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Transitioning
From High School To College
It's a whole new world out there!
Different
Laws Apply
IDEA (Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 are very different, leading to miscommunication between
college and high school staffs who have studied only the statues
applying to their institution. In high schools, for example, under
IDEA, special education program procedures may apply primarily to
Learning Disabilities. High school students who are in wheelchairs,
may fall under a subpart of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
and be referred to as their "504" clients. They will develop
IEPs (Individual Education Plans) for these students simply because
that is the procedure they have been required to follow under their
IDEA mandated program. However, Section 504 does not create a requirement
for IEPs in either high school or post-secondary institutions.
The misunderstanding
comes from the practice of assuming that the "IEP" or
"504 Plan" developed at a high school will be binding
on a college or university. The IEP (an IDEA vehicle) no longer
exists. And different aspects of Section 504 apply to high schools
and colleges.
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High School:
Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Americans with Disabilities Act
Civil Rights Restoration Act
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Post Secondary:
Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Americans with Disabilities Act
Civil Rights Restoration Act
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Big things
to Remember:
Students in colleges and
universities are considered adults, with privacy and confidentiality
protections. College staff cannot talk with parents and guardians
about a student's academic activities as was typical in K-12
Eligibility for special education services in high schools is diagnosis
driven (i.e., the student must be diagnosed as having one of eleven
specified conditions). Eligibility for reasonable accommodations
in post-secondary institutions is driven by severity of impact on
a major life activity (i.e., "a mental or physical impairment
that significantly limits a major life activity").
College students must structure and plan their own study time; colleges
do not arrange study periods or provide for time to do homework
during classes.
Professors and classes may differ regarding attendance requirement,
scheduling assignment due dates and exams. The student must study
each professor's syllabus for each class.
Students with disabilities must act to identify their disabilities;
must take specific action to request those accommodations for their
disabilities, if desiring to request accommodations; and must provide
verifying documentation such a psycho-educational test results,
medical documents and doctor's statements.
The documentation must verify the disability, describe the extent
of the impairment and provide information that supports the need
for specific accommodation.
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high school
responsibilities
Identify students with
disabilities
Provide assessment of learning disabilities
Provide a free and appropriate education
Involve parents or guardians in placement decisions
Provide certain non-academic services such as transportation and
services by the school nurse or health office
Structure a large part of the student's weekly schedule and place
students, with parent participation and approval, in programs where
they can benefit in anyway.
Prepare Individualized Education Plans (IEP's)
Modify educational programs as needed
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post-secondary
institution responsibilities
Inform students of office
location and procedures for requesting accommodations
Accept and evaluate verifying documentation. Even though it is not
required, some colleges provide assessment
Inform students of their rights and responsibilities
Protect a student's right to privacy and confidentiality
Assure that off-campus and contracted program facilities also comply
with Section 504 (Subpart E) and ADA and are equally accessible
Determine whether students are otherwise qualified for participation
in the program or service, with or without accommodations, and if
so, whether a reasonable accommodation is possible
Provide equal access to programs and service which are accessible
to persons without disabilities
Make reasonable adjustments in teaching methods which do not alter
the essential content of a course or program
(Other differences may exist for post-secondary institutions that
provide housing programs, health services, psychological/counseling
services, and extensive international programs.)
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In contrast to the responsibilities of high schools, at the post
secondary level, student responsibilities change as follows:
Post-Secondary students have a responsibility to:
* Self identify or disclose their disability to the designated office
for disability services.
* Provide verifying documentation to that designated office.
* Obtain assessment and test results and provide them to that office.
* Act as independent adults
* Arrange their own weekly schedules
* Contact their instructors to activate and adopt accommodations
for each class.
* Arrange for and obtain their own personal attendants, tutoring
and individually fitted or designed assistive technologies.
Post-secondary institutions are not required to:
* Reduce or waive any of the essential requirements of a course
or program
* Conduct testing and assessment of learning, psychological or medical
disabilities
* Provide personal attendants
* Provide personal or private tutors (but tutoring services normally
available to persons without disabilities must be accessible to
persons with disabilities who are otherwise qualified for those
services)
* Prepare "Individual Education Plans" (IEPs)
Return
to Information for High School Students/Incoming Freshmen
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