Nuts and Bolts of being a College Student

College is different from High school IN High School, most of your education

decisions are made for you by your parents or teachers or the state curriculum

IN College, a few decisions are made for you but there is a LOT of choice. And lots of independence!

Who advocates for you? High School

Your ParentsYour TeachersYou after age 16

CollegeYOUYour parents might be

in one meeting with you and the Disability office

Plans in High School v/s CollegeHigh School 504 Plan IEP Teachers responsible for

plans being implemented

College does not have a written plan like High School

Student is responsible for requesting

academic accommodations from the Disability Office with documentation supporting the request

Notifying Professors making testing arrangements Ensuring they are using the

services necessary Following the time lines of

their school

What do I mean by Advocate? You have a disability. You have to be COMFORTABLE

discussing your Disability. You have to KNOW your Disability and any

limitations your disability causes that might impact your access to a College Education.

You have to KNOW your disability and any limitations well enough to ASK for reasonable accommodations.

What Do I mean by “Advocate” ?

By knowing your disability, you will have ideas about what the college and you can do to reduce the impact of your disability.

You are allowed reasonable academic or residential accommodations to help reduce the impact of your disability on educational access.

If you don’t ask for the help or the accommodation you may need, it may not be offered.

Help Resources on campusesFor All Students: Academic Support Services Writing Center Tutoring office Help tables in various departments Counseling Center Health Center/Wellness Center Academic Advisement CenterIn Addition, For Students with Disabilities: Disability Office

Disability Office This is the office that will work with you to receive

equal access to the College You have to identify yourself to this office as a person with

a disability You have to provide documentation of your disability and

its functional limitations You have to work together with the Disabiltiy Office to

determine reasonable accommodations If you don’t’ identify with the Disability Office the college

does not know that you are on campus and does not know you may need accommodations.

Accommodations start AFTER you identify with the office

Documentation part of Advocacy Each disability has different documentation

requirements Discuss with your college what

documentation it needs for your particular disability

Discuss how CURRENT the documentation needs to be (some within 6 months, others within 3 years - - you are responsible for documentation NOT the college)

Good Advocate knows: Reasonable Accommodations –

Reduce the impact of the disability on access to the educational environment, physical or educational

Do not reduce the rigor of the academic program Do not change the graduation requirements Do not provide a service for free that others have

to pay to receive Do not provide personal aides or tutors Do not provide free technology that others have to

pay to receive

Good Advocate knows: Unreasonable Academic Accommodations Free services that other students pay to receive

( tutoring, for example) Personal Aides for personal care or assistance

with study or work outside the classroom In general any request that changes the

graduation or major requirements of the college There are some colleges that will consider

substitutions, but other colleges consider a substitution a fundamental alteration of the curriculum.

Know the GRADUATION or major requirements before you apply.

Good Advocate knows: Other requests that may be unreasonable

Color code the important information in the text book FOR you

Someone to keep you on task in the classroomDirections simplifiedTest questions explained or simplifiedExemptions from general education

requirementsDoor to door transportation

To be a good Advocate for yourself you need to: Know the NAME of your Disability How does your disability impact or limit

you in School? How does your disability impact or limit

you with on-campus housing? How does your disability impact or limit

you in everyday life?

What are the limitations of YOUR disability? Example: YOU may have a Learning Disability It:

May slow down your reading speedMay slow down how fast you get information in

or out of your brainMay make it very difficult to listen to lecture AND

take notes at the same timeMay prevent you from reading text books

(reading vocabulary is low), but you can understand what you hear.

Learning Disability example Reading speed slow, processing speed

slow REASONABLE accommodation may be

extra time on examspacing your courses so you have fewer

reading intense courses each term

Learning Disability cont. Can’t read the text book but can

understand what you hear REASONABLE academic

accommodation may beElectronic books so you can hear your

computer read the book to you.Books on tape from RFBDReader for exams

Learning Disability

Can’t listen to lecture and take notes at the same time

Reasonable academic accommodation might beStudent note taker ORCopy of lecturers notes ORUse of a digital recorder to record the

lecture

Physical Disability Example How does your physical disability get in

the way of your education?Mobility?Opening doors?Stamina?Fine motor control (hand writing)?

Physical Disability Mobility Reasonable accommodation may include:

Special HousingDoor openersElevators in buildingSpecial parkingReasonable paths to classesExtra time between classes to give time to move

around campusAccessible Washers and Dryers

Physical Disability

Stamina Reasonable accommodations may

include:Reduce course loadExtra time for examsCustomizing your schedule with one class in

morning and one in afternoon

Physical Disability

Fine motor control Reasonable accommodations may

include:Word processor for essay examsScribe for examsPerson to bubble in scantron exam answers

Your turn to play advocate: What are the limitations a person with

these disabilities might have?Hearing impairedVisually impairedAttention deficit disorder

What might be Reasonable accommodations for each?

Did you suggest - - -

Hearing impairedNotes?Sign language interpreter?Hearing aid system that works with Audio in

lecture area?

Did you suggest - - -

Visually impairedEnlarged print for hand outsBraille for handout or booksAuditory or electronic text booksReader OR large print OR Braille for exams

Did you suggest - - ?

Attention deficit disorderLess distracting testing environmentExtra time on exams to re-focusSpecial class schedule to have classes

during the part of the day when more likely to be focused

Other Disabilities: know what you have and how it impacts you

Psychiatric or Emotional disabilities Allergies that are limiting in nature (allergic

to wheat, peanuts, etc) Medical disabilities Chronic illnesses Combinations of conditions (LD + ADD,

ADD + Anxiety) Recovery from drug or alcohol dependence Traumatic event syndromes

Final Words Think about yourself carefully If you go away to school

Can you clean your room?Can you do laundry?Can you get up and get to class on your own?Do you take showers and change your clothes

on a regular basis?Remember medications on your own?Remember to eat regular meals?

Final Thoughts cont.Deal with room mate issues?Can you study with out some one telling you to

study?Can you remember test dates and homework

due dates with out constant reminders?

You can be Academically qualified to be at College BUT you also need to have the self care and self motivation to succeed at college.