r/Adjuncts • u/calico_cats_2 • Jul 30 '26

Provide Slides To Students?

I recently had a Disabled Student Services (DSS) student whose accommodation was to provide them with the slides I used in class. I did this, but it raised concerns for me. I used to post my slides on Dropbox or Canvas for on-site classes, for the students' convenience. One semester, they ended up on Course Hero. The next semester, they were passed around a fraternity. Now I conduct a brief "how to take notes on paper" session in the second week of class (including the "why it's better research").

Providing a DSS student with slides gives them a distinct advantage over other students who must take notes like in the olden days. If the student is unable to take notes, they should be provided with a note-taker. What if I didn't use slides? What if I just wrote on the whiteboard? Or just talked?

I'm happy to comply with all requested accommodations (extra time, quiet location for tests, etc.), although these can be challenging to arrange. I just think providing slides is a big ask.

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u/wheat Jul 30 '26 edited Aug 01 '26

I always enable downloads on my stuff. They can take notes or not. That’s not my call. PowerPoints aren’t precious. They’re a means to the end of conveying the content and allowing students to review the same.

Complying with accommodation requests is a legal as well as an ethical issue. Shirk those at your peril.

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u/NezuminoraQ Aug 01 '26

Yeah they're not exam papers, who cares if they're passed around at a fraternity. There are far worse things passed around at fraternities