Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Postsecondary Success for Students with Disabilities

Sweetser/DeschampsSweetser/Deschamps

Identifying and Overcoming Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Postsecondary Barriers to Postsecondary Success for Students with Success for Students with

DisabilitiesDisabilitiesAnn DeschampsAnn Deschamps

Transition LiaisonTransition Liaison

Fairfax County Public SchoolsFairfax County Public Schools

AndAnd

Carol J. SweetserCarol J. Sweetser

Counselor, Disability ServicesCounselor, Disability Services

Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale CampusCampus


Eligibility vs. EntitlementEligibility vs. Entitlement


Disability(IDEA)

IEP meetings

goals and objectives

Special classes and/or programs

Self-determination

self-advocacy skills

Accommodations

Life While in Life While in High SchoolHigh School


Life After High SchoolLife After High School

No IDEA, no IEPNo IDEA, no IEP ADA and 504ADA and 504 World of workWorld of work

reasonable accommodationreasonable accommodation disclosuredisclosure

Post-secondary educationPost-secondary education documentationdocumentation academic adjustmentsacademic adjustments auxiliary aids and servicesauxiliary aids and services testing accommodationtesting accommodation


Individual

World of work

Reasonable accommodations

Postsecondary education

Support services

Self-determination

self-advocacy skills

Recreational and leisure activities

Life After High SchoolLife After High School


Differences Between Differences Between High School and CollegeHigh School and College

High SchoolHigh School Highly StructuredHighly Structured Courses less demandingCourses less demanding Student is a “child”, the parent Student is a “child”, the parent

is responsibleis responsible Grades given to parentsGrades given to parents Teachers call parents for a Teachers call parents for a

conferenceconference Grades might reflect effortGrades might reflect effort School creates social and School creates social and

cultural activities to enhance cultural activities to enhance educationeducation

CollegeCollege More flexibleMore flexible Courses more demandingCourses more demanding Student is considered to be an Student is considered to be an

adultadult Grades given to studentGrades given to student Professors have no parental Professors have no parental

contactcontact Grades reflect performanceGrades reflect performance Student must find campus Student must find campus

activities and organizationsactivities and organizations


High SchoolHigh School Identification and Identification and

evaluation of disabilitiesevaluation of disabilities

Resource room; small Resource room; small classes; basic skills classes; basic skills instructioninstruction

Teacher monitors Teacher monitors progressprogress

Student sees teacher 3 –Student sees teacher 3 –5 times per week5 times per week

CollegeCollege Student must self Student must self

identify and provide identify and provide current documentation current documentation of disabilityof disability

No special program for No special program for students; larger classesstudents; larger classes

Student self-monitors Student self-monitors and seeks help when and seeks help when neededneeded

Student may only see Student may only see professor once a weekprofessor once a week


• High SchoolHigh School Adjust programs/WaiversAdjust programs/Waivers

Parental advocacy and Parental advocacy and interventionintervention

Provision of personal Provision of personal servicesservices

Goal: To complete high Goal: To complete high schoolschool

CollegeCollege Compensatory Compensatory

strategies, but no strategies, but no elimination of elimination of requirementsrequirements

Self advocacy/no Self advocacy/no parental interventionparental intervention

No obligation to No obligation to provide personal provide personal services unless services unless available to general available to general student populationstudent population

Goal: Goal: Employment/Transfer Employment/Transfer to four year universityto four year university


POST SECONDARY POST SECONDARY CONSIDERATIONSCONSIDERATIONS


Documentation of a Documentation of a Disability in the Post Disability in the Post Secondary SettingSecondary Setting

ADA and Section 504 don’t specify age of ADA and Section 504 don’t specify age of documentation or nature of documentation.documentation or nature of documentation.

Most schools have adopted the AHEAD policy to identify Most schools have adopted the AHEAD policy to identify what is appropriate to demonstrate impact of disability on what is appropriate to demonstrate impact of disability on adult learning. In general colleges want documentation adult learning. In general colleges want documentation of a disability to be no more than 3 years old. of a disability to be no more than 3 years old.

Important to check w/ each individual college to find out Important to check w/ each individual college to find out their exact requirements. their exact requirements.

In all cases, provision of documentation is the In all cases, provision of documentation is the responsibility of the student and not that of the responsibility of the student and not that of the college or the public school systemcollege or the public school system..


ACCESSING DISABILITY ACCESSING DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICESSUPPORT SERVICES

Few schools have special programsFew schools have special programs All schools have some type of disability All schools have some type of disability

support services programsupport services program Important to check with the individual Important to check with the individual

school to learn about their specific school to learn about their specific services and procedure for applying for services and procedure for applying for servicesservices


FREQUENT STUMBLING FREQUENT STUMBLING BLOCKSBLOCKS

Entitlement versus EligibilityEntitlement versus Eligibility

Provision of documentationProvision of documentation

Denial of a disabilityDenial of a disability

Self advocacy and independenceSelf advocacy and independence


WHAT CAN WE DO?WHAT CAN WE DO?

Educate families early on requirementsEducate families early on requirements

Educate students about their disabilities Educate students about their disabilities

Promote self-advocacy skills Promote self-advocacy skills

Discuss real world view of disability Discuss real world view of disability

Documents

Identifying and Overcoming Barriers to Postsecondary Success for Students with Disabilities