Students with Disabilities Preparing for Post-secondary Education:

1. Students with Disabilities Preparing for Post-secondary Education: Know your Rights and Responsibilities

2. Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire . . . William Butler Yeats

3. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 • Any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance may not discriminate against any individual with a disability in the United States.

4. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 • Prohibits state and local governments from discriminating on the basis of disability • A public entity shall furnish appropriate aids and services where necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of a service, program or activity conducted by a public entity.

5. High Schools and Colleges are very different . . . • Law, processes, and procedures • Rights of parents • Learning locations • Roles of Teacher/Instructor

6. High Schools • Students are entitled to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) • Student has the right to an education until he/she graduates or meets the goals of the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) • School is responsible for evaluation and developing an IEP • School is required to provide services and document students’ use of those services

7. Colleges • Emphasis is placed on access to the education, not the education • Different Laws apply: ADA Title II and Section 504 • Institution’s admission requirements must be followed • Responsibility for obtaining evaluations that are required belongs to the student • Responsibility for seeking and using accommodations belongs to the student • Communication is with students, not parents

8. College Admissions Process • Complete application as required and send into Admissions Office • Complete entire application, some schools may ask to self-disclose, this is not mandatory! • Notify Disability Support Office of your situation and request information about services • Provide appropriate and current documentation about the disability • Meet with the Disability Service Coordinator to discuss possible accommodations

9. Documentation Requirements • Comprehensive and current – less than three years old – and must include diagnosis • IEP’s, progress updates and 504 plans are not considered appropriate documentation • Documentation must be prepared by an appropriate professional • The College/University will not pay for updating of required documents

10. Where to get more info . . . • Office of Civil Rights: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/icr/transition.html • Section 504 and Title II: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/auxaid.html

11. More info on Post-Secondary Institutions • Lehigh Carbon Community College http://www.lccc.edu/default.aspx?pageid=125 • Muhlenberg College http://www.muhlenberg.edu/students/disabilities/ • East Stroudsburg University http://www4.esu.edu/current_students/student_services/disability_services/disability_services.cfm • Kutztown University http://www.kutztown.edu/admin/humandiversity/disabililtyservices/ • Penn State University http://www.equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines.asp