Alternatives to group work
Disability- or chronic health-related functional impacts can significantly impact a student's ability to engage in active collaboration with a group . For example, a student with autism spectrum disorder may experience impacts navigating social dynamics and communication.
The alternatives to group work accommodation offers flexibility when disability-related impacts interfere with the student's ability to engage in active collaboration with a group . Alternatives cannot change essential course requirements.
Many students find group work challenging. This accommodation is only assigned for students who experience significant disability-related impacts to communication and social interactions.
Student responsibilities
Contact the instructor as early in the term as possible to discuss alternatives to group work.
Consider alternatives that help mitigate the barrier, like those listed in the Alternatives section below.
Instructor responsibilities
Negotiate an alternative to group work, if group work is not an essential course requirement.
Refer to processes for resolving academic accommodation implementation in the academic accommodation policy (section 11, page 6) if group work is an essential course requirement.
Alternatives
Consider the following alternatives to group work:
- work in a smaller group
- collaborate virtually or asynchronously
- complete parts of the assignment individually
- complete work individually
- assign groups without student choice
- allow students to choose their own group
These alternatives may not be appropriate for every student. Individual students and instructors may have their own suggestions for alternatives.
These alternatives may not be appropriate for every course. For example, an essential requirement of the course may be to demonstrate skills like teamwork and professionalism when working in groups.
How to help
Provide a clear explanation of the skills that students are expected to demonstrate and how these will be graded in the syllabus. For example, teamwork, critical thinking, and professionalism.