(Most content above obtained from Davis School District .)
What does Transition Planning for Post-Secondary Education mean?
Post-Secondary Education (PSE) can take on many different programs. PSE planning covers skills and preparation needed to attend a variety of settings (universities, community colleges, technical school, military, etc.). These skills may be in areas such as choosing a major, class selection, assignment completion, test-taking, organization, study skills, etc.
Further education past a high school diploma, whether at college, technical school, or job-specific, is a major key leading to increased pay and security, and often the difference between a job and a career.
Organizations report that students with disabilities often come unprepared for the requirements and rigors of the many forms of post-secondary education. It is imperative that students with disabilities receive the support and education necessary to transition to PSE settings.
While there are different requirement for different settings, there are some common themes:
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Students must have knowledge of their disability. More specifically, they should have knowledge of their specific disability, their strengths and weaknsses, learning styles, accommodations they have used and may need, etc. They also need to be willing to discuss these items, as well as provide documentation and evaluation, in order receive services for their disabilities.
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Students who advocate for themselves. As the students are usually over 18, parents are no longer the legal guardian, and students need to be able to talk for themselves. Parents will often be allowed to attend meetings as a courtesy, the focus shifts to the students themselves. Additionally, the student must assume responsibility to become proactive and advocate for themselves (as opposed to public education, where the school assumes most of the responsibility).
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Students who are otherwise qualified. This means that even when the accommodations are identified and used, the students must still be able to meet the organization’s academic and other standards.
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Learn about and be comfortable with your disability. (Applies to students and families.) This includes how it affects you, what accommodations help you, and recognize that it doesn’t have to control your life. The earlier you do this, the better off you will be!
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Stepping Forward: A Self-Advocacy Guide for Middle and High … — a FANTASTIC resource with many activities about accepting your disability, when to disclose it to others, and how to advocate for yourself.
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Many famous people have disabilities, and have still been able to overcome the affect of the disability to be successful.
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Going-to-College.org is also a great resource for teens with disabilites preparing for college and learning to think about their disability in a positive way.
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Special Education services under IDEA end at graduation (whether at the end of high school, or the end of the 18-22 program). However, students with disabilities may still be able to receive some services at various post-secondary education settings under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. These settings require different documentation and offer different services than public grade schools.
A great resource for more information on these guidelines is Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities from the Department of Education.
Many post-secondary education settings have disability resource centers. Contact them for information about their specific programs and requirements. Below are links to some commonly attended schools in Utah:
Brigham Young University (BYU) — University Accessibility Center
Dixie State College (DSC) — Disability Resource Center
Ogden-Weber Technology College — ADA Accommodations
Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) — Disability Resource Center
Snow College — Accessibility Services
Southern Utah University (SUU)– Disability Support Office
Weber State University (WSU) — Disability Services
University of Phoenix — Disability Services Office
University of Utah (UofU) — Center for Disability Access
Utah State University (USU) — Disability Resource Center
Utah Valley University (UVU) — Accessibility Services Department
(Content above obtained from Davis School District .)
What programs are available for students with significant disabilities in Post-Secondary Education settings?
A national movement is gaining momentum to open up access to the college experience for students with intellectual disabilities. Think College!, a natonal program developed by Meg Grigal, PhD, is committed to research and expanding opportunities for those experiences. There are dozens of college programs across the United States that can be located by visiting the Think College! website.
Utah State University has launched Aggies Elevated, Utah’s first college program for students with Intellectual Disabilities, which is slated to begin Fall 2014 or Fall 2015.
Postsecondary Education Tip sheet with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities)
