Flex Plan is built into the AIM accommodations portal and helps to maintain details on what flexibility may be possible in a course and track when a student’s disability results in an absence throughout the semester.
You can read more about Flex Plan and the ways it has been designed to support the Plan for Absences & Missed Deadlines accommodation in the Faculty Resource Guide.
To access Flex Plan, you can log into your AIM Instructor Portal and click Flex Plan in the menu on the left-hand side.
When a student in one of your courses requests the Plan for Absences & Missed Deadlines accommodation, the accommodations letter you receive will have a link to complete a Flex Plan in your AIM Instructor Portal
- Log into your AIM Instructor Portal.
- Navigate to Flex Plan from the menu on the left-hand side.
- Scroll to the Overview of Flex Plan section and take note of the count listed for Number of Plans Not Initiated. These are courses where a Flex Plan still needs to be submitted.
- Continue scrolling to the Step 1: Select Courses (for Bulk Specify or Copy from Previously Completed) section.
- The table shows all courses where a Flex Plan has been requested. You can either manage plans in bulk by checking the boxes and clicking the Specify Flex Plan for Multiple Courses button or simply click the View option in the left-hand column to specify details individually for each course.
- You can always view previously submitted flex plans from this same page by simply clicking the View link. Please contact Disability Resources if you need to modify an existing Flex Plan.
To initiate a Flex Plan for your course, follow the steps in the Getting Started with Flex Plan section.
Once you click the View link for a Flex Plan or choose the Bulk Specify option, you will complete the short questionnaire regarding information on expectations, outcomes and activities as part of your course. for guidance on determining what could be reasonable and appropriate for flexibility in your course, please review the rubric and case studies available on the Plan for Absences & Missed Deadlines hub in the Faculty Resource Guide.
Once submitted, Disability Resources will review your submission to ensure parameters are clear and will then mark the Flex Plan as Completed. The student will receive an email with the details of your Flex Plan and can also view your responses in their AIM accommodations portal.
To copy a Flex Plan across sections/courses/previous semesters, follow the steps for accessing Flex Plan in the Getting Started with Flex Plan section.
In the table of courses and flex plans, click the View link beside any course where a Flex Plan has already been initiated.
Scroll to the Options section below the details of the Flex Plan for the currently-selected course. A drop-down provides other courses where a Flex Plan has not yet been initiated.
Select the course from which you would like to copy your Flex Plan responses and then click the Copy Flex Plan button.
To review a disability-related absence notification, follow the steps to navigate to Flex Plan in the Getting Started with Flex Plan section. Scroll to the Disability-Related Absence Notification Requests section and choose from the available options:
- Click the List Disability-Related Absence Notification Requests Waiting for Instructor Response link to review and Accept or Dispute requests submitted by students with the Plan for Absences & Missed Deadlines accommodation.
- Click the List All Disability-Related Absence Notification Requests link to review any requests that have been received across your courses for the current semester.
When a new disability-related absence notification request is received, you can either Accept or Dispute it based on information provided in your Flex Plan and how the request corresponds with communication, timelines and other expectations shared with all students in your course.
If you choose to Accept the request, the process is marked Complete and both you and the student will receive a confirmation email.
If you choose to Dispute the request, you will be asked to provide details to both the student and the assigned Access Coordinator as to why you are disputing the request. (Please note: The student’s Access coordinator will follow up with both you and the student to gather information in the event additional context is necessary).
Once a disputed request has been fully reviewed, the Access Coordinator will either cancel the request or work with the instructor and student to resolve any concerns.
While flexibility is most often determined through consideration of the expectations, outcomes and activities of a course, a unique situation involving a student’s disability may warrant further discussion about the details of a Flex Plan or disability-related absence notification.
If through discussion it is determined a student’s barriers necessitate an exception to the Flex Plan submitted for your course, the student’s assigned Access coordinator will work with you to submit an exception, which is initiated by Disability Resources staff and available for review by the instructor.
Q: Is the Plan for Absences & Missed Deadlines accommodation changing with the addition of Flex Plan?
A: The parameters for communication, absences, exams/quizzes, and short-term assignment deadlines outlined in the Plan for absences & Missed Deadlines accommodation are unchanged. The only aspects of the accommodations language that have been modified relate to (1) The guidance for instructors to complete a Flex Plan in their Aim Instructor Portal, and (2) The expectation that students submit a disability-related absence notification whenever an absence related to their disability impacts attendance, completion of a short-term assignment deadline or other course activity.
Q: What if I need to modify a previously-submitted Flex Plan?
A: There is not currently an option for instructors to modify a Flex Plan. Please contact the student’s assigned Access coordinator listed on their accommodations letter or email [email protected] if you need to make changes to the Flex Plan for your course.
Q: Does a Flex Plan need to be submitted for every student with the Plan for Absences & Missed Deadlines accommodation in my courses?
A: No. Because flexibility would be determined based on the expectations, objectives and outcomes of a course, a Flex Plan would typically apply to all students in the course. Once you complete a Flex Plan for your course, it is automatically applied to each student with the accommodation who has already requested accommodations and for any additional students who request their accommodations afterward. Additionally, you can copy a Flex Plan submitted for one section to any other courses or sections being taught during the current semester. If you submitted a Flex Plan in one of the past 10 semesters, you can also apply this previously-submitted plan to any current plans that have not yet been initiated.