Disability Services

Disability Service Information

If your child has an IEP (Individual Educational Plan) or a 504 plan in high school, you’ve been able to play a role in their educational process. You have had access to the people who are providing supports and services. And you’ve been able to monitor how well those supports are being implemented.

College is a different story—starting with the fact that there are no IEPs or special education in college. For some parents, that can be hard to adjust to at first. Still, almost all colleges have a disability services office for students with learning and thinking differences.

Colleges do not fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). That is why there are no IEPs. This means colleges do not have to provide the same level of supports and services a student might have gotten in high school. For instance, they do not have to provide specialized instruction or tutoring. They do have to follow federal civil rights laws, however. That includes Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In order to get accommodations in college, you must register as a student with disabilities. The process of applying for accommodations happens separately from the college application process. It usually begins after you have been accepted and have enrolled at the college. Registering as a student with disabilities usually happens with the disability services office, not the admissions office.

Please read this information on 504 and Special Education:

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html

https://w3.lisd.org/section-504/links/

Resources:

• US Department of Education: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html

• Free Appropriate Public Education for Students With Disabilities (Requirements Under Section 504): http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html

• Wright's Law Discrimination. Section 504 and ADA, you can dig deeper, finding: FAQs, articles, about accommodations and modifications, case law involving disability discrimination, and free publications: http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.index.htm

• With an eye to ADD and AD/HD. From CHADD’s National Resource Center on AD/HD: http://www.chadd.org/Understanding-ADHD/For-Parents-Caregivers/Education/Section-504.aspx

• A parent’s guide to Section 504 in public schools. (From GreatSchools, with a focus on Section 504 for students with learning disabilities and/or AD/HD in public schools): http://www.greatschools.org/special-education/legal-rights/section-504.gs?content=868

• Understanding the differences between IDEA and Section 504. (From LDonline): http://www.ldonline.org/article/6086

• 504 FAQ: http://specialchildren.about.com/od/504s/qt/504faq.htm

• Sample 504 plans. Wondering what a 504 plan might look like? These templates and accommodation lists, put on the Web by school districts and disability organizations, can give you an idea of what to look at and look for when working with the school to put together a plan for your child: http://specialchildren.about.com/od/504s/qt/sample504.htm

• https://www.collegechoice.net/college-resources-for-students-with-disabilities/

• https://edubirdie.com/blog/resources-for-students-with-disabilities

• https://educationusa.state.gov/resources-students-disabilities