Parents of College Students with Disabilities: FAQs

[Guest guest]

Parents of College Students with Disabilities: FAQs

by Debbie Marsh, Disaboom

http://www.disaboom.com/education-general/parents-of-college-students-with-disab\

ilities

As the parent of a child with disability, you've done your best to make sure

your son or daughter's education was as rich as possible. Now you've succeeded:

your child is considering college. But higher education is a whole new ball

game, and you've got some questions you wish you could get answered.

Luckily there's a professional organization of concerned with the needs of

persons with disabilities in higher education. The Association on Higher

Education and Disability (AHEAD) has numerous resources available to parents and

students. We've looked to their FAQs for parents of students with disabilities

to help answer some of your most pressing questions.

1. Which colleges are the best for students with disabilities?

There's no such ranking for colleges and universities, because " disability "

covers such a broad range of conditions. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

and the ADA require academic accommodations to ensure that students with

disabilities have access to higher education programs.

Many institutions go beyond minimum requirements and offer an array of services

and programs to assist students with disabilities, whether physical or

cognitive. To find out what's available, contact the school's Office of

Disability Services.

For learning disabilities, check the Princeton Review K & W Guide for Colleges for

Students with Learning Disabilities or ADD, or try 's Colleges with

Programs for Students with Learning disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorders.

2. What housing options are available?

Housing around campus is exactly that: optional. Some colleges provide dormitory

housing, while others have outsourced their housing to private agencies. Private

housing may be an option in neighborhoods surrounding the campus.

If the school offers housing, it must be accessible. As with all aspects of the

college experience, it's best to discuss housing options with school officials

far in advance of making a decision on a particular college or university.

3. Can the college food service accommodate allergies?

It's important to talk with college officials about any allergies. If the school

offers a meal plan, it's likely they're able to accommodate your child's needs.

Often, nutritional services are contracted out to private companies. While the

college is still obligated to make accommodations, it can be more difficult to

get your information through to the right officials.

In the case of a school with no meal plan, where students are on their own to

pick and choose from on- and off-campus offerings, the issue of allergies is

strictly up to the student to address.

4. Will we be able to stop by the Office of Student Disabilities on our

campus visit?

More than likely, the answer is yes, and it's a good idea to get to know the

people your child will be working with for the next four years. But be sure to

make an appointment ahead of time. The office is a busy place during the school

term, and staff may not be in the building when classes are out.

5. My child has an IEP. Why does the college want more documentation?

Your child's IEP or 504 Plan covers K-12 education. College is different. Under

the law, post-secondary educational institutions need different documentation

and verification, and will assess your child for accommodations in new ways than

what has been done before.

This is because the laws that govern disability are different at the college

level. Check our article comparing IDEA, Section 504, and the ADA to find out

how the acts affect your student.

6. Extra help will be needed for my child to understand the class material.

Will it be available?

Quite likely, the answer is yes. But you may be required to pay for it. Colleges

are not mandated to provide one-on-one tutoring to students with disabilities.

However, many schools make tutoring available to the entire student body, in

which case the program must be accessible.

7. How can my child with disabilities get special accommodations for the SAT

or ACT?

Normally, the high school administrator who has been working with your son or

daughter, or the school official in charge of administering the test, will make

the arrangements for you. However, you should confirm this well in advance of

the test to make sure all of the documentation is in order.

8. Our child needs an adapted laptop because of his or her physical

disability. Will the college pay for her special equipment, AKA assistive

technology?

The answer is maybe. Legally, the college is only responsible for making sure

students with disabilities have access to their activities and programs.

Physical accommodations might include raising a desk or lowering a laboratory

table, or widening a doorway.

Adaptive equipment of a personal nature is not necessarily the responsibility of

the school. That said, there is a gray area between modified equipment for

accessibility and personal special equipment, and some colleges interpret the

first term more broadly than others.

Check with the Office of Student Disabilities to find out what each individual

college or university covers. If your child is a client of Vocational

Rehabilitation, it's also a good idea to see if they can offer assistance.