Summary

The links in this column will change the page to the section you select.

All of the activities in this section, focus on the knowledge and skills needed to obtain academic adjustments (accommodations) in college. As we have noted throughout this parent support module, college Disability Services are very different from Special Education. This is because the laws that apply to colleges are different from those that govern high schools. Your son or daughter must know how to operate in this new system.

College students with disabilities must have strong self-advocacy skills and be prepared to enter into a different kind of relationship with college support staff than they may have had in high school. They must understand the limitations caused by their disability and how these affect their learning. They must be able to discuss reasonable aids and adjustments that will give them access to learning. They must understand that colleges are not required to provide a special program appropriate to their learning needs nor are they required to guarantee success in school.

A senior year meeting with the Disability Services Office at colleges of interest is an important first step. At that meeting, disability can be officially disclosed, documentation discussed and accommodations determined. By meeting while still in high school, there should be sufficient time to solve any problems such as accommodations for pre-college placement tests and deficiencies in documentation.

6 of 7