faculty, gather expertise in a wide range of disability contexts, expertise in a wide range of academic settings, and divert energy to implementation and mediation
Balance the needs of students/faculty, gather expertise in a wide range of disability contexts, expertise in a wide range of academic settings, and divert energy to implementation and mediation
From faculty, it requires:
Patience, Time, Creativity, Flexibility, Humility - and willingness to collaborate
Patience, Time, Creativity, Flexibility, Humility - and willingness to collaborate
December 2, 2025 at 9:27 PM
From faculty, it requires:
Patience, Time, Creativity, Flexibility, Humility - and willingness to collaborate
Patience, Time, Creativity, Flexibility, Humility - and willingness to collaborate
Taken together, the process requires a lot from all parties. From students it requires:
Time, money, resources, executive functioning, patience, self-advocacy, self-determination
Time, money, resources, executive functioning, patience, self-advocacy, self-determination
December 2, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Taken together, the process requires a lot from all parties. From students it requires:
Time, money, resources, executive functioning, patience, self-advocacy, self-determination
Time, money, resources, executive functioning, patience, self-advocacy, self-determination
All of that happens before step 3) which is accommodations are sent to faculty for implementation.
An accommodation is only 'reasonable' (able to be implemented) if it doesn't fundamentally alter the course it is implemented within - which the DSO should be a part of determining
An accommodation is only 'reasonable' (able to be implemented) if it doesn't fundamentally alter the course it is implemented within - which the DSO should be a part of determining
December 2, 2025 at 9:26 PM
All of that happens before step 3) which is accommodations are sent to faculty for implementation.
An accommodation is only 'reasonable' (able to be implemented) if it doesn't fundamentally alter the course it is implemented within - which the DSO should be a part of determining
An accommodation is only 'reasonable' (able to be implemented) if it doesn't fundamentally alter the course it is implemented within - which the DSO should be a part of determining
This is where privilege can play a role, in 2 ways that seem (but are not) contradictory:
a) Wealthier students generally have better access to documentation
b) Students from privileged backgrounds are often better self-advocates thanks to practice, training, and cultural/social capital
a) Wealthier students generally have better access to documentation
b) Students from privileged backgrounds are often better self-advocates thanks to practice, training, and cultural/social capital
December 2, 2025 at 9:24 PM
This is where privilege can play a role, in 2 ways that seem (but are not) contradictory:
a) Wealthier students generally have better access to documentation
b) Students from privileged backgrounds are often better self-advocates thanks to practice, training, and cultural/social capital
a) Wealthier students generally have better access to documentation
b) Students from privileged backgrounds are often better self-advocates thanks to practice, training, and cultural/social capital
Broadly speaking, DSOs review medical records, academic history, personal narrative - anything they can access.
We also meet with the student and discuss the request in depth.
We also meet with the student and discuss the request in depth.
December 2, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Broadly speaking, DSOs review medical records, academic history, personal narrative - anything they can access.
We also meet with the student and discuss the request in depth.
We also meet with the student and discuss the request in depth.
It's step 2 that holds a lot of fascination for people outside of the process, because it's very private, very individualized, and frankly very 'squishy'.
Ultimately, everything in this work is at some level subjective. What is a 'substantial limitation'? What is 'reasonable'?
Ultimately, everything in this work is at some level subjective. What is a 'substantial limitation'? What is 'reasonable'?
December 2, 2025 at 9:23 PM
It's step 2 that holds a lot of fascination for people outside of the process, because it's very private, very individualized, and frankly very 'squishy'.
Ultimately, everything in this work is at some level subjective. What is a 'substantial limitation'? What is 'reasonable'?
Ultimately, everything in this work is at some level subjective. What is a 'substantial limitation'? What is 'reasonable'?
2. The DSO reviews information from the student to identify any "functional limitations" (the technical term) that may result from a disability experienced by the student that interfere with their engagement in academic activity (or non-academic programs and services, like housing).
December 2, 2025 at 9:21 PM
2. The DSO reviews information from the student to identify any "functional limitations" (the technical term) that may result from a disability experienced by the student that interfere with their engagement in academic activity (or non-academic programs and services, like housing).
1. A student chooses to disclose a disability to the university's designee (disability services).
This can be supported by clear/transparent communication about the availability of services, and stymied by cultural factors (like unsupportive faculty/peers).
This can be supported by clear/transparent communication about the availability of services, and stymied by cultural factors (like unsupportive faculty/peers).
December 2, 2025 at 9:20 PM
1. A student chooses to disclose a disability to the university's designee (disability services).
This can be supported by clear/transparent communication about the availability of services, and stymied by cultural factors (like unsupportive faculty/peers).
This can be supported by clear/transparent communication about the availability of services, and stymied by cultural factors (like unsupportive faculty/peers).
Under the ADA, the obligation to accommodate a disabled student belongs to the university. Most universities designate disability services offices (where people like me work) to be the place where the interactive process happens.
What is that process? 🧵
What is that process? 🧵
December 2, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Under the ADA, the obligation to accommodate a disabled student belongs to the university. Most universities designate disability services offices (where people like me work) to be the place where the interactive process happens.
What is that process? 🧵
What is that process? 🧵
Agree very strongly (and trying to convince others in my field that recency requirements are inappropriate). Most diagnoses are lifelong, and while there is change over time the best source of information on that change is the disabled person themselves almost 100% of the time.
December 2, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Agree very strongly (and trying to convince others in my field that recency requirements are inappropriate). Most diagnoses are lifelong, and while there is change over time the best source of information on that change is the disabled person themselves almost 100% of the time.
And again, this belies a fundamental deep down premise that I imagine the author would deny that she believes - that disabled people *could not be* deserving of such honor. But she can't arrive at these arguments without building on that foundation, even if she denies it is there.
December 2, 2025 at 9:01 PM
And again, this belies a fundamental deep down premise that I imagine the author would deny that she believes - that disabled people *could not be* deserving of such honor. But she can't arrive at these arguments without building on that foundation, even if she denies it is there.
Not sure this is always what is happening (I think sometimes it is just a general "kids these days" kind of thing), but I have 100% seen this dynamic. It's 1 of many reasons I immediately bristle when I hear the word "manipulative" used to describe a student
December 2, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Not sure this is always what is happening (I think sometimes it is just a general "kids these days" kind of thing), but I have 100% seen this dynamic. It's 1 of many reasons I immediately bristle when I hear the word "manipulative" used to describe a student
Yeah, those numbers are from my research regionally - it can definitely spike in key areas, and when doing multiple evals at the same time (especially if it spreads the eval across multiple days). 1-3k is too much - and it is also often far more.
December 2, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Yeah, those numbers are from my research regionally - it can definitely spike in key areas, and when doing multiple evals at the same time (especially if it spreads the eval across multiple days). 1-3k is too much - and it is also often far more.
I think it's (often) one of those "every accusation is a confession" things. They feel like they snuck or cheated their way through, so they assume others must be doing the same.
December 2, 2025 at 8:52 PM
I think it's (often) one of those "every accusation is a confession" things. They feel like they snuck or cheated their way through, so they assume others must be doing the same.
Yeah, like I said - there's this deep-down belief that some people (wrongly) hold (and may or may not recognize) - that "disability" and "gifted" are incongruous. The idea that they are not is anathema, even to many otherwise very progressive people
December 2, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Yeah, like I said - there's this deep-down belief that some people (wrongly) hold (and may or may not recognize) - that "disability" and "gifted" are incongruous. The idea that they are not is anathema, even to many otherwise very progressive people
For sure - and then there's the flip side of it which is that in some contexts there's an expectation of seeing tests "with adult norms". There are so many different sets of expectations that we just exhaust disabled people's ability to self advocate trying to meet them.
December 2, 2025 at 8:26 PM
For sure - and then there's the flip side of it which is that in some contexts there's an expectation of seeing tests "with adult norms". There are so many different sets of expectations that we just exhaust disabled people's ability to self advocate trying to meet them.
Yeah, invisible disability is a challenge in higher ed, because of people like this author who can only conceptualize disability along its visible spectrum. Chronic illness, mental health, neurodivergence - all treated with skepticism even (and often especially) by those who should know better
December 2, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Yeah, invisible disability is a challenge in higher ed, because of people like this author who can only conceptualize disability along its visible spectrum. Chronic illness, mental health, neurodivergence - all treated with skepticism even (and often especially) by those who should know better
When an eval costs 1,000-3,000 dollars, you bet they are more likely!
For some reason, though, authors like this always seem to suggest that DSS offices should be *more* strict with documentation requirements, even though that is *more* of a barrier to students with low financial access to services
For some reason, though, authors like this always seem to suggest that DSS offices should be *more* strict with documentation requirements, even though that is *more* of a barrier to students with low financial access to services
December 2, 2025 at 4:40 PM
When an eval costs 1,000-3,000 dollars, you bet they are more likely!
For some reason, though, authors like this always seem to suggest that DSS offices should be *more* strict with documentation requirements, even though that is *more* of a barrier to students with low financial access to services
For some reason, though, authors like this always seem to suggest that DSS offices should be *more* strict with documentation requirements, even though that is *more* of a barrier to students with low financial access to services