Supporting students with disabilities

This morning I participated in a webinar hosted by the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) featuring several folks from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. The main topic of today’s webinar was the support RIT provides for students with disabilities. Perhaps the most innovative program they have is their Spectrum Support Program for students with autism, which helps these students acclimate to life in college, offers coaching when they run into academic and social challenges, and prepares them for the transition to the workforce after graduation.

I came away impressed with RIT’s efforts to support students, which effectively balances removing barriers for disabled students with providing coaching to help them navigate through the world. I am aware of other colleges that do a great job supporting students with disabilities. A particular college or university might work particularly well with students with a specific kind of disability—blind students, for example, or students with ADHD.

If you are—or if you know—a student with disabilities who is considering college, it is important to familiarize yourself with the kinds of accommodations, services, and programs each college or university provides, and what their philosophy is toward supporting students with disabilities. I also think it is a good idea to consider what your own experiences and expectations are. Did your high school provide significant accommodations that helped you to be successful? If so, are you expecting that same type of support in college? How extensive—and how recent—is your documentation of your disability, and how well does that align with the eligibility requirements at the colleges you’re considering? How open are you to receiving coaching in addition to accommodations?

Some students may feel that they want to be less reliant on accommodations for their disability than they were in high school. Depending on the student, this desire may or may not be realistic. I see no harm in a student wanting to work toward utilizing fewer accommodations as they mature, but I also think it is wise for students to choose a college that has options for support if the student needs it.

If you’d like to learn more about the support systems colleges and universities provide for students with disabilities, and how to obtain information from colleges, schedule a free one-hour consultation with me today! Reach out to me using the contact form on my website.