Transition Information for Students with Disabilities

Unlike high school, students with disabilities seeking postsecondary education will find that colleges and universities do not offer “special” education. In high school it is the responsibility and obligation of the school system to identify and evaluate student’s eligible for special education services. However, Section 504 requires postsecondary institutions to provide accommodations to students with qualifying disabilities only after the student is admitted. Once enrolled, it is the student’s responsibility to self-identify a disability. Self-identification can be done after admission but prior to the start of classes, after class starts or never. A student who does not self-identify and request an accommodation will not be given one. Likewise, a student with a disability who chooses not the have any accommodation is under no obligation to seek or obtain one. A student who requests an accommodation after classes begin may not have his or her previous coursework reexamined or expunged even if the student can show that he or she had a disability at the time of the coursework in question.

Students must understand that their role of responsibility regarding the provision of services changes after high school. Section 504 and the ADA both set out obligations for postsecondary institutions to provide accommodations to students with qualifying disabilities, but once the student has been admitted to the college it is the student’s responsibility to request such services. The role shifts from the school system to self-advocacy.

For more information regarding your transition see U.S. Department of Education - Office for Civil Rights - Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

Take the first step toward your career