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 Parents Your Teachers You after age 16  College YOU Your parents might be in one meeting with you and the Disability office

Plans in High School v/s College High 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 campuses For All Students:  Academic Support Services  Writing Center  Tutoring office  Help tables in various departments  Counseling Center  Health Center/Wellness Center  Academic Advisement Center In 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 classroom Directions simplified Test questions explained or simplified Exemptions from general education requirements Door 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 speed May slow down how fast you get information in or out of your brain May make it very difficult to listen to lecture AND take notes at the same time May 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 exams pacing 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 be Electronic books so you can hear your computer read the book to you. Books on tape from RFBD Reader for exams

Learning Disability  Can’t listen to lecture and take notes at the same time  Reasonable academic accommodation might be Student note taker OR Copy of lecturers notes OR Use 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 Housing Door openers Elevators in building Special parking Reasonable paths to classes Extra time between classes to give time to move around campus Accessible Washers and Dryers

Physical Disability  Stamina  Reasonable accommodations may include: Reduce course load Extra time for exams Customizing your schedule with one class in morning and one in afternoon

Physical Disability  Fine motor control  Reasonable accommodations may include: Word processor for essay exams Scribe for exams Person to bubble in scantron exam answers

Your turn to play advocate:  What are the limitations a person with these disabilities might have? Hearing impaired Visually impaired Attention deficit disorder  What might be Reasonable accommodations for each?

Did you suggest  Hearing impaired Notes? Sign language interpreter? Hearing aid system that works with Audio in lecture area?

Did you suggest  Visually impaired Enlarged print for hand outs Braille for handout or books Auditory or electronic text books Reader OR large print OR Braille for exams

Did you suggest - - ?  Attention deficit disorder Less distracting testing environment Extra time on exams to re-focus Special 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.