Keys to Accessing Postsecondary Education

1. Keys to Accessing Postsecondary Education Presented by Beverly Boggess, Ph. D. Maureen Baldwin-Lamper, M.Ed. Sharon Cronin, M.S. Carole Schuschu, M.Ed. Kathleen Sosny, M.Ed. Disabilities Services Community College System of New Hampshire CCSNH

2. NHTI Concord’s Community College, Concord Lakes Region Community College, Laconia Great Bay Community College, Stratham River Valley Community College, Claremont White Mountains Community College, Berlin Nashua Community College, Nashua Manchester Community College, Manchester

3. CCSNH

4. CCSNH

5. DISABILITIES SERVICES Maureen Baldwin-Lamper, Lakes Region Community College, Laconia Beverly Boggess, NHTI Concord’s Community College, Concord Sharon Cronin, Great Bay Community College, Stratham Emma Clifford, River Valley Community College, Claremont Kathleen Sosny, White Mountains Community College, Berlin Donna Szekely, Nashua Community College, Nashua Kevin Wason, Manchester Community College, Manchester

6. It is the mission of the CCSNH Disabilities Services to provide equal educational access, opportunities and experiences to all qualified studentswith documented disabilities who register with each college’s Disabilities Services Office. Reasonable accommodations are provided to students to allow them to achieve at a level limited only by their abilities and not by their disabilities. Assistance is provided in a collaborative way to help students develop strong and effective independent learning and self-advocacy skills, as they assume responsibility for reaching their academic goals.

7. Unlocking individual potential

8. Advising at CCSNH Advising at each CCSNH campus considers the whole person and reflects a value for lifelong learning.

9. Advising at CCSNH We recommend that each individual reflect upon: his/her own interest areas, specific talents and learning styles in concert with the pursuit of career and employment goals.

10. Advising • We recommend consideration of ways for a student to develop transferable skills

11. What can a student do to prepare for next steps after high school? Know his/her own: • Learning Style • Academic levels • Personal Skills • Best Study Methods • Assistive Technology • Activity Level • Career and Work Interests

12. I. Key differences between College Disabilities Services and High School Special Education

13. Key Differences Between High School and College

14. ADA and 504 • These laws protect those that are “otherwise qualified.” • The laws only guarantee • “reasonable accommodations” for • “equal access” to curriculum and facilities.

15. Key Differences Between High School and College

16. ADA and 504 The college is “…not required to lower or waive essential requirements.” “In providing an academic adjustment, (the) postsecondary school is not required to lower or effect substantial modifications to essential requirements.” From Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities, U.S. Department of Education, September, 2007.

17. What does “courses are not modified” mean? • A modification is a change in the essential elements of a course, either in how or what is taught. • At the college level, course material does not change depending on an individual’s abilities, as it can in high school.

18. Specialists inform teacher of Students are responsible for informing students’ needs through an IEP professors of their needs using their reasonable accommodation plan Students disclose a disability through Disabilities Services Key Differences Between High School and College High School College

19. Testing is provided Students need to provide documentation. If re-evaluation is necessary, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange and pay for it. Students’ strengths & challengesStudents are expected to develop Are determined by the Specialists self-advocacy skills Key Differences Between High School and College High School College

20. II. Expectations

21. At college students have equal opportunity to pursue programs and: will be evaluated against the same standards and course objectives, health, character and technical standards that are required of ALL students.

22. Expectations at College • Students need to be “otherwise qualified” • Have a diploma or GED • Meet academic requirements

23. Expectationsat College Students are expected to do Independent Academic work • 1-3 hours of homework per class hour • Use critical thinking skills • Set one’s own schedule

24. Expectations at College • Maintain acceptable academic progress • GPA 2.0 or better • Comply with conduct code • Note: There is no Special Education at college.

25. At college We expect students to become more independent, self-directed learners.

26. III. Process • Students need to disclose to access services.

27. Process • Provide documentation • Meet with Disabilities Services Staff to develop a reasonable accommodation plan.

28. If a student wants to use Disabilities Services, he/she needs to let Disabilities Services know that he/she: • has a disability • needs support • has documentation

29. IV. Documentation To qualify for services, a student needs recent, updated documentation

30. What is “documentation?” • The student’s most recent educational test reports • Pertinent records from a health care professional • Note: The IEP and/or 504 plan may be helpful, but are not sufficient by themselves as full documentation.

31. The student’s records are confidential. and kept separate from… • department records • admissions decisions • registrar records and • transcripts

32. Documentation should be • Up-to-date • Address current level of functioning • Support the request for accommodations.

33. Documentation Must include: • diagnosis(es) • The credentials of the professional/ evaluator • Effect of the disability on • MAJOR LIFE ACTIVITY and • EFFECT UPON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

34. Documentation is reviewed on a case-by-case basis based upon: • quality, • date, • completeness

35. Rights and Responsibilities change upon graduation from high school, as noted in KEY DIFFERENCES. • Students are responsible. • The role of parents changes. • Release of Information

36. We recommend this excellent resource from the U.S. Dept. of Education to explain the major points. Rights and Responsibilities…

37. V. Methods to foster growth toward a student becoming a more successful, independent, self-directed learner

38. Supports available to the student to address course requirements include: • Accommodations • Support services • Strategies for efficient learning

39. Supports available to the student to address course requirements include: • Accommodations

40. What’s an accommodation?Here are some examples…. • Test Accommodations • Extended time (time and a half: for example: for a 60 min. test you can take up to 90 min.) • Separate Quiet Test Environment • Reader for Exams

41. Examples of accommodations • Math • Use of calculator when appropriate to course objectives • Use of formula sheets, when appropriate to course objectives • Language • Use of spell checker • Support with proofreading and editing

42. Supports available to the student to address course requirements include: • Support services • Availability varies depending on the CCSNH campus.

43. Supports available to the student to address course requirements include these options (also available to other students): • Math Lab • Writing Center • Reading Center

44. Supports available to the student to address course requirements include these options (also available to other students): • Peer Tutoring • Mentoring • Computer Lab • Computer-Assisted Instruction- “Plato” • Study Strategies Classes • College Success Seminar

45. Supports available … Assistive Technology Note: availability varies at each campus; some restrictions apply. For example: • Spell Checker • Tape Recorder • Alpha Smart Keyboard • Quicktionary Reading Pen

46. Supports available…Assistive technology: Note: availability varies at each campus; some restrictions apply. • Electronic texts requested from publishers • Audio books requested from RFB& D and audiobook players

47. Supports available…Assistive technology: Software Note: Availability varies at each campus; for use in Learning Center. Some restrictions apply. For example: • Text to Voice: “Kurzweil Scanner” • Voice-to-text: “Dragon Naturally Speaking” • Enlarging & speaking: “Zoomtext”

48. Strategies for more efficient learning • Availability varies depending on the CCSNH campus. Some restrictions apply. Academic Coaching to help a student learn how to: • discover and use his/her learning style • keep him/herself on track • improve time management skills • practice self-management skills

49. Strategies for more efficient learning Academic Coaching to help a student learn how to: • prepare for tests • organize course materials for success • problem solve about courses and working with faculty • balance school, work, family and personal responsibilities • share successes  !

50. Is it a good idea to use supports?Each student must decide…. It’s been our experience that the students who ACTIVELY use supports available are those students who DO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS!