Accommodations and supports
In high school, your child may have been offered accommodations and supports. In a postsecondary or training environment, your child will need to ask for help.
It's important for your child to understand if and when to disclose a disability, what accommodations to request, and how to ask for them - ideally early in the enrollment process and with the help of disability or accessibility services staff.
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Most colleges and universities have a disability or accessibility services office with staff who guide students through the process of requesting accommodations (including registration and documentation). It's important to meet with those staff early in the enrollment process to ensure that accommodations are in place before coursework begins. Common accommodations include extended test time, note-taking assistance and alternative formats for course materials.
Your child's IEP or 504 plan won't automatically transfer to a postsecondary institution. Though high school disability documentation helps, colleges require new evaluations and documentation. Start this process early in your child's senior year of high school as testing can take months. If cost is a concern, financial assistance is often available.
Language barriers shouldn't stop your involvement. Many colleges offer translation services for meetings with disability services, financial aid offices and academic advisors. Don't hesitate to request interpreters or translated materials. Colleges want families engaged in their student's success.
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Contact disability services early. Each college has an office that helps students set up accommodations, like extra test time or note-taking help. See examples of accommodations and a step-by-step guide to the post-secondary accommodations process.
Plan ahead. IEPs and 504 plans don't transfer to college. Contact [text] to start new evaluations early senior year - testing can take months.
Know when to disclose. The Disclosing a disability in postsecondary settings (PDF) guide can help your child understand what it means to disclose a disability and when disclosure might make sense.
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