Transition From High School to College

“Institutions shall make modifications to its academic requirements as are necessary to ensure that such requirements do not discriminate or have the effect of discriminating, on the basis of handicap, against a qualified applicant or student.”(104.44[a]).

The postsecondary education system is not covered by IDEA, but instead by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Subpart E of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112). These laws establish what colleges need to do to support equal opportunity for students with disabilities to participate in a college or postsecondary program or activity. Postsecondary programs or colleges are not required to alter academic standards to accommodate a student with a disability.

• Students are eligible for academic adjustments, program modifications and auxiliary aids/services, but are not eligible for specially designed instruction offered under IDEA.
• The college has no obligation to identify students with disabilities, but only to inform applicants of the availability of auxiliary aids/services, program modifications, and academic adjustments.
• Students must self-identify, provide documentation of their disability, request the need for the academic adjustments, program modifications and auxiliary aids and/or services. The categories of disability, the type of documentation required, and who is qualified to conduct the assessment(s) may be different from K–12.
• The goal is to provide equal opportunity to access education and students will only receive the necessary support (e.g., academic adjustments, program modifications, aids/services) to allow for equal access in a course of program.
• Any alteration in course or program requirements (e.g., extended time to complete program, substitution or waiver of program requirements) usually requires the approval from the college and must be directly related to needs identified in a student’s documentation of disability.

• Classes vary in length and number of days (for example, meeting two (2) days per week for 90 minutes or three (3) days a week for an hour).
• There are no bells. Students must know when they need to be at class and monitor the time.
• One class might be right after the other as in high school, or students may have a block of time between classes.
• Students choose when they stop for coffee, use the restrooms, go to class or study.
• Classes may be in multiple buildings.
• All classrooms may not be physically accessible, so students may need to register early to request an accessible classroom location.

• College course format, instructional strategies and expectations may be different than in high school courses.
• There are more choices of instructors, courses and course requirements.
• Students need to know how they learn best, what type of instructional formats and styles work best for them, and how to use this information in selecting courses.
• There is no one person who ensures that students complete the necessary courses and are on the path for earning credits toward graduation; students need to do this themselves or seek advice from academic or department advisers.
• Instructors rarely teach directly from the text and may lecture for the entire class period.
• Instructors often plan their courses so that students do a lot of their learning outside of class, including acquiring knowledge and facts from outside reading and library research.
• Most successful students expect to spend two to three (2–3) hours of studying for each hour they are in class. Students with disabilities may need to plan on a few more hours.

• Students need to identify and access any necessary support services.
• Services on a college campus are often more expansive than in the K–12 system (e.g., health center, bookstores, women’s centers, mental health counseling).
• Students need to know what support they require and in what office they might find them.
• Services often have different names than in high school and are located in different buildings.

• Students are expected to be responsible for their choices and, thus, need to have good problem solving, self-advocacy, decision-making and communication skills.
• Faculty often will assist students if the student initiates the contact.
• Support systems are available in college (e.g., academic advising, supplemental instruction, academic learning centers, resident assistant, disability services staff), but the student must seek those out, ask for the help and follow through.

• Students who are beginning college may not only be adjusting to a new learning environment but very possibly even a new city and friends.
• It may be the first time that a student is living on their own. They may need to learn to budget their money, cook, maintain an apartment, and learn how to live with a roommate.

• If peers from high school do not attend the same college, students may be without a support system of friends.
• During high school, students often depend on their family and peers for support in problem-solving, decision-making and day-to-day activities. Therefore, they may need a new support network.
• College activities, organizations and support groups can help students to build new networks.