Achievements

Andrea Nikischer, associate professor and program coordinator of adult education, presented Flexible Course Design for Complex Chronic Conditions at the 2026 SUNY OTTER Institute as part of the Institute’s First-Hand Disability Perspectives program. The June 9 virtual session examined how Long COVID and other complex chronic conditions challenge traditional assumptions about participation, attendance, and performance, and introduced the concepts of variable (fluid) disability and the academic accommodation gap—the space between traditional accommodations and the realities of fluctuating capacity. The presentation shared evidence-based strategies for designing more flexible and accessible learning environments that support student success while maintaining academic rigor.