College Is Very Different from High School

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Colleges are not governed by the same laws that apply to public high schools. Both colleges and public schools must provide access to individuals with disabilities by making reasonable accommodations. However, colleges only provide access to instruction for individuals who are qualified and who identify themselves as having a disability. Initially, many young college students choose not to disclose their disability and discuss accommodations. This is understandable; but, may result in difficulty adjusting to college.

Unlike high school, the law does not require colleges to provide special education or related services. There is less staff providing assistance to students with disabilities in college. In contrast to public schools where special educators might have a caseload of 15 to 30 students, college disability service coordinators have a caseload in the hundreds. In short, students and parents should expect a very different approach to disability support in college. For more information on disability law, go to the Disability Law section of the Post-ITT Web site.

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