Transitioning to Post-Secondary Education

1. Transitioning to Post-Secondary Education Denise McGhee, M.Ed. Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell

2. Barriers to College Success • Diminished support system • Inadequate self-advocacy skills • Inadequate accommodations

3. Differences Between K-12 and College • IDEA= Entitlement Student has RIGHT to FAPE. Emphasis on success. • ADA=Eligibility Attending college is a privilege, students must be eligible. Emphasis on equal access.

4. Legal Differences • IDEA • Section 504 • ADA

5. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973Section 504 • Mandates that any entity that receives federal funds must provide full access to programs and services for individuals with disabilities. • Colleges and Universities, including private institutions, have been required to provide access and services to students with disabilities since 1973 because of participation in Federal Student Aid programs.

6. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 • Modeled on the Civil Rights Act • All public services must be fully accessible to people with disabilities (regardless of participation in federal aid programs). • Provides civil rights through fully inclusive equal opportunities for people with disabilities. • Overseen by the Office of Civil Rights

7. Laws That Protect Individuals with Disabilities

8. WHO IS THE DRIVER? • High School • Parents/ Guardians • Teachers • Counselors • College • STUDENT

9. REALITY CHECK Difference between Special Education Disability Service Teachers Providers high school faculty college faculty

10. Teaching Self-Advocacy Skills is Key! Student needs to: • Speak for themselves • Understand their rights and responsibilities • Understand their own strengths and weaknesses • Know about their disability • Know what types of supports will help them

11. Rights of Students with Disabilities • Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs offered at the college/university • Equal opportunity to learn • Equal access to information, services, buildings, and academic learning opportunities • Evaluated based on their ability not their disability • Have a right to appeal the institution’s decisions concerning accommodations

12. Responsibilities of Students with Disabilities • Meet and maintain the institution’s academic and technical standards • Identify themselves to the Disability Service Office and request accommodations • Provide documentation of disability • Communicate with instructors about accommodations • Monitor own accommodations • Follow University procedures if discrimination concern arises

13. Setting up Accommodations STUDENT MUST: • Go to Disability Service Office and register • Provide documentation of disability • Explain how disability impacts learning to counselor/advisor • Request services in a timely manner • Communicate accommodation needs with faculty

14. Documentation Guidelines • Current • Qualified evaluator • Adult Norms • Verify nature and extent of disability • Verify a significant impairment in functioning

15. What about the IEP and SOP? • While the IEP provides helpful information, they are NOT, in and of themselves, sufficient documentation to establish disability • The SOP provides useful information, it is NOT sufficient without the original evaluation which determined the diagnosed disability attached

16. How current does the documentation need to be? • The College is not responsible for paying for new evaluations • Most colleges require assessments to be no more than 3 years old • Providing the student with an updated assessment will be of great benefit

17. How Parents and Schools Can Prepare Students • Involve students in IEP meetings • Provide students with explanations of the type and purpose of evaluations • Involve students in the interpretation of test results • Provide self-advocacy training • Provide student with complete re-evaluation during the senior year • Provide student with copies of evaluations when they exit • Visit colleges of interest

18. Types of Academic Accommodations • Assistive Technology • Textbooks on CD • Sign Language Interpreter • Reader, Scribes, Note-takers • Out of class testing

19. Disability Support Services Will… • Empower students • Provide accommodations • Monitor discrimination issues • Ensure accessibility • Protect confidentiality

20. Questions?