Disability Services in Higher Education

1
Disability Services in Higher Education
2
Differences inHigh School vs. College

1. All students must meet same standard
2. Responsibility shift
3. Confidentiality
4. Documentation

3
Meeting the same standard

• All students must meet the same standard
  (typically this means take same tests, write same
  papers, etc.)
• However, students with a disability can use
  accommodations to meet that standard. (extra
  time, a reader, etc.)
• Goal is for all students to have an equal
  playing field.

4
Responsibility shift

• Unlike high school, colleges are not responsible
  for identifying and evaluating potential
  students with disabilities.
• Students have the responsibility of disclosing
  their disability to the disability services
  office if they seek accommodations.

5
Responsibility shift cont.

• Student is responsible for self-advocacy. It is
  the students responsibility to ask for help when
  help is needed.
• Teachers may not always remind students of
  incomplete or missing work.

6
Confidentiality

• In high school often times students are labeled
  as a special education student.
• In college, students are not labeled and are not
  served separately from other students.

7
Confidentiality cont.

• In high school, school personnel talk freely with
  parents about student progress and planning.
• In college, personnel cannot discuss a student
  without their written permission. Faculty are
  only notified of required accommodations.

8
Documentation

• Students are responsible for obtaining
  appropriate documentation of their disability
  from a qualified professional.
• Once in college, if students suspect that they
  have a disability but do not have appropriate
  documentation, the student is responsible for
  seeking an evaluation and paying for that
  evaluation. The DSS office can provide you with a
  referral list in order to seek an evaluation.

9
What is appropriate documentation?

• Some schools may require more documentation than
  others but all schools will require you to
  provide documentation prepared by a qualified
  professional. The student is responsible for any
  fees associated with obtaining required
  documentation.

10
Who is a qualified professional?

• This depends on the type of disability for
  medical conditions, a medical doctor for
  psychiatric conditions, a psychiatrist,
  therapist, psychologist, or social worker for
  learning disabilities, a psycho-educational
  evaluation from a school psychologist or clinical
  neuro-psychologist.

11
What should be included in the documentation?

• Diagnostic statement identifying the disability.
• Description of diagnostic methodology used.
• Description of functional limitations.
• Description of expected progression or stability
  of the disability.
• Recommendations for accommodations.

12
Is an IEP or Section 504 plan acceptable
documentation?

• This may depend upon the college - Ask. Usually
  an IEP or 504 plan alone, is not sufficient
  documentation for most colleges.
• Services provided in college are no longer
  governed by IDEA. College presents different
  demands than high school. What a student needs
  to meet these new demands may be different.

13
What are common accommodations at the college
level?

• Extended testing time (typically time and a half)
• Testing in a quiet area
• Readers for exams
• Note takers
• Use of a tape recorder
• Use of a calculator
• Scribes for exams
• Interpreters

14
Unreasonable accommodations

1. Fundamental alteration accommodations can not
   reduce academic standards of the college.
2. Undue hardship if accommodation costs too much
   or if organization does not have resources to
   respond to request.(This generally has not held
   up in court when relating to colleges, the
   colleges overall budget is taken into
   consideration not the DSS budget)
3. Personal service services that a person with a
   disability would use regardless of attendance at
   college.

15
What are unreasonable accommodations?

• Independent living services
• Mental health services
• Rehabilitation services
• Providing a personal aide
• Providing a wheelchair
• Providing glasses

16
When should students request services?

• The sooner the better.
• Students may request accommodations at any time,
  however it is recommended that students make an
  appointment with the appropriate individual as
  soon as they sign up for classes.
• Accommodations are not retroactive.