Nashoba Regional High School (Lancaster, Bolton and Stow) SEPAC Bolton, MA Presents: Transitioning to College for Students with Learning Differences March 15th, 2018 Cheryl Gallaugher

Workshop Goals Meet the Presenter Transition Planning Course Selections at the High School College Supports and Accommodations Visiting Colleges: What to look for Self-Determination College Readiness Career Exploration Q & A

Meet the Presenter 20th year teaching at Nashoba Regional High School in the Special Education Department Parent of two sons who graduated from Nashoba (2010 and 2015) Recent Graduate Student at UMass Boston in the Transition Leadership Program Registered with disability services Fall 2016 Sabbatical visiting Colleges, Universities and former students around the U.S. 21 states 42+ Campuses Passions include working with adolescents and young adults, hiking, traveling, and learning

Transition Planning Transition is happening all the time from early on when a preschooler steps into their very first classroom to when you are moving your elderly relative into assisted living Transition Planning is the process of gathering resources and knowledge to best prepare for the upcoming transition. This can include: Reviewing strengths and challenges Understanding what skills to work on in preparation Meeting with the personnel that will assist with the transition Working on goals to create relatively seamless transition

Class Selection and Team Participation at the High School An important part of transition is looking ahead to a student’s future vision and aligning their curriculum to guide that path and having the student drive these decisions Beginning at age 14, students are expected to participate in their Team meetings Prior to the team, students should be familiar with their IEP, know about their disability Class selections will not look the same for every student State Requirements vs. NRSD requirements vs. College application requirements Review the Program of Studies found on the Guidance Department site (High school web page under ‘Staff Directory’) Work with your student and their team to choose the best course selections

College Supports and Accommodations Accommodated Disabilities: ADHD ASD Asthma Chronic Illness Dietary needs Dyslexia Eating Disorders Hearing Impairment Learning Disabilities (e.g. speech, verbal, writing, reading, auditory) Mental Health (e.g. anxiety, depression, etc.) Physical or Mobility Impairments Vision Impairment Food/Environmental Allergies

College Supports and Accommodations Colleges all legally have to offer reasonable accommodations for students who disclose they have a disability and have proper documentation. Services will vary college to college Some colleges have programs for a fee that include assigned advisors, study skills classes, and more intensive support All colleges require students to self-report they have a disability Colleges vary on who will contact the professors about accommodations

Common Accommodations Priority Registration Alternate format for texts Note takers Separate location for tests in distraction free environment (largely different from the high school separate setting students are use to) Extended time for tests and assignments Assistive Technology Housing and Mobility accommodations

Next Steps: Create a list of potential colleges (research online, talk to parents of college students, meet with guidance counselors) Visit College campuses and request visits with accessibility services: April break and long weekends in the Fall are perfect times to visit, and look online for open house dates *Upcoming fair in Woburn, flyers available Bring questions to ask (see handout) Look into SAT/ACT testing accommodations and which colleges are looking for these scores Students should be narrowing down 2 – 3 teachers to ask for academic recommendations from by spring of Junior year

Self-Determination a concept reflecting the belief that all individuals have the right to direct their own lives. Students who have self-determination skills have a stronger chance of being successful in making the transition to adulthood, including employment and independence (Wehmeyer & Schwartz, 1997) Does your child have a trusted adult at school that s/he can go to if they're having a problem with homework, a teacher, etc.? How independent is your student in making their own decisions? Practice is key (Restaurants, clothes shopping, vacation activities, etc.) Does your child have the ability to set goals and measure progress towards them?

College Readiness: Skills for Success Independently reading (assigned and free reads) Has a system for taking notes and studying for exams Uses a calendar for inputting assignments, appointments and upcoming assessments Has developed coping strategies for overcoming challenges Possesses intrinsic motivation to get through menial tasks

Career Exploration Starts early (interests, activities, volunteer and paid opportunities) Interest inventories: Mass CIS, O*NET online, Naviance (Guidance Seminars) One Stop Career Center (Leominster, Worcester) *good for helping finding summer jobs too! Mass Rehab Commission

Got Questions? Thank you!!