Would Your Child With a Disability Like to Attend College?
Reprinted from
Connecting, RAISING Special Kids, 4750 North Black Canyon Hwy., Phoenix, AZ 85017-3621A
ttending college or university can be a natural next step for students leaving high school. It may also make sense for your son or daughter for academic or social or experiential reasons. Some students with disabilities may go on to a degree; others may not, similar to the typical college population.So, if your child has expressed such an interest and you think it offers possibilities, where do you start? Gather information on the options from the community college system to a university system to specialized programs [for students with disabilities].
You and your student should do a campus tour or otherwise visit the school. Check out a copy of the schedule of classes and other relevant publications.
Once you’ve decided the school, it’s time for working through the admission process. Most campuses give students an opportunity to identify themselves as having a disability at some point during the admissions process. There may be a place to check on the application blank, or with the information sent to you AFTER your acceptance, concerning housing, athletic events, etc.
If the college invites students to identify themselves as a student with a disability and in need of accommodation, it is to their advantage to let them know as quickly and completely as possible. Their disability cannot be used to discriminate against them in the admissions process.
Colleges and universities are required, by law, to provide any reasonable accommodation necessary for equal access to educational opportunities and services available to non-disabled peers if the student requests them. The college is under no obligation to seek students out to see if there is something they need.
The people responsible for providing support services to students with disabilities on college campuses have different titles and work out of different offices from campus to campus. Ask for the Office for Disability Services or Office for Special Needs.
An academic adviser can be a great ally. Find someone early on who knows the “system” well and that you feel comfortable with.
Once the student is in contact with the appropriate individual, the questions he or she asks should be very specific and based on his or her needs. Listed below are examples of questions for people with several types of disabilities. Put together your own list of things to inquire about. Remember, you are free to ask about both the accommodations you must have and the things that would be nice to have available. Later, you will put this information together with other information and weigh the things that are and are not available. The questions below are only samples, and there is overlap among disabilities.
The student who uses a wheelchair might ask:
Is there an adapted transportation system on campus? Is adapted transportation available to me off-campus?
How are classes scheduled? How do I make sure that I can get from one class to another in the time allotted and that my classes are scheduled in accessible classrooms?
What kind of accommodations are available to me for tests, since my disability interferes with my ability to write quickly or in small spaces?
I will have my own accessible van on campus. Is special parking available?
Is adapted housing available through the residence hall system? What kind of adaptations have been made?
What recreational facilities are there available for me to use on campus?
The student with a hearing
impairment might ask:How do I make arrangements for note-takers for my classes? Who does the scheduling, how are note-takers recruited and paid, etc.?
Who makes arrangements for interpreters? Are interpreters available for non-classroom activities? Will I get priority (early) class registration?
Do you have assistive listening devices available for my use in any of the classrooms?
Do any of the televisions in the dorms have closed captioning?
The student with a learning
disability might ask:If I have trouble with my classes, is there tutoring available? Who pays for tutors? How do I arrange that?
Reading is a problem for me. Can I get my test books, tests, handouts, etc. recorded on tape?
Can I get extended time for taking tests?
I have problems with math calculations. Can I use a calculator in my math classes?
I have trouble with essay tests. Is it possible for me to take those orally?
Would I get academic and career counseling here in your office or from the general counseling offices on campus?
The student with a visual
impairment might ask:I will need my textbooks, tests, handouts, etc. put on tape. How do I make those arrangements?
What kind of arrangements are there for me to take my tests with the reader and with someone else writing down my answers?
What kind of assistance is available when I need to use the library for research purposes?
Am I eligible to ride the adaptive transportation system? Is there someone who will give me orientation and mobility training?
Are there any special arrangements I need to make to take my dog guide with me around campus and to have him live with me in the dormitory?
The student with a health
condition might ask:Walking long distances is difficult for me. Can I get a permit to park closer to my classroom buildings? Am I eligible to use the adaptive transportation system on campus?
What medical support is available on campus? Will I have access to a nurse who can administer my medication?
My medication schedule is such that I must rest for at least an hour twice a day. Is it possible to arrange for someplace to lie down?
The questions come from a booklet called How to Choose a College: Guide for the Student with a Disability. Single copies are free from the HEATH Resource Center, One Dupont Circle, NW, Washington, DC 20036. Call (800) 544-3284 or visit the Heath internet site at www.acenet.edu/about/programs/Access&Equity/HEATH/home.html .