Educational options for students with disabilities have come a long way in the last 30 years, and there are a great range of services available for students with disabilities at both the K-12 and postsecondary levels. However, HOW students go about getting those services is vastly different from high school to college. At the college level, receiving the accommodations and services a student deserves requires a lot more self-advocacy on the part of the student. This presentation gives a quick rundown of the differences between high school and college for exceptional learners, and steps they can take to support their success.

1. Exceptional Learners,
College Ready
Preparing Special Education Students
for Post-Secondary Education
Benjamin J. Howard Williams, MAEd
Last Updated: Nov. 7, 2013

2. One:
Are Special Education
Students Even Going to
College?

3. Yes.
As of 2011, 55% of students with disabilities*
had attended at least some college within 6
years of High School, vs. 62% of their general
education peers.
*This includes students with ALL types of disabilities.
(Shah, 2011)

4. “We’ve had now 30 years of access
for students with disabilities to go to
school, and they’re coming out of
that system with a different
expectation...”
Eric Latham, Exec. Director of Pathway @ UCLA

5. Success Story: Laura Lee
Student with Down Syndrome
Graduate of Mason LIFE program
(Learning Into Future Environments) @
George Mason University
Lives independently & works
2 days a week at the World Bank
in Washington D.C.
(Shah, 2011)

6. Success Story: Donald Bailey Jr.
Pervasive Developmental Disorder
(On the Autism Spectrum, Not Otherwise Specified)
Graduate of the CarolinaLIFE program
@ University of South Carolina
Lives independently, works full-time for
Charleston, SC Parks & Recreation and
volunteers at the local elementary
school.
(Shah, 2011)

7. Two:
There are no IEPs in College

8. “When students are covered by
IDEA, they can be relatively passive
recipients of federally mandated
services...all of that changes when
high school ends…”
Prof. Stan Shaw, University of Connecticut in Storrs
(Samuels, 2009)

9. Colleges & Universities function under
the Americans With Disabilities Act
(ADA) & Sec 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act rather than IDEA.
These are Civil Rights Acts,
ensuring access ONLY IF the
student is “otherwise qualified” to
attend college.
(Dell, n.d.)

10. Accomodations & Services
“level the playing field”,
they cannot alter the nature
or requirements the
educational program.
(US Dept of Education: Office of Civil Rights, 2011)

11. Colleges cannot discriminate based on disability status
in admissions, housing, transportation, program offerings,
etc.
Colleges can set their own standards for testing and
documentation required for accommodation/services.
Students must self-identify to receive accommodations.
Reasonable accommodations are required by law, but the
student’s desired accommodations are not.
Accommodations are NEVER retroactive.
(US Dept of Education: Office of Civil Rights, 2011)

12. Three:
Making the transition to
College

13. Full Inclusion Programs
in the senior year of high school have a dramatically positive
impact on student success rates in college.
They encourage self-advocacy and lower
expectations of “hand-holding”.
(Fogg, 2009)

14. Disclosure & Advocacy
All IEPs must include plans for after high school, but only 12
states require a “Summary of Performance” that lists
student strengths, weaknesses, and recommended post-
secondary accommodations (Samuels, 2009).
The 1st question most Access Services Offices Ask:
“What’s worked for you in the past?”
Students MUST be articulate about their
disability and the assistance they need to be
successful.

15. “Colleges don’t want to
hear from Mommy.”
Prof. Stan Shaw, University of Connecticut in Storrs
Normal Student Privacy Laws and Policies (FERPA)
apply for all students, regardless of their disability status
unless a student is legally incompetent.
Colleges often CANNOT discuss a student’s education
with a parent without explicit permission.

16. HIPAA vs. FERPA
Student Privacy & Disability Records
Documentation of a disability falls under
HIPAA privacy laws and so is not part of the
academic record covered by FERPA.
Faculty will not know about a student’s
disability unless it is obvious such as
paraplegia.
The student must choose to disclose it.
(Leuchovius, n.d.)

17. Research Early
While all colleges must provide accommodations, the level
and nature of those accommodations can vary widely.
Example: Providing a note-taker or a tape-recorder are
considered variations on the SAME ACCOMMODATION.
One YEAR before enrollment, check with colleges about:
● What accommodations & services are available?
● What documentation is required?
Early disclosure gives colleges time to provide
the best assistance they can.
(Lechouvis, n.d.)

18. Four:
SPED Realities in Higher Ed
Access Services at JCCC
(Johnson County Community College)

19. The incidence of disability among 1st
time freshmen at Community Colleges
is 3 to 4 times that at 4-year public and
private institutions.
Up to 20% of Community College
Students may have some form of
disability.
(Fogg, 2009)

20. Johnson County Community College:
Public, 2 Year institution in a large suburb of
Kansas City, KS with annual enrollment of
approx. 22,000 students
On avg. 500-600 students seek
Access Services assistance each term.
(approx. 2% of Total Enrollment)
(Willnauer, 2013)

21. Most Common Accommodation:
Extended Test Time / Alt. Test Environment
True of most Colleges/ Universities (Fogg, 2009)
Other Accommodations:
Note Takers
Audio Books
Assistive Technology
(screen readers, braille devices, etc.)
ASL Interpreters (40)
Access Tutors (35)

22. CLEAR Program:
(College Learning Experiences, Activities, & Resources)
Provides non-credit classes for adults with mild developmental
and/or cognitive disabilities. Focused on independent living
skills, socialization, and cultural enrichment.
● www.jccc.edu/clear
TIPS Program:
(Transition Into PostSecondary Education)
Program offered in collaboration with the Blue Valley and
Gardner-Edgerton Public Schools and the KS School for the
Deaf . Allows high functioning special needs High School
students to pursue a dual enrollment program at the college to
prepare them for life after high school.
● Charlotte Walker, TIPS Coordinator - cwalke43@jccc.edu

23. “CLEAR's goal is to provide educationally
sound experiences in classrooms on the
JCCC campus...the social integration of the
CLEAR students and other JCCC students will
continue to provide a valuable learning
experience for everyone...” with weekday and
weekend classes.
(Entrance Criteria for CLEAR students, n.d.)

24. CLEAR teaches basic skills, physical
conditioning, arts and crafts, practical life skills,
and personal enrichment courses based on
student interests, needs, and input.
Past Classes:
Light & Easy Cooking
Handbells
An Elvis Celebration
First Aid
Reptiles & Amphibians
Math Skills
Success in the Work Place
The Fee for
Most Classes is
$5.00 per Class
(does not include lunch)

25. CLEAR Students must be…
● 18+ years old
● Independently mobile
● Free of Physical, Verbal, or Sexual Aggression
● Able to transport and take own medications
● Able to communicate verbally, via sign language, or
through a device.
● Able to sit through a 60min class without assistance.
● Able to maintain personal self-care & hygiene.
For full entrance criteria:
http://www.jccc.edu/clear/entrance-criteria.html

26. Five:
Resources & More Info:

27. Heath Resource Center @ George Washington University
Online Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with
Disabilities: http://www.heath.gwu.edu/
Think College
College Options for People with Intellectual Disabilities:
http://www.thinkcollege.net/
The PACER Center
(Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) ADA Q & A: Section 504 &
Postsecondary Education: http://www.pacer.org/publications/adaqa/504.asp
US Dept of Ed: Office for Civil Rights
Transition of Students with Disabilities to Postsecondary Education - A Guide
for High School Educators:
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transitionguide.html
College Transition Connection (of South Carolina)
Non-Profit that works to create and fund post-secondary programs for
students with intellectual disabilities: http://collegetransitionconnection.org/

28. Works Cited
Dell, A. (n.d.). Transition: There are no IEP's in college. Retrieved from http://www.tcnj.edu/~technj/2004/transition.htm
Entrance criteria for CLEAR students. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.jccc.edu/clear/entrance-criteria.html
Fogg, N. E. (2009). From paternalism to self-advocacy. New England Journal Of Higher Education, 24(2), 12-16. Retrieved from http://search.
ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=45025281&site=ehost-live
Leuchovius, D. (n.d.). ADA q & a: Section 504 & postsecondary education. PACER Center. Retrieved from http://www.pacer.
org/publications/adaqa/504.asp
Samuels, C. A. (2009, March 18). Charting a course after high school. Education Week, 28(25), 18. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.
ezproxy.jccc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA196722451&v=2.1&u=jcl_jccc&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w
Shah, N. (2011, December 14). More students with disabilities heading to college: Postsecondary options expanding. Education Week, 31(14),
1. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.jccc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA275707537&v=2.1&u=jcl_jccc&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w
US Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2011). Transition of students with disabilities to postsecondary education: A guide for high
school educators. Retrieved from website: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transitionguide.html
Willnauer, J. (2013, September 30). Interview by B Howard-Williams [Personal Interview]. Access services at Johnson County Community
College.
Image Credits
http://www.jccc.edu/files/image_photo_stories/programs/interpreter-training-fi.jpg
http://www.un.org/News/dh/photos/large/2012/April/04-17-2012worlbank.jpg
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/ef/85/49/the-battery-charleston.jpg
http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/112958/file-314629742-jpg/College_Admissions_News.jpg
http://app1.kuhf.org/userfiles/lee_high_school-classroom.png
http://sunlitest.com/showroom/images/2012%20Project%20Photos/GP/GP_LRG.png
http://www.jccc.edu/files/img/clear/CLEAR-library442x332.jpg

29. About the author
Benjamin is an educator, student services professional,
and academic coach living in the suburbs of
Kansas City.
Benjamin is a member of the Kansas Association of
Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers (KACRAO),
the Kansas Association of Colleges and Employers
(KACE), and the National Association of Student
Personnel Administrators (NASPA). In 2012, he was
awarded the Johnson County Community College
Rookie of the Year award and nominated for the NASPA
Region IV New Professionals Rising Star award.
Beyond his professional role, Benjamin also guest
presents and teaches workshops around the Kansas
City area on a variety of subjects including College
Financial Aid basics and the value of a Liberal Arts
education in a 21st century job market.
For more information, visit:
www.strikingly.com/benjaminjhw