High School to College Transition An Overview for Families

1. High School to College TransitionAn Overview for Families

2. Goals • To provide pertinent information that will assist students preparing for college and college life • To familiarize participants with the workings of College Disabilities Services Offices • To explore the importance of disability disclosure in relation to college success

3. College is not High School! • New friends • Moving around campus • More independence/choices • More responsibility: time, money, self • Less privacy • Different kinds of support

4. Transition Plans • Transition plans are a key component in Individualized Education Programs (IEP) • Rights: all IEP and 504 students should have a transition plan • The IEP should reflect what will be needed to reach goals for college

5. High school is different from college • Rights: K-12 services are based on entitlement • Responsibilities: Postsecondary services are based on eligibility and must be requested • There are no special education teachers in college!

6. Good news… • Students with disabilities represent about 10% of higher education students in the US • Students with learning disabilities is the fastest growing disability category among college first year students

7. College Student Rights and Responsibilities • Students have the right to meaningful access, nondiscrimination, and academic adjustments and aids • Students have the responsibility to meet eligibility requirements, request reasonable modifications in a timely manner, and provide documentation to support requests for accommodation • Students have the right to refuse accommodations

8. However • Colleges are entitled to have admissions and program standards, but they cannot discriminate on the basis of a disability • Colleges are not required to make fundamental alterations to programs

9. Student Information • Who gets to look at a student’s information? • * The student • * Office of Disability Services if • the student has requested services • *Anyone else the student chooses • to give access • *Anyone else who may “need to • know” • All college students have rights and responsibilities regarding student records • Review school’s policies and procedures, particularly the Code of Conduct, for details

10. VESID Assistance • All VESID eligible students with a disability qualify for financial assistance for required textbooks through a voucher program • VESID may refer students who need additional assistance with preparing for and/or progressing through college to other adult service agencies

11. A Place to Live • Some colleges require all first year students to live on campus unless exemptions are sought • If so, make sure to tour the residence halls to determine if that setting will work for you • If not, or if you need accommodations such as wheel chair accessibility or a single room, complete the necessary paper work early; these sites are often limited! • Other campuses are “commuter” campuses

12. College Disabilities Services Offices • When speaking with personnel in college • disabilities offices, they will want to • know about your: • Functional disability (or disabilities) • Accommodations: you will need to have equal access to college programs, activities, and services • Documentation • The student needs to be able to speak to these, as well as inquire about other possible accommodations • Accommodations will vary from semester to semester, course to course, and instructor to instructor

13. Services • EACH COLLEGE DETERMINES the level of services that will be available. • Typical assistance available might include: • * tutoring • * note takers • * alternative testing arrangements • * textbooks in alternate format • * sign language interpreters • * physical access • * assistive technology • http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/transition/sah1.html#campus

14. Important Facts • The student must self-identify to the College Student Disabilities Office • Notifying the Admissions Office that an incoming student has a disability does not mean that Disability Services will be notified • Professors will not be informed unless the student provides a letter from Disability Services • The college, by law, is only required to accommodate that which they know about from the time they know about it

15. Some reasons students may not seek assistance • They do not want to be labeled as they were in high school • They want to try it on their own • They equate graduation with being “cured” of the disability • Students may be unaware of rights and responsibilities • May expect supports similar to high school • May reject idea of seeking supports as a chance to assert independence • Unaware of responsibility to self-identify and request services • May need assistance with decision making, self-advocacy, & negotiating skills • Prefer to seek assistance from other support systems

16. Disclosure • Intended release of information • The student determines who he/she will disclose to • Content and timing are important, and may impact outcomes • Accommodation is provided after disclosure

17. Reasons for Disclosing • To obtain accommodations, one must disclose disability-related needs • It is really a safety net in case needed at some point during college years • Additional potential benefits: • Help other students in class (such as instructor using microphone) • Opportunity to participate in & be successful at previously avoided activities • After disclosure, stress of keeping the disability hidden may be removed

18. Documentation • * At the college level, the student must provide current information regarding the impact of the disability • Documentation is linked to accommodation • Documentation is needed to show that there is a disability, not necessarily a diagnosis • * Documentation is not a note from a doctor written on an Rx Pad!

19. Documentation continued • Every college has the right to determine what documentation it will accept • While a 504 plan, an IEP, or an SES may provide some information about what happened in high school, it is not much help for determining college services • ASK about what documentation is needed at any college being considered

20. Skills and/or Orientation Classes • Some colleges have special classes for beginning students • Orientation classes offer more detailed information specific to majors • College academic skills courses • Life skills components • Career development courses • Library skills courses

21. How courses work • Classes generally meet for an hour three times a week, or 1.5 hours two times a week for 3 semester hours (credits) • A semester is generally 15-16 weeks, with two during the regular school year • Quarters are generally 10-11 weeks with three during the regular school year • Trimesters are three terms scheduled throughout the full year • Finals are sometimes scheduled during a separate time in a different room from the regular class • Deadlines are extremely important • pay attention to drop/add dates, when college bills are due, when holidays are observed…

22. Don’t Forget Homework • For each hour in class, most instructors expect students to spend three hours doing assignments or reading outside of class • This means: If a student is taking 12 credits, he/she is expected to spend a minimum of 36 hours preparing and completing assignments • The student is responsible for completing all homework If you need extra time to complete assignments and/or reading, make sure to factor this in when preparing your schedule!

23. Program Alterations for Students with Disabilities • Colleges are not required to make fundamental alterations to programs • For example, a high school may waive or substitute a requirement for foreign language. However, if foreign language is required for teaching programs, the education student will need to complete the requirement • This may be a state certification issue • Other times, it may be a case of the student showing she/he can complete the requirement in a nontraditional way (such as with assistive technology)

24. Link it together • Know your rights and responsibilities • Understand your functional limitations • Recognize the accommodations you may need • Advocate for your needs • Utilize your supports • College Disabilities Services Offices • VESID and other adult services agencies • Enjoy your college career!

25. References • Much of the information contained in this presentation came from: • GW Heath Resource Center, http://www.heath.gwu.edu/search/node • Johnson, K. D., Hines, T. N. (2005). 100 things every college student with a disability ought to know. Williamsville, NY: The Cambridge Stanford Study Skills Institute. • Lynch, R. T., & Gussel, L. (1996). Disclosure and self-advocacy regarding disability-related needs: Strategies to maximize integration in postsecondary education. Journal of Counseling and Development, 74(4), 352-357. • Student Advocacy Handbook for Juniors and Seniors Transitioning to College provided by VESID. To view the entire document: • http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/transition/sah1.html#campus • WNY Collegiate Consortium of Disability Advocates Effective College Planning, 9th Edition. To view the entire document: • http://www.ccdanet.org/ecp/ • Disbro, W. (1995). 100 things every college freshman ought to know. Williamsville, NY: The Cambridge Stanford Study Skills Institute. • Developed with the assistance of Kathy Hoffman, Coordinator of Special Services, Erie County Community College