In the text “Becoming Visible,” the concept of “special treatment” and the idea of creating a “fair classroom” were both analyzed against the issues they cause when it comes to the cultivation of a respectful and accessible classroom. I think that the use of these terms or the implementation of actions in order to justify what is “fair” within a classroom is negatively impacting accessible learning and is a concern that needs to become visible within writing studies. Firstly, in my 101 class, I have a student who is partners with another student who has worked out with me special addendums to the syllabus to accommodate to his different learning abilities. This means I sit down with him and we talk through prompts, assignments, and tasks together to make sure he has a complete understanding of what is expected of him. His partner, who has been lacking in his attention to detail on certain assignments and therefore has accrued penalty points, found out about this and made a passing joke about how it was not fair that he didn’t get to meet with me as well, and that if he had such special treatment then he probably would’ve done better too. There are many issues that I have taken with this occurrence:

• The student who I meet with felt compelled to share with his partner that he has difficulty with reading/comprehension, which was not something he needed to share. I feel like when we discuss what is fair or what is considered special treatment, instead of simply creating a classroom environment where accessibility is commonplace and the norm, and then situations like this arise. Although I did give students the option to always meet with me, I think that talking about this as a “special option” made it seem like students could only meet with me if they really needed it.
• Treating a situation like it is in fact “special” instead of “normal” further others or removes different abilities and disability from the classroom.

Positioning certain situations as accommodations or as unusual makes the normal needs of students who don’t fit the ridiculous standard we have in our society for what is “able bodied” seem unusual or different, furthering the othering that already exists within the institution of academia.