1. College Students with Disabilities
Key Concepts for Student Affairs Professionals
Alyse Gray Parker
Trinity University
Dr. David H. K. Nguyen
The University of Texas at San Antonio

2. Outline of Presentation
Current Statistics
Review of Federal Law
Common Tasks of Disability Service (DS) Providers
Case Study

3. Overview of Disability & Higher Education

4. Current Numbers & Statistics
11% of current population of college students report having a disability
About two-thirds of postsecondary students with disabilities received no accommodations from their colleges.
Attributed in large part to the fact that about half of postsecondary students with disabilities said they do not consider themselves to have a disability, and another 7 percent acknowledged having a disability but had not told their colleges about it.
Female students with disabilities were 6 percentage points more likely than male students to have enrolled in college since high school
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2016). Digest of Education Statistics, 2015 ( ), Chapter 3
Wagner, M., Newman, L., Cameto, R., Garza, N., & Levine, P. (2005). After High School: A First Look at the Postschool Experiences of Youth with Disabilities. A Report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2). Online submission.

5. Review of Federal Law

6. Disability Statutes Americans with Disabilities Act ADA Amendments Act
Title I – Employment
Title II – State and local government services, programs, and activities
Title III – Public accommodations, commercial facilities, and educational services
ADA Amendments Act
Section 504, Rehabilitation Act
Fair Housing Act
State laws and regulations
Local ordinances

7. Definition of disability under ADA
A documented physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment.

8. ADA Amendments Act Physical or mental impairments:
Contagious and noncontagious diseases and conditions;
Orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments;
Cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, HIV, TB, drug addiction, alcoholism;
Mental retardation, emotional illness, learning disabilities
Substantially limits:
Less able to perform the activity most people in the general population
Major life activities:
Caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working
Eating, sleeping, standing, lifting, bending, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, and communicating
Includes the operation of a major bodily function, i.e. immune system, digestive, bladder, neurological, respiratory, circulatory, reproductive

9. Legal Obligations of Institutions
Nondiscrimination
Employment
Government services
Public accommodations and educational services
Provide reasonable accommodations
Perform essential job functions or program/activity requirements
Participate in services, programs, activities to the same extent as others
Access services, programs, and facilities

10. Animals, disabilities, & the campus
Service animals may assist with tasks/functions
Allowed anywhere; only those animals trained for work/task
Assistance animals may help with therapy, comfort, emotional support or relief
Allowed only in housing; any type of animal
Need not be individually trained to do work or tasks; needs nexus with disability

11. Common Tasks Of DS Providers

12. Accommodations
A way to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to higher education
Must be REASONABLE
Meet with students to understand needs
From there, discuss how accommodations can assist
Academic
Housing
Dietary
Academic-reduced courseload

13. Accommodations
“While “reasonable accommodations” (are just one path to access, they, along with campus-wide consultation and training, are often necessary to afford access to individuals with disabilities. Decisions regarding whether an accommodation is appropriate requires an individualized, interactive process and an understanding of the context. “
-Ahead.org

14. Advocacy
Issues can arise between campus partners, and DS can assist...
Faculty
Roommate
Parents
Medical Model vs. Social Model of Disability
The social model of disability says that disability is caused by the way society is organised. The medical model of disability says people are disabled by their impairments or differences.
Under the medical model, these impairments or differences should be ‘fixed’ or changed by medical and other treatments.

15. Programming/Outreach
A move to see disability as a part of diversity and inclusion
Ability/Disability Awareness
Move from medical model to social model

16. Case Study

17. Discussion Questions
Was the response of the SDS director to Linda appropriate? Why or why not?
Was the response of the director of residential life to Linda appropriate? Why or why not?
Would you adjust or change any of the policies (SDS or residential life) in this situation? If so, what would you change? If not, why?

18. Thank you. Alyse Gray Parker alyseg416@gmail. com David H. K
Thank you! Alyse Gray Parker David H. K. Nguyen, JD, PhD