Students with Disabilities

Students With Disabilities

Not all of the same laws protecting persons in grades k-12 are applicable in colleges, so students and parents alike must be proactive in selecting a school which meets the student’s needs. Please click here for a post-secondary transition packet for students with learning disabilities.

Topics include:

  • Post-secondary options
  • Checklist for choosing the right college
  • High school/college comparison
  • Difference between secondary and post-secondary disability laws
  • Seven essential elements of quality disability documentation
  • Resources for navigating the college search for students with learning disabilities and AD/HD

Contact Your College

  • Not all services are available
  • Some may be free while others may cost a fee
  • Some services require documentation in order to be recieved by students
  • Schools differ; some colleges offer better programs than others. This should be taken into account when selecting a college

College Planning For Students With Disabilities

Things to keep in mind:

  • Self-advocacy
  • Concideration during the admission process
  • Steps to follwo once a school is selected
  • Your legal rights and responsibilities

For more information: http://apps.educationquest.org/pdfs/CP_Disability.pdf

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)

  • National organization aiding students with disabilites in recieving a full post-secondary education
  • Helping create policies and  and quality of programs

More information on AHEAD: http://www.ahead.org/

Legal Rights

Americans with Disabilities Act:

  • National laws to end discrimination against persons with disabilities
  • Ensures equal oppertunities in employment and education

Resources: http://www.ada.gov/

http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-ada.html

Assistive Technology Act of 1988:

  • Known as the “Tech Act”
  • State program helping students with disabilities access technology to aid in their studies

 

  • What is Assistive Technology?
    • “Any item, piece of equipment, or system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is commonly used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities” (Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards, Section 508)
    • This technology is used by a person with a disability in order for them to perform functions that would otherwise be difficult or imposible
    • Assistive Technology is used to accommodate an individual’s limitations DUE to their disability. Therefore, in a school setting, the technology used must be directly related to a student’s disability
  • Examples of Assistive Technology
    • Limited hand function: Keyboard with large keys
    • Visual Disability: Large screen projectors, Braille textbooks.
    • Physical Disability: Wheelchairs, Grab bars
    • Hearing Disability: Amplified classroom devices, visual alarm system

Resources For The Assistive Technology Act: http://nichcy.org/laws/ata

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act:

  • Students cannot be excluded from any institution with any type of federal aid due to disabilities
  • Includes post-secondary education

Resources for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/civilrights/resources/factsheets/504.pdf

http://www.section508.gov/docs/Section504.pdf