When I was in middle and high school, many teachers and school staff members encouraged me to develop strong self-advocacy skills so that I could feel comfortable talking about my low vision and what accommodations I would need in the classroom. Talking to a substitute teacher was a great way to practice these skills, because I would have to request accessible materials from them during class and do a lot of things on my own without asking for help. Here are my tips for explaining disability accommodations to substitute teachers and practicing self-advocacy skills, from the perspective of a student with low vision and a neurological condition. This post is inclusive of accommodations from Student Assistance Plans, IEPs, and 504 Plans.
Ask the teacher to add a note about accommodations if possible
If the teacher announced in advance that they would be having a substitute, I would ask them to put a note in the lesson plan that I would receive an accessible copy of assignments and any other relevant accommodations. I began to request this after an incident in middle school where the substitute teacher thought I was stealing the large-print copy of the assignment from another student who needed it, and again in high school after a substitute teacher repeatedly flickered lights in the classroom. I also have them note that I can use technology like my iPad for assignments, so I don’t have to worry about assistive technology being confiscated.
Related links
- Dear Elementary School Teacher
- Dear Middle School Teacher
- Dear High School Teacher
- School Lockers and Low Vision
- How I Use My Phone As Assistive Technology In Class
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
If needed, mention environmental accommodations
In high school, a substitute teacher flickered the lights rapidly and repeatedly to get our attention, and the flashing lights made me very disoriented and triggered a migraine. I wasn’t upset at the substitute, because I thought there was no way they would have known about that and that my teacher had probably forgotten to tell them. However, several of my classmates pointed out that the substitute teacher had ignored a note left by our teacher and that it was frustrating that I couldn’t participate in a fun class activity as a result— their allyship is something I have never forgotten, even though the situation escalated into a “mock trial” with multiple students calling them out. After that incident, I would walk up to the teacher as soon as I got in the classroom and ask them not to use flashing lights to get our attention, or to alert me before they flicker the lights.
When my teacher returned, they found out from other students that the substitute had flickered the lights and that I had left the classroom. As a result, they began putting a 72-pt font note at the bottom of the lesson plans reminding visitors not to flicker the lights.
Related links
- How To Check Videos For Flashing Lights
- Flashing Lights and Photosensitivity in the Classroom
- How I Talk To Professors About Photosensitivity
- Reduce Glare In The Classroom For Low Vision Students
- Environmental Accommodations For Low Vision Students
Request accessible copies of assignments, if available
When the substitute passes out assignments, I request the large print accessible copy which is normally on the bottom or top of the stack of papers. Since the entire class knows I receive large print, it isn’t the end of the world if someone else gets my assignment by mistake— we just trade once the teacher is done passing out assignments. Starting in my junior year of high school, I would ask the teacher in advance for a digital copy of the classwork and tell the substitute I already have the assignment on my iPad or computer, and that I would turn it in digitally like my other classwork.
Related links
- Low Vision Accommodations For Print Materials From My Low Vision IEP
- Implementing Shared Folders For Accessible Materials
- How I Receive Accessible Quizzes and Tests in the Classroom
- Paper Colors And Low Vision
- Paper Sizes and Low Vision Accessibility
- How I Organize Digital Files For My Classes
If accessible copies of assignments are not available
I recognize that my teachers are often thinking about a million other things when putting together plans for a substitute teacher, and that it can be easy to forget to make an accessible copy of an assignment. I used to refuse to do assignments if they were inaccessible, though the teachers would treat me the same as the other students and give me a zero for not completing it.
If I received an inaccessible copy of an assignment and no accessible copy was available, I would request a hall pass to go to my case manager or the main office to enlarge the assignment, or ask if I could use additional assistive technology to complete the assignment. If there was absolutely no way I could get an accessible copy of an assignment within a reasonable amount of time, I’d just work on other assignments for different classes so I could still be productive, and try to do the assignment later.
Related links
- Ten Spooky Inaccessible Assignments and How To Fix Them
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- Ten Lessons My TVI Taught Me
- Dealing With Anxiety About Accommodations
- How I Receive Accessible Quizzes and Tests in the Classroom
Don’t be afraid to say no to inaccessible or dangerous activities, but propose an alternative
For a couple of my classes, teachers would have us watch a movie that had flashing lights or do other activities that were inaccessible or potentially dangerous for someone with low vision (e.g. dodgeball). Instead of giving the substitute a hard time or shaming them for suggesting I participate, I would tell them that I am unable to participate in an activity due to light sensitivity or low vision (whichever one was relevant) and ask if I could go to a quiet area and work on an alternative assignment, or to another approved location. Most substitutes actually appreciated that I was able to recognize activities that may be dangerous for me and remove myself from the situation.
I chose to practice self-exclusion and remove myself from the classroom environment because it would be challenging for me to block out environmental triggers like flashing lights or flying objects without help from others. My guidance counselor gave me a list of places I could go if I ran into these types of situations, and I felt comfortable going there alone or with a friend.
Related links
- School Cafeterias and Low Vision
- Gym Classes and Low Vision: My Personal Experiences
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- How My Guidance Counselor Helped Me As A Low Vision Student
Have accommodations memorized
Remember how I mentioned that I would have to create my own accessible copies of assignments or explain why I needed something? I memorized all of my IEP accommodations so that I could clearly explain why and how I need something, instead of not knowing how I get accommodations in the classroom. This was also helpful for one particular day when the substitute teacher believed I was exaggerating my condition and that I did not need these accommodations— since I was telling the truth, my case manager and other school staff members were willing to back me up when the substitute teacher contacted them for assistance.
Related links
- Eight Things You Need To Know About Your Disability Accommodations
- How I Respond To Questions/Comments About My Eyes
- Common IEP Terminology For Low Vision
- Five Things Your IEP Case Manager Won’t Tell You
- Why You Should Register With Disability Services in College
Understand that most substitutes are not familiar with disability
While I’ve had lots of teachers that have been very familiar with disability and how it affects different students, substitute teachers often are not overly familiar with disability and especially not visual impairment. Even if they say or do frustrating things, I treat them just like my normal teachers and do not talk back or otherwise disrupt class. But I also stand my ground and do not let them take away things I need.
For example, a substitute teacher once asked me to remove my tinted glasses because students were not allowed to wear sunglasses inside, and even tried to take the glasses off my face. I told them that I was wearing tinted prescription glasses due to light sensitivity and that if I wear my glasses, that means I can complete my schoolwork and concentrate in class. Instead of giving in to their demands or telling them that I would not listen to them because they were not my real teacher, I was able to calmly explain why I would not be complying with their request, and how tinted glasses are a medical necessity. They still left a note suggesting that I should get lunch detention when my teacher returned, but the teacher ignored it since I had been polite but firm about the situation.
Related links
- How Tinted Glasses Help My Light Sensitivity
- How I Respond To Questions/Comments About My Glasses
- Tips For Handling Academic Ableism In The Classroom
- Veronica’s Four Eyes: All About My Glasses For Low Vision
- How I Explain My Brain With Chiari Malformation
More ideas for explaining disability accommodations to substitute teachers
- My school district had a few “regular” substitute teachers, and when possible my teachers would request them since they were typically already familiar with student disability accommodations.
- On some occasions, I would go to my case manager’s office instead of the normal classroom if it was indicated in the substitute lesson plans or if my case manager came to get me from class. I’m not entirely sure why this happened, but it did come up a few times and I spent the class period working on the same assignments in another classroom.
- I didn’t use a white cane/blindness cane until after I had graduated from high school, so most substitutes were surprised to find out I had low vision since it wasn’t “obvious.” I share more about learning to use a cane in Ten Things To Know About Going To College With A Blindness Cane
- Wondering how I talk about disability accommodations with professors? Read How To Explain Disability Accommodations To Professors
Published August 8, 2019. Updated January 2025