1. Recipe for Success March 23, 2010 Nuts and Bolts of being a College Student

2. College is different from High school IN High School, most of your education decisions are made for you by your parents or teachers or the state curriculum IN High School, most of your education decisions are made for you by your parents or teachers or the state curriculum IN College, a few decisions are made for you but there is a LOT of choice. And lots of independence! IN College, a few decisions are made for you but there is a LOT of choice. And lots of independence!

3. Who advocates for you? High School High School Your Parents Your Parents Your Teachers Your Teachers You after age 16 You after age 16 College College YOU Your parents might be in one meeting with you and the Disability office

4. Plans in High School V/s College High School 504 Plan 504 Plan IEP IEP Teachers responsible for plans being implemented Teachers responsible for plans being implemented College does not have a written plan like High School Student is responsible for requesting academic accommodations from the Disability Office with documentation supporting the request responsible for requesting academic accommodations from the Disability Office with documentation supporting the request Notifying Professors Notifying Professors making testing arrangements making testing arrangements Ensuring they are using the services necessary Ensuring they are using the services necessary Following the time lines of their school Following the time lines of their school

5. What do I mean by Advocate? You have a disability. You have a disability. You have to be COMFORTABLE discussing your Disability. You have to be COMFORTABLE discussing your Disability. You have to KNOW your Disability and any limitations your disability causes that might impact your access to a College Education. You have to KNOW your Disability and any limitations your disability causes that might impact your access to a College Education. You have to KNOW your disability and any limitations well enough to ASK for reasonable accommodations. You have to KNOW your disability and any limitations well enough to ASK for reasonable accommodations.

6. What Do I mean by “Advocate” ? By knowing your disability, you will have ideas about what the college and you can do to reduce the impact of your disability. By knowing your disability, you will have ideas about what the college and you can do to reduce the impact of your disability. You are allowed reasonable academic or residential accommodations to help reduce the impact of your disability on educational access. You are allowed reasonable academic or residential accommodations to help reduce the impact of your disability on educational access. If you don’t ask for the help or the accommodation you may need, it may not be offered. If you don’t ask for the help or the accommodation you may need, it may not be offered.

7. Help Resources on campuses For All Students:  Academic Support Services  Writing Center  Tutoring office  Help tables in various departments  Counseling Center  Health Center/Wellness Center  Academic Advisement Center For Students with Disabilities:  Disability Office

8. Disability Office This is the office that will work with you to receive equal access to the College This is the office that will work with you to receive equal access to the College You have to identify yourself to this office as a person with a disability You have to identify yourself to this office as a person with a disability You have to provide documentation of your disability and its functional limitations You have to provide documentation of your disability and its functional limitations You have to work together with the Disabiltiy Office to determine reasonable accommodations You have to work together with the Disabiltiy Office to determine reasonable accommodations If you don’t’ identify with the Disability Office the college does not know that you are on campus and does not know you may need accommodations. If you don’t’ identify with the Disability Office the college does not know that you are on campus and does not know you may need accommodations. Accommodations start AFTER you identify with the office Accommodations start AFTER you identify with the office

9. Documentation part of Advocacy Each disability has different documentation requirements Each disability has different documentation requirements Discuss with your college what documentation it needs for your particular disability Discuss with your college what documentation it needs for your particular disability Discuss how CURRENT the documentation needs to be (some within 6 months, others within 3 years - - you are responsible for documentation NOT the college) Discuss how CURRENT the documentation needs to be (some within 6 months, others within 3 years - - you are responsible for documentation NOT the college)

10. Good Advocate knows: Reasonable Accommodations – Reduce the impact of the disability on access to the educational environment, physical or educational Reduce the impact of the disability on access to the educational environment, physical or educational Do not reduce the rigor of the academic program Do not reduce the rigor of the academic program Do not change the graduation requirements Do not change the graduation requirements Do not provide a service for free that others have to pay to receive Do not provide a service for free that others have to pay to receive Do not provide personal aides or tutors Do not provide personal aides or tutors Do not provide free technology that others have to pay to receive Do not provide free technology that others have to pay to receive

11. Good Advocate knows: Unreasonable Academic Accommodations Free services that other students pay to receive ( tutoring, for example) Free services that other students pay to receive ( tutoring, for example) Personal Aides for personal care or assistance with study or work outside the classroom Personal Aides for personal care or assistance with study or work outside the classroom In general any request that changes the graduation or major requirements of the college In general any request that changes the graduation or major requirements of the college There are some colleges that will consider substitutions, but other colleges consider a substitution a fundamental alteration of the curriculum. There are some colleges that will consider substitutions, but other colleges consider a substitution a fundamental alteration of the curriculum. Know the GRADUATION or major requirements before you apply. Know the GRADUATION or major requirements before you apply.

12. Good Advocate knows: Other requests that may be unreasonable Other requests that may be unreasonable Color code the important information in the text book FOR you Color code the important information in the text book FOR you Someone to keep you on task in the classroom Someone to keep you on task in the classroom Directions simplified Directions simplified Test questions explained or simplified Test questions explained or simplified Exemptions from general education requirements Exemptions from general education requirements Door to door transportation Door to door transportation

13. To be a good Advocate for yourself you need to: Know the NAME of your Disability Know the NAME of your Disability How does your disability impact or limit you in School? How does your disability impact or limit you in School? How does your disability impact or limit you with on-campus housing? How does your disability impact or limit you with on-campus housing? How does your disability impact or limit you in everyday life? How does your disability impact or limit you in everyday life?

14. What are the limitations of YOUR disability? Example: YOU may have a Learning Disability It: YOU may have a Learning Disability It: May slow down your reading speed May slow down your reading speed May slow down how fast you get information in or out of your brain May slow down how fast you get information in or out of your brain May make it very difficult to listen to lecture AND take notes at the same time May make it very difficult to listen to lecture AND take notes at the same time May prevent you from reading text books (reading vocabulary is low), but you can understand what you hear. May prevent you from reading text books (reading vocabulary is low), but you can understand what you hear.

15. Learning Disability example Reading speed slow, processing speed slow Reading speed slow, processing speed slow REASONABLE accommodation may be REASONABLE accommodation may be extra time on exams extra time on exams pacing your courses so you have fewer reading intense courses each term pacing your courses so you have fewer reading intense courses each term

16. Learning Disability cont. Can’t read the text book but can understand what you hear Can’t read the text book but can understand what you hear REASONABLE academic accommodation may be REASONABLE academic accommodation may be Electronic books so you can hear your computer read the book to you. Electronic books so you can hear your computer read the book to you. Books on tape from RFBD Books on tape from RFBD Reader for exams Reader for exams

17. Learning Disability Can’t listen to lecture and take notes at the same time Can’t listen to lecture and take notes at the same time Reasonable academic accommodation might be Reasonable academic accommodation might be Student note taker OR Student note taker OR Copy of lecturers notes OR Copy of lecturers notes OR Use of a digital recorder to record the lecture Use of a digital recorder to record the lecture

18. Physical Disability Example How does your physical disability get in the way of your education? How does your physical disability get in the way of your education? Mobility? Mobility? Opening doors? Opening doors? Stamina? Stamina? Fine motor control (hand writing)? Fine motor control (hand writing)?

19. Physical Disability Mobility Mobility Reasonable accommodation may include: Reasonable accommodation may include: Special Housing Special Housing Door openers Door openers Elevators in building Elevators in building Special parking Special parking Reasonable paths to classes Reasonable paths to classes Extra time between classes to give time to move around campus Extra time between classes to give time to move around campus Accessible Washers and Dryers Accessible Washers and Dryers

20. Physical Disability Stamina Stamina Reasonable accommodations may include: Reasonable accommodations may include: Reduce course load Reduce course load Extra time for exams Extra time for exams Customizing your schedule with one class in morning and one in afternoon Customizing your schedule with one class in morning and one in afternoon

21. Physical Disability Fine motor control Fine motor control Reasonable accommodations may include: Reasonable accommodations may include: Word processor for essay exams Word processor for essay exams Scribe for exams Scribe for exams Person to bubble in scantron exam answers Person to bubble in scantron exam answers

22. Your turn to play advocate: What are the limitations a person with these disabilities might have? What are the limitations a person with these disabilities might have? Hearing impaired Hearing impaired Visually impaired Visually impaired Attention deficit disorder Attention deficit disorder What might be Reasonable accommodations for each? What might be Reasonable accommodations for each?

23. Did you suggest - - - Hearing impaired Hearing impaired Notes? Notes? Sign language interpreter? Sign language interpreter? Hearing aid system that works with Audio in lecture area? Hearing aid system that works with Audio in lecture area?

24. Did you suggest - - - Visually impaired Visually impaired Enlarged print for hand outs Enlarged print for hand outs Braille for handout or books Braille for handout or books Auditory or electronic text books Auditory or electronic text books Reader OR large print OR Braille for exams Reader OR large print OR Braille for exams

25. Did you suggest - - ? Attention deficit disorder Attention deficit disorder Less distracting testing environment Less distracting testing environment Extra time on exams to re-focus Extra time on exams to re-focus Special class schedule to have classes during the part of the day when more likely to be focused Special class schedule to have classes during the part of the day when more likely to be focused

26. Other Disabilities: know what you have and how it impacts you Psychiatric or Emotional disabilities Psychiatric or Emotional disabilities Allergies that are limiting in nature (allergic to wheat, peanuts, etc) Allergies that are limiting in nature (allergic to wheat, peanuts, etc) Medical disabilities Medical disabilities Chronic illnesses Chronic illnesses Combinations of conditions (LD + ADD, ADD + Anxiety) Combinations of conditions (LD + ADD, ADD + Anxiety) Recovery from drug or alcohol dependence Recovery from drug or alcohol dependence Traumatic event syndromes Traumatic event syndromes

27. Final Words Think about yourself carefully Think about yourself carefully If you go away to school If you go away to school Can you clean your room? Can you clean your room? Can you do laundry? Can you do laundry? Can you get up and get to class on your own? Can you get up and get to class on your own? Do you take showers and change your clothes on a regular basis? Do you take showers and change your clothes on a regular basis? Remember medications on your own? Remember medications on your own? Remember to eat regular meals? Remember to eat regular meals?

28. Final Thoughts cont. Deal with room mate issues? Deal with room mate issues? Can you study with out some one telling you to study? Can you study with out some one telling you to study? Can you remember test dates and homework due dates with out constant reminders? Can you remember test dates and homework due dates with out constant reminders? You can be Academically qualified to be at College BUT you also need to have the self care and self motivation to succeed at college. You can be Academically qualified to be at College BUT you also need to have the self care and self motivation to succeed at college.