Successful Transitions Management Preparing for the transition between
Successful Transitions Management Preparing for the transition between high school and college for students with disabilities
Common College Student Frustrations v Students must advocate for themselves by locating their campus disability office and disclosing their disability. v Students must provide their documentation (Must be current, on an adult scale, and many times requires new testing at the end of high school) v General lack of knowledge of their disability v Lack of knowledge of their own responsibilities due to dependency on other adults v Major legal differences v Little to no parental involvement v Not socially involved v Being educated with the whole student body instead of in a resource room with small teacher to student ratio v Possibly the most frustrating thing for students is that they are going to have to advocate for themselves to be successful
IDEA All students are entitled to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)) Protects individuals with a disability from discrimination. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a record of such impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act No otherwise qualified person in the United States…shall solely by reason of disability, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity (receiving federal funds. Section 504 of the Rehab Act) (US Department of Education, 2013)
IDEA and ADA/504 IDEA ADA/504 v. Free and Appropriate Public Education v Optional Education with Cost Involved v. Entitlement law v Civil rights law v. Largely remedial in approach v Accommodations and Assistive Technology v. Outcome Oriented: Focus is on student success v Focused on equal access not equal outcome
v. No exclusion on the basis of disability v. No discrimination through contract or insurance constraints ALL OF THE TIME v. Participation is in the most integrated setting possible – for example, all students work in the same lab settings, all students walk the same path to receive their diploma v. No discrimination through eligibility criteria v. Reasonable modifications to policies, procedures, and practices must be made to provide access to all
Full ACCESS CON’T v. Students with service dogs are allowed full access except they can be excluded from areas where their presence would constitute a fundamental alteration of goods and services available for all customers, an undue burden, or a direct threat to safety such as in an operating room or room where sanitation procedures are required.
Full ACCESS CON’T 1 v. Reasonable modifications to policies, procedures, and practices must be made to provide access to all v. All educational materials and technology must be accessible including books and online content v. Accommodations/academic adjustments available at no cost
Reasonable Accommodations/Academic Adjustments Not Modifications Examples of Reasonable Accommodations/Academic Adjustments v Extra time on all tests, quizzes, and assessments (clock time, not calendar time) v Use of a computer for note taking v Taking tests in the Testing Center v Use of assistive technology v Note takers At the discretion of the college or university: v Ability to audio record v Use of alternate format books v Extra time on in-class writing assignments and the use of spell and grammar check v Priority registration v Preferential seating v Course substitutions/waivers v Exception to full-time status For more information about academic adjustments, please see Frequently Asked Questions on the U. S. Department of Education website here
And What is Kurzweil Livescribe Pens JAW S Dragon Naturally. Speaking Zoom Text
Eligibility to Request Accommodations v Professionally diagnosed condition v Appropriate documentation on file at school ACT Testing Accommodations Eligibility v Accommodations used on tests in school due to a disability Testing Time Authorized v Time-and-a-half: 5 hours total for the ACT (no writing) or 6 hours total for the ACT with writing (includes breaks between tests). v Self-paced within total time allowed. v Must complete all tests in a single session For more information, see handout and ACT. org
ACT Test-taking Strategies v. Make sure to get a test prep book, read the strategies and take the practice tests. v. Take the ACT practice test at ACT. org
ACT Test-taking Strategies v If not written in the IEP, you can ask for an additional meeting to add an accommodation for the ACT v Make sure the student understands that they have to monitor their time if taking the ACT on a Saturday at a national testing site v If your student is planning to attend a school that super scores, use the time to your advantage by taking the test more than once v Schedule the ACT at the appropriate time
A Word on Self. Advocacy… It’s All About Independence v A parent’s role is to help a child to grow to be an independent adult and teaching self advocacy is a crucial step v Students are accustomed to having services brought to them through their parents. In college, the student will have to seek out their services independently. v Independence and self-advocacy are essential to success v We are preparing the student to start a career and build a life v It all starts with the ability to advocate for yourself
To be a self-advocate, one needs to understand his or her: v Disability v Rights and responsibilities A Word on Self-Advocacy 1… It’s All About Independence v Strengths and weaknesses Additionally, one needs to make decisions regarding: v Potential accommodations v Disclosure v Community support
It’s a Different World Out There! High School v Little choice in schedule v Smaller class size v Little advising required v Courses are waived fairly easily v Takes time to remind v Available all day v Offers frequent review v Human readers and scribes v Modifications such as content only grading, shortened assignments, alternate assignments v Test Re-dos College v 12 -16 hours per week in class with 36+ hours independent study v Classes can be very large v Advising takes time and planning v Very few course waivers granted v Does not monitor completion v Has office hours v Expects you to think independently v Assistive Technology v No modifications, just accommodations v Mastery is ability to apply what is learned
Preparation Year by Year Freshman Year Student: v Begin to know, understand, and discuss the functional limitations of their disability v Keep a calendar on the phone of school assignments, test and work schedules v Explore the use of assistive technology Parents, family, and other caring adults will need to: v Begin to step back and have the student become an active participant in all meetings relevant to their education and assist in running their IEP meetings v Teach academic survival skills (time management, study skills, goal setting etc. ) v Discuss the importance of GPA for college entry and beyond v Start the process of exploring college websites and planning visits
Sophomore Year Students will need to: v Continue learning self-advocacy skills v Begin to educate others about their disability v Start discussing different careers of interest v Start studying for and practicing entrance exams such as the ACT v Begin learning independent living skills such as laundry, cleaning, and shopping v Start a part-time job over the summer Parent, family and other caring adults will need to: v Have the student discuss their strengths/weaknesses and possible accommodations in their IEP meetings v Monitor GPA and academic progress v Have students compare and contrast college and vocational goals v Schedule vocational or college visits
Junior Year Students v Continue learning self-advocacy and academic survival skills v Practice discussing the functional limitations of your disability v Learn to run your IEP meetings v Investigate the option of dual enrollment classes for your senior year v If eligible for dual enrollment classes or if preparing to take the ACT, request updated testing on an adult scale from the IEP team or make an appointment with a private psychologist in preparation for college level accommodations the summer prior to your junior year or at the beginning of the academic year v Learn about FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) if planning to take dual enrollment classes
Junior Year Students Con’t v Narrow down college options v Visit colleges and their disability offices v Determine what the minimum ACT scores are for the college of your choice and if the college super scores v Prepare for the ACT through test preparation and if taking the ACT at a test site, register online, practice time management skills for the test, and learn testing rules v Request accommodations for the ACT through your school counselor and IEP meeting or through ACT. org v Research scholarships and other financial aid opportunities v Contact your local Vocational Rehabilitation office for educational and career support
Junior Year Students Cont. 1 v Continue to practice independent living skills including scheduling doctor’s appointments and financial literacy education v Become fluent with assistive technology v Contact your local Career Center about vocational assessments to determine possible career options v Visit onetonline. org to explore the world of work through 30, 000 + jobs and My Next Move v Set up job shadowing opportunities in any fields that you may be interested in through family and friends v Secure a summer job or internship if possible
Junior Year Parents v. Schedule to visit colleges and their disability offices v. Determine what type of documentation that the disability office requires for accommodations v. Explore job shadowing opportunities in any fields that the student may be interested in through family and friends v. Continue teaching self-advocacy and academic survival skills v. Teach the student to run their IEP meetings
Senior Year Students v Solidify your academic survival skills v Begin teaching your parents about the importance of self-advocacy v Regularly run your IEP meetings v Be able to identify your disability and talk openly about its impact on your life v Make sure that all documentation/assessments are up to date. If not, request updated testing through your fall IEP meeting v Continue campus visits & make a decision about which college to attend v Make initial visit to Disability Services to begin the accommodation process with documentation v Take entrance exams (ACT/SAT)again if needed
Senior Year Students Cont. v. Complete the fafsa at fafsa. ed. gov for financial aid including TN Promise and the Hope Scholarship v. Get an early start on any volunteer hours that may be required for TN Promise or other financial aid v. Research any scholarships that you might qualify for including campus specific scholarships that may be available through college foundations v. Identify special housing needs to school of choice
Senior Year Students Cont. 1 v. Check into student organizations v. Identify a peer group at the same college v. Participate in class visits or a summer transition program if possible v. Set up orientation & mobility training if needed v. Insure access to the needed Adaptive Technology
Senior Year Parents v Help your student complete the fafsa at fafsa. ed. gov for financial aid including TN Promise and the Hope Scholarship v Check with your employer to see if there are scholarships available for your student v Plan to attend parent session of orientation v Support your student in obtaining access to the needed Adaptive Technology
Resources v. Self-Exploration- Who Am I? Explore Personality Barriers and Goals online Click here v. Career Exploration – What Are My Options? Explore career options online Click here v. Career Planning and Management- What Do I need to Do Now? Sample activities online Click here
Resources Con’t 1 v Information for Youth on Managing Personal Assistant Services (PAS) Learn what is involved in managing your personal assistant Click here v Making My Way through College: A Guide for Students with Disabilities An extensive guide for navigating college life Click here v Transition of Students with Disabilities to Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators Explore frequently asked questions in the transition to postsecondary education Click here v Material in Spanish: (See this link to view additional materials translated into Spanish) Click here
References U. S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. (2013). Protecting Students with Disabilities. Retrieved from Click here
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