Disability Support Services
Comparing Disability Services Between High School and College
In planning a successful transition to college, it is important for students to understand that colleges have different responsibilities from high schools when it comes to providing accommodations for students with disabilities.
HIGH SCHOOL
COLLEGE
Laws
- IDEA: children with disabilities are entitled to a “free and appropriate public education”
- Section 504-D: Accommodations may include shortening assignments, notes on test, or other accommodations that are not available to other students
- An IEP or 504 plan involves teachers, counselors, and parents
- Guarantee of success
- ADA: Students cannot be denied admission due to
- Section 504-E: Colleges must maintain academic standards, so no accommodations can fundamentally alter a class or program. For example, shortening assignments or allowing notes during exams is not appropriate.
- IEPs and 504 plans do not exist
- Guarantee of access
Responsibilities
- Students are identified and supported by teachers and parents.
- Responsibility for accommodations primarily belongs to the school.
- Students must self-identify to Disability Support Services
- It is the student’s responsibility to request accommodations, and it is the student’s choice whether or not to use approved accommodations in each class
Teachers
- Classroom teachers have a copy of a student’s IEP or 504 Plan, understand the student’s disability, and attend meetings about individualized plans.
- Instructors receive a brief letter of accommodations, not detailing the disability or diagnostic data. Students may choose to disclose more information.
Parents
- Parents are involved in IEP or 504 plan meetings.
- Parents often have access to a student’s grades.
- Parents often receive calls or emails if a student is not doing well in classes.
- Parents do not have access to disability records or grades without the student’s written consent from the student.
- Parents do not have access to grades without written
consent from the student - Even with written consent, college instructors will
communicate with students, not parents
