Transition to College
In order to ensure that you have the same opportunity to succeed as any other student, colleges use academic adjustments and auxiliary aids commonly known as accommodations to help you participate in general activities, programs and classes offered by the college. It is important to keep in mind that as a college student you drive the process of requesting accommodations for a disability, including when or if to disclose your disability, by Applying to DSPS.
Differences between High School and College Disability Services
There is no Special Education at the college level and instead of being guided by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), colleges must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Civil Rights Restoration Act. That means that if you choose to disclose your disability by applying to DSPS, you are not placed into easier courses and continue to be held to the same academic and behavioral standards as all students. At the same time, you are assured that your information is not shared with others without your consent and your instructors or other student services staff are only notified by DSPS in specific circumstances that you are entitled to certain accommodations.
High School
- The school is responsible for identifying students with disabilities
- The school must provide the assessment of disability, classify disability, and involve parents
- School staff will discuss academic progress with parents or legal guardians
- The school must develop an Individualized Educational Program
- The school must provide a free and appropriate education including modified program and appropriate related services
- The school must coordinate the provision of all services, monitor progress, and evaluate results
College
- The student must self identify or disclose his/her disability
- The student must provide documentation of his/her disability to the designated office
- The student is considered an adult with privacy and confidentiality protections. Staff cannot talk with parents or legal guardians about the student's academic progress
- The student must request specific accommodations and provide supporting evidence through documentation
- The student must act as independent adults to activate and obtain accommodations and structure weekly schedules
- The college must provide reasonable accommodations for students who qualify
High School
- Class attendance is mandatory and monitored carefully
- Teachers will usually approach students who are having academic difficulties
- Teachers remind students of assignment due dates
- Teachers will provide students with missed information when they are absent
- Teachers many times will provide extra credit assignments to help students raise their grades
- Make up tests are usually available
- Teachers present information to help the student understand the textbook
College
- Students are expected to follow the instructor's attendance policy as stated in the syllabus
- Students are responsible to ask the instructor for help
- Students are responsible for keeping track of their projects, assignments, and tests dates
- Students must approach their instructors for information they missed when absent
- Extra credit assignments are not usually given
- Make up tests may not be an option
- Instructors may not follow the textbook, but lectures enhance the topic
High School
- Services include individually designed instruction, modifications, and accommodations based on the IEP
- Modifications that change course outcomes may be offered based on the IEP
- Appropriate accommodations are determined by the student’s Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)
College
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide equal access and participation
- The college is not required to lower or effect substantial modifications to essential requirements.
- Appropriate accommodations must be determined based on the student’s disability documentation, and individual need
High School
- Legal guidance is provided by IDEA
- Parents must ensure that their child attends school until the age of 16
- Periodic progress reports are given to parents
- Teachers are free to approach parents without consent from student to discuss student’s progress
- The parent is the student’s legal guardian
- The parent is expected to advocate for the student
College
- Legal guidance is provided by Section 504 and ADA
- Parents are not required to send child to college
- No progress reports will be given to parents
- Without a release of information signed by the student the teacher legally cannot include the parents in any part of the educational process
- In college the student is considered to be his/her own legal guardian unless there is a court order to the contrary
- The student is expected to advocate on his/her own behalf
For more information on how to meet the requirements at the college level visit our Student Rights and Responsibilities page.