Understanding ADA and Section 504:      How Access and Accommodations Change After High School

Understanding How Supports Change After High School

This chart highlights the main differences between high school and college for students with disabilities. In high school, there’s a team effort among teachers, parents, and school staff to help students succeed, usually through plans like IEPs or 504 Plans. However, in college, things shift. Students must take the initiative to advocate for themselves. This means they need to provide documentation and request accommodations from the Disability Services Office on their own.

The laws that apply to these situations differ as well. High schools operate under IDEA, which is all about helping students succeed, while colleges follow the ADA and Section 504, which focus on making sure students have access to opportunities. So, colleges must ensure everyone has equal access, but it's up to students to take charge and use the resources available to them to reach their goals.