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2. Develop a Plan with Disability Services

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You Know You Are Ready for College When You:

10
Know How You Learn Best
9
 Know, Disclose, Document Disability
8
 Have Take College Placement Tests
7
 Know About College Disability Services
6
 Organize Yourself for College
5
 Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
4
 Understand Academic Adjustments
3
 Use Technology to Support Learning
2
 Develop a Disability Support Plan
1
 Manage your Learning Supports
?
 Are Your Ready?

We have talked about the college Office of Disability Services (DS) in most of the Checkpoints so far. By now, you probably know:

  1. DS is the office that coordinates support services for students with disabilities,
  2. DS is where you disclose your disability and request services
  3. DS staff will require written documentation of your disability
  4. DS has procedures that you will need to follow
  5. DS can give you access to resources that can help you
  6. DS will assist you by developing a plan for academic adjustments

Knowing about Disability Services is good start, but what really matters is actually making contact with the Disability Services Coordinator to develop a support plan. That is what you will prepare to do in this Checkpoint. Make sure you have worked through Checkpoints 10 through 3 before you contact the Disability Services Office.

Making Contact During Your Senior Year

Calling people you do not know to discuss something as personal as your disability is difficult; however, if you have decided to disclose your disability, it is essential and now is the time. Here is what to do:

  • Look up the phone number and Disability Coordinator's name. Use information you already have, or find it on postitt.org or Google.com™
  • Use the script provided by this link and/or modify it to meet your needs
  • Write down the time, who you will be meeting with, where you will meet, how to find the location, and what you should bring.

Preparing for your Meeting

Think about what you want out of your meeting and write those thoughts down. Click here for more information on preparing.

Day of the Meeting

Give yourself extra time on the day of the meeting. Be on campus a half hour ahead of time to locate the building and office. Take your disability documentation (if you have not sent it in already), paper and pen for notes, a small tape recorder if that helps you remember. If you have a copy of the student handbook, bring that too. Be prepared to talk about the classes you hope to take and the academic adjustments that you think you will need.
Click here to learn about whether or not to bring someone with you.

During the meeting

During your first meeting with the Disability Services Coordinator, politely and clearly state your disability and request academic adjustments. Expect that this will be a give-and-take meeting where the DS Coordinator will have questions of you, too. Students who work collaboratively with the Disability Services staff get the most effective support with the least hassle. Click this link for ideas on how this meeting might go.

Closing the Meeting

Watch the time so that you get all of your questions asked and answered. As the time approaches for the meeting to end, summarize what you have learned, agreed to, and who has responsibility for what. If a follow-up meeting, a call or a letter is required, make an appointment for that meeting or a commitment to write or call back with the required information.

Finally, BE THANKFUL. Whether or not you have come to perfect agreement on what you want, acknowledge the time and effort of the Disability Services Coordinator and say "Thank You". Of course truly appreciating others has its own rewards; not the least of which is that others are more likely to have an appreciation of you and your efforts.

When you get Home

Find someone you trust like a parent, teacher, or counselor and discuss your meeting. Summarize what you learned and what you need to do. Maybe your documentation needs updating. Perhaps you should try books-on-tape during your last high school semester. Maybe you need to put follow-up appointments on your calendar or start a file to store important paperwork. Whatever you do, you have started a plan. Now is the time to begin to work that plan!

Summary

  1. Schedule an intake appointment with the Disability Services Coordinator at the college you plan to attend.
  2. Prepare by thinking about what you want to accomplish at the meeting
  3. Prepare for the meeting by allowing for extra time to find the office and by having your disability documentation.
  4. Have a plan for how you want the meeting to progress so that you accomplish what you need.
  5. Ask questions to clarify what you do not understand and be polite and respectful of the Disability Services Coordinator's time.
  6. Review what you learned at the meeting with a trusted parent, teacher or advocate.
  7. Follow-up on anything you committed to do.