About College
College life poses different challenges for
students with disabilities. When students
enroll in college, they are considered
responsible adults by faculty and staff.
The expectations are that they will
assume responsibilities for meeting their
class requirements.
This added responsibility is coupled with a
change in environment. Whereas the high
school was a very structured environment
with a set schedule, college schedules can
vary dramatically. For the first time
students may have considerable time
between classes and frequently do not
use this time wisely. Students must
enforce their own attendance policies and
prepare to realize personal consequences
if they choose not to attend class.
Is your child ready to assume
responsibilities? If not, how will she/he
learn these responsibilities?
Self-Advocacy
Another student responsibility is that of
self-advocate. Students must become
adept at realistically assessing and
understanding their strengths,
weaknesses, needs, and preferences.
Also, they must become experts at
communicating these to other adults
including instructors and service
providers. Although services will be
available to them through an office
specializing in services for students with
disabilities, often called the
Disability Services Office (DSO) office,
students will be responsible for seeking
these services and supports. Good
communication skills and knowledge about
oneself become crucial to success in
college. How well does your child describe
disability information? How well does your
child self-advocate?
The list below contrasts services offered at
the high school level and college.
Comparison of Services
High school and college are very different.
Consider these differences and their importance to your child.
High School |
College |
| Services are delivered to the student |
Student must seek out services |
Services are based on an agreed upon
time allotment and menu of choices |
Services are based on
situational/individual needs |
| Case managers act as advocates |
Student acts as advocate |
| Annual review & IEP |
No annual review or IEP |
| Regular parent contact |
No parent contact |
| Entitlement law (IDEA) |
Anti-discrimination law (ADA) |
Education and psychology testing is
provided |
Documentation must be provided by
the student |
Setting Demands
Keep in mind that the college demands
will be different and often greater than
in high school. These demands include
the need for greater organizational
skills, assertiveness, and use of self advocacy
skills. Students must be
prepared to handle a complicated
course schedule and make more time
for studying and completing assignments.
Mastering learning strategies
and study techniques will make college
coursework more manageable. Because
adults will not be seeking the students
out to offer assistance, students cannot
be shy about asking for help. How
good are your child's study and test taking
skills?
How to Lend Support
You can support your child entering
the college setting in a number of
ways. First, be knowledgeable about
the rights and responsibilities your
son/daughter has under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Your son/daughter is responsible for
using the information. Prior to
enrollment, make sure that your
son/daughter has all the paperwork
and documentation needed to obtain
services. Once you have gathered the
necessary paperwork, make copies and
turn it over to your son/daughter as
the first step toward he/she assuming
responsibility (make sure that you keep
a copy in a safe place).
Further Support
Beyond taking care of paperwork, consider these steps:
- Encourage the development and use
of self-advocacy skills;
- Help your son/daughter understand
his/her disability;
- Talk about your son/daughters
disability comfortably. Once your
son/daughter has a class schedule,
discuss how his/her strengths and
weaknesses will be effected by each
class and what kinds of services
he/she might need in order to be
successful;
- Once the semester is underway, ask
questions about progress, but
remember that your son/daughter is
ultimately responsible for his/her
success;
- Listen and ask questions when you
sense a problem is occurring;
- Realize that the coursework will be
more difficult and time consuming
than during high school;
- If your son/daughter is living at home,
make sure he/she has a quiet place to
study and ample time to finish
assignments.
Parents’ Rights
Your child is considered an adult at the age of 18. You will no longer have access to your child’s records, unless your child chooses to share information with you. You cannot call the school and get
updates on your child.
Visit http://das.kucrl.org/iam.html to download original copies of this information at no charge.
Developed by:
Sean Lancaster and Daryl Mellard, University of Kansas, Center for Research on Learning Division of Adult Studies
This page is available in Alternative formats upon request.
This document was supported in whole or in part by the U. S. Department of Education,
Office of Special Education Programs, (Cooperative Agreement No. H324M980109).
However, the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and no official endorsement by the
Department should be inferred. Note: There are no copyright restrictions on this page: however, please credit the source and support of federal funds when copying all or part of this material.
|
