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DOCUMENT RESUME

EC 304 534

Barr, Vickie M.; And Others

Getting Ready for College: Advising High School

Students with Learning Disabilities.

American Council on Education, Washington, DC. HEATH

Resource Center.

Department of Edu;ation, Washington, DC.

95

H030C30002-94

13p.; For earlier version, see ED 332 405.

HEATH Resource Center, One Dupont Circle, N.W., Suite

800, Washington, DC 20036-1193.

Guides Non-Classroom Use (055)

MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.

College Applicants; *College Bound Students; College

Choice; *College Preparation; *Educational

Counseling; Educational Planning; Higher Education;

High Schools; *High School Students; *Learning

Disabilities; Legal Responsibility; Self Evaluation

(Individuals); Student Rishts; Transitional

Programs

This paper was developed to help counselors of

students with learning disabilities plan for college, by answering

common student questions and providing sources of additional

information. Sections of the paper discuss: (1) developing self

knowledge (using compensatory learning strategies, knowing one's own

strengths and weaknesses, and practicing self-advocacy); (2)

understanding legal rights and responsibilities (especially relevant

federal legislation, changing levels of responsibility, and privacy

rights); (3) transition planning for college (evaluating college

options, documenting the learning disability, and course

selection/accommodative services); (4) the college application

process (creating a short list, caution about course waivers and

substitutions, admissions tests and accommodations, application and

disclosure, and making a college choice); and (5) selected

organizational and print resources for additional information.

(DB)

*********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made

from the original document. ***********************************************************************
fiP .

resource center

AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION

GETTING READY FOR COLLEGE:

ADVISING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

Increasing numbers of students

with learning disabilities are enrolling in two- and four-year colleges and universities. Since 1985,

among first-time, full-time freshmen who reported having any

disability the percentage of those

with learning disabilities doubled

from 15 percent to 32 percent.

Currently nearly a third of all

freshmen with disabilities report

having learning disabilities.

Some of the most frequently

asked questions of the HEATH

staff are about students with

learning disabilities who are

preparing to make the transition

from high school to college. In

addition, HEATH staff are asked

many questions by students with

learning disabilities who plan to

enroll in graduate school, including law school and medical

school. Such questions indicate

that students with learning disabilities can, and do have successful undergraduate experiences.

High school students with learning disabilities who are considering going to college should be

encouraged to pursue this goal.

Students should be aware that

10 colleges and universities are not

all alike. Their missions or purposes, entrance criteria, programs

0 of study, and requirements for

(\(\ certifications, associate degrees,

andbaccalaureate degrees vary. 01 ar y, stu ents with learning

disabilities are not all alike. Their

goals, strengths and weaknesses

vary Also, people change their

mindsplans and goals change

over time. The student who enrolls in a vocational certification

program in a two-year community college today may be the

student who completes a baccalaureate degree program in a

four-year university tomorrow.

Students with learning disabilities, who will choose to continue

their formal education beyond

high school, need to take a variety of preparatory steps to get

ready for college while in high

school. In addition, they need to

make real choices regarding their

goals after high school well before their senior years to maximize their options.

This paper was developed to

help in that process by answering

many of the questions that students have, and listing sources of

additional information. While

Getting Ready for College was

designed for high school students

with learning disabilities, this paper should also be useful to those

who advise students in their college-search process, including

parents, teachers, and guidance

counselors. Unless otherwise

specified, information in this Resource Paper is based on the writers' participation in numerous

workshops and national conferU.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION

CENTER (ERIC)

LiThis document has been reproduced as

received I rom the person or organization

originating it

r MI.Of changes have been made to improve

reproduction quality

Points of view or opinions stated in this docu

ment do not necessarily represent of lutist

OE RI position or policy

ences, materials collected by

HEATH staff, and conversations

with successful college students

with disabilities, as well as experienced campus Disability Support Services officers. Additional

information can be obtained by

contacting the organizations or

consulting the publications included in the Selected Resources

section at the end of this paper.

The following ideas will be explored within this paper:

DEVELOPING SELF

KNOWLEDGE

UNDERSTANDING LEGAL

RIGHTS AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

TRANSITION PLANNING

FOR COLLEGE

COLLEGE APPLICATION

PROCESS

DEVELOPING SELF

KNOWLEDGE

Successful college students

with learning disabilities, college

advisors, as well as campus Disability Support Services staff

agree that developing knowledge

about one's self the nature of

one's learning disabilities as well

as one's personal and academic

strengths and weaknesses is

vital in getting ready for college.

Students need to become familiar with how they learn best.

One Dupont Circle, NW 0 Suite 800 0 Washington, DC 20036-1193 0 (202) 939-9320 0 (800) 544-3284 0 Voice/TT

This national clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities

is funded by the U.S. Department of Education

BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2
Many successful students with

learning disabilities acquire compensatory learning strategies to

help them use the knowledge

they have accumulated, to plan,

complete and evaluate projects,

and to take an active role in shaping their environments. They

need to learn how to apply strategies flexibly, and how to modify

or create strategies fluently to fit

new learning situations. For example, compensatory strategies

may include:

allowing more time to complete tests, papers, and other

projects,

listening to andio tapes of text

books wh"-..eading,

making up words to remind

students to use the knowledge

they have.

For example:

F.O.I.L. (First Outer Inner Last)

to remember the sequence of

steps in solving algebra problems when in school,

P.A.L. (Practice Alert Listening)

when talking with friends and

family, at work, and in school,

or

U.S.E. (Use Strategies Every

day).

All students learn from experience. Those with learning disabilities need to exercise their judgment, make mistakes, selfidentify them, and correct them.

Learning new information in a

new setting, such as a college

classroom or dormitory, can be

frustrating. Set-backs are an inevitable part of the learning process, but can impair self-esteem,

which is essential to taking responsibility for one's life. Selfesteem is built and rebuilt one

day at a time. Students need explicit strategies to monitor and restore their self-esteem.

Some students have difficulty

understanding or making themselves understood by their peers,

families, and instructors. For example, some learning disabilities

may affect timing in conversations, or decisions about when to

study and when to socialize. Students need to really think about

how motivated they are. They

should ask themselves these

questions:

Do I really want to go to college and work harder than I

ever did before?

Am I really ready to manage

my social life?

In order to gain self knowledge, HEATH staff suggest the

following ideas:

Become familiar with one's

own learning disability. Since the

professional documentation of the

learning disability is the vehicle

for understanding one's strengths

and weaknesses it is essential that

each student has a full and frank

discussion about that documentation with his or her parents as

well as the psychologist or other

expert who assessed the student.

Students may want to ask questions such as:

What is the extent of the

disability?

What are my strengths? How

do I learn best?

Are there strategies that I can

use to learn despite these disabilities?

[Note: See discussion on page 5

about Documentation of a Learning

Learn to be "self-advocates"

while still in high school! Selfadvocates are people who can

speak up in logical, clear and positive language to communicate

about their needs. Self-advocates

take responsibility for themselves.

To be a self-advocate, each student must learn to understand his

or her particular type of learning

disability, and the resultant academic strengths and weaknesses.

They must be aware of their own

learning styles. Most importantly,

high school students with learning disabilities need to become

comfortable with describing to

others both their disability and

their academic-related needs. At

the college level, the student

alone will hold the responsibility

for self-identification and

advocacy.

Practice self-advocacy while

still in high school. Many students with learning disabilities

develop self-advocacy skills

through participating in the discussions to determine the Individualized Education Program

(IEP) and/or the Individualized

Transition Plan (ITP). Armed with

knowledge about learning

strengths and weaknesses, the

student can be a valued member

of the planning team.

Develop strengths and learn

about areas of interest. Students

with learning disabilities, as do

others, often participate in sports,

music, or social activities after

school. Others try working in a

variety of jobs or community volunteer projects. Activities in

which a student can excel can

help to build the self-esteem necessary to succeed in other areas.

UNDERSTANDING

LEGAL RIGHTS AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

Recent legislation protects the

rights of people with disabilities.

In order to be effective selfadvocates, students need to be informed about this legislation. It is
3

especially important to know

about the Rehabilitation Act of

1973 (especially Section 504), the

Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA) of 1990 and how they differ from the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act

(IDEA) of 1990. In addition the

Family Educational R ights and

Privacy Act (FERPA; of 1974

protects the confidentiality of

student records, which is very

important for students with

learning disabilities and their

families to understand.

UNDERSTANDING

LEGAL RIGHTS AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

IDEA, Section 504, and ADA:

Understanding the Differences

Understanding the Changes in

Level of Responsibility

Understanding Your

Rights to Privacy

IDEA, Section 504, and ADA:

Understanding the Differences

High school students with

learning disabilities must understand their rights under Section

504 of the Rehabilitation Act and

the Americans with Disabilities

Act (ADA) (which guarantee the

civil rights of persons with disabilities) and how these differ

from the rights and services they

received under the Individuals

with Disabilities Education Act

(IDEA).

Under IDEA, which is the legislation that guarantees a free appropriate public education and

governs the provision of special

education services to students

with disabilities in elementary

and secondary schools, the school

is responsible for identifying students with disabilities, for providing all necessary assessments,

and for monitoring the provision

of special education services.

These special education services,

which are described in detail in a

student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) and Individualized Transition Plan (ITP),

could significantly alter the requirements of the "standard"

high school academic program.

Re-quirements for high school

diplomas may be changed under

IDEA, as well. For example, dependent on their particular disabilities, some students' programs of

study under IDEA may not include certain language, mathematics, or science courses that are

usually required courses for a

diploma.

However, IDEA does not apply

to higher education. Colleges and

universities do not offer "special"

education. Under Section 504 and

the ADA, colleges and universities are prohibited from discriminating against a person because

of disability. Institutions must

provide reasonable modifications,

accommodations, or auxiliary

aids which will enable qualified

students to have access to, participate in, and benefit from the full

range of the educational programs and activities which are offered to all students on campus.

Examples which may assist students with learning disabilities

include, but are not limited to,

the use of readers, notetakers, extra time to complete exams,

and/or alternate test formats.

Decisions regarding the exact

accommodations to be provided

are made on an individualized

basis, and the college or university has the flexibility to select the

specific aid or service it provides,

as long as it is effective. Colleges

and universities are not required

by law to provide aides, services,

or devices for personal use or

study.

Unlike elementary and secondary schools, postsecondary institutions are not required to design special academic programs

for students with disabilities.

Postsecondary institutions are required to provide accommodative

services so that qualified students

with disabilities will have equal

access to the regular academic

program. After equal access is

provided, it is everyone's own responsibility to do well, or not do

well. Section 504 and the ADA do

not require postsecondary institutions to alter their requirements

for either admissions or for

graduation.

Understanding the Changes in

Level of Responsibility

Students with learning disabilities need to know that the level of

responsibility regarding the provision of services changes after

high school. As mentioned above,

throughout the elementary and

secondary years, it is the responsibility of the school system to

identify students with disabilities

and to initiate the delivery of special education services. However,

while Section 504 and the ADA

require postsecondary institutions

to provide accommodative services to students with disabilities,

once the student has been admitted to a college or university it is

the student's respcnsibility to selfidentify and provide documentation of the disability. The college

or university will not provide any

accommodation until a student

takes the following two steps:

Step 1. The enrolled student

who needs accommodative

services must "self-identify."

That means he or she must

go to the Office of Disability

Support Services, or the office

(or person) on campus responsible for providing ser-
4

vices to students with disabilities, and request services.

Step 2. He or she must provide documentation of his or

her disability For the student

with a learning disability,

such documentation is often a

copy of his or her testing report and/or a copy of the IEP

or ITP.

Understanding Your Rights

to Privacy

Students and their families are

often concerned about who will

be able to see their educational

records. They want to be sure that

written records will be confidential and available only to those

with a legitimate interest in them.

To protect the privacy of student

records the Family Educational

Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

was passed in 1974 and later

amended several times. FERPA is

also known as the Buckley

Amendment in recognition of

Senator James Buckley of New

York who introduced it.

FERPA gives students the right

to have access to their educational records, consent to release a

record to a third party, challenge

information in those records, and

be notified of their privacy rights.

FERPA affects all colleges and

universities which receive federal

funds. FERPA rights belong to the

student regardless of age (and to

the parents of a dependent student as defined by the Internal

Revenue Service). A "student" is

a person who attends college or

university and/or for whom the

institution maintains educational

records (former students and

alumni, for example) but not applicants to the institution or those

denied admission. The college

must inform students of their

FERPA rights, procedures to allow a student access to his or her

record, and procedures to consent

to release a record to a third

party Publishing this information

in a catalogue or bulletin satisfies

this requirement.

FERPA protects a student's

record from being shared (without the student's permission)

with "curious" faculty, administrators, other students, the press,

or anyone without a legitimate

reason for seeing the record.

According to Subpart E: The

Impact of Section 504 on Postsecondary Education, a publication of the Association on Higher

Education and Disability -

AHEAD (see Selected Resources

section) the following information

is provided about confidentiality

Any information regarding disability gained from medical examinations or appropriate post-admissions inquiry shall be considered

confidential and shall be shared

with others within the institution

on a need-to-know basis only. In

other words, other individuals

shall have access to disabilityrelated information only in-so--

far as it impacts on their functioning or involvement with that

individual. ...

For example, faculty members do not have a right or a need to

access diagnostic or other information regarding a student's disability. They only need to know what

accommodations are necessary/

appropriate to meet the student's

disability-related needs, and then

only with permission of the

student. ...

Disability-relatt.,d information should

be kept in separate files with access

limited to appropriate personnel.

Documentation of disability should

be held by a single source within

the institution in order to protect

the confidentiality of persons with

disabilities by assuring such limited access. (Page 37.)

TRANSITION PLANNING

FOR COLLEGE

Leaving high school is an eventuality that all students face. Under the IDEA preparing for this

transition has been formalized by

requiring that the IEP for each

student receiving special education services include a statement

of the transition services needed.

In many locations the IEP becomes an Individualized Transition Plan, or ITP. It documents the

student's disabilities, describes

specific courses for the student to

take, accommodative services for

the school to provide, notes posthigh school plans, and identifies

linkages with relevant community agencies, such as Vocational

Rehabilitation Services. Students

with learning disabilities planning to go to college are encouraged to take an active part in the

transition planning process. Of

particular importance in transition planning are the following:

TRANSITION PLANNING

FOR COLLEGE

College Options

Documentation of a

Learning Disability

Course Selection and

Accommodative Services

College Options

Students with learning disabilities who are planning to go to

college should make f lemselves

aware of the general categories of

postsecondary educational institutions. Knowing the type of college one will attend affects the

student's course selections while

still in high school. There are over

3,000 colleges and universities in

the United States. In addition to

varying in size, scope of program

offered, setting (urban, suburban,

or rural), residential or commuter,

and cost of attendance, there are

several factors of special importance for students with learning

disabilities.

0
5

Admissions Criteria:

Some colleges have open admissions. These colleges admit

anyone over age 18 or with a high

school diploma. At some colleges

with open admissions, however,

alternate diplomas or certificates

of completion may not be acceptable for admission. Students must

check with the college to be sure

that the earned high school completion document will meet admissions criteria. Standardized

college admissions testing is not

required at open admissions colleges, nor is any particular high

school course selection. Grades in

high school are not relevant.

Open admissions colleges may be

two-year or four-year. They usually do require students to take a

"placement exam" to determine

at which level to begin college

course work. Students who have

not taken an academic preparatory program in high school may

need to complete some high

school level courses before taking

college course,. for credit toward

a college degree. Such courses are

usually available as remedial

courses and may be taken at the

college.

Other colleges have selective

admissions requirements. Applicants to selective colleges must

meet the criteria set by that particular college. Schools with selective criteria may look for students

with high grade point averages,

rigorous academic preparation,

high scores on the standardized

college admissions tests, and

strong personal qualities and evidence of achievement. Some colleges are more selective than others. Some standard, commercially

available college guides list colleges by the degree of selectivity

or "how hard it is to get in"

from "most difficult" to "minimally difficult." Selective colleges

may require applicants to submit

high school grade point average

and rank in class, scores on standardized admissions tests (SAT or

A CT), and letters of recommendation. Some may require a personal interview, and some may be

particularly interested in the student's extracurricular activities.

Toes of Institutions:

Two-year colleges are most frequently public community colleges located in urban, suburban,

and rural areas across the United

States. Most are open admissions

institutions and are non-residential. Some are independent (private) junior colleges which encourage students to earn an

Associate Degree. Community

colleges attract students who

choose to take either a few selected courses in their interest

area, vocational courses to train

for specific jobs, as well as those

who pursue an undergraduate

certificate (to study a specific

field of training), or an Associate

Degree, some of whom plan to

transfer to a four-year institution.

Four-year colleges or universities may be open enrollment or

selective. Most require students to

pursue a degree, and many are

residential. Four-year colleges are

also located in various settings,

and in small communities they

may be the center of cultural life.

Tuition, room, board, and books

are generally more expensive per

year than the cost of attendance

at a community college.

Colleges with programs for

students with learning disabilities: Hundreds of colleges and

universities have comprehensive

programs on campus specially

designed for students with learning disabilities. Staffed by individuals trained in the area of

learning disabilities, these programs offer in addition to the

standard services offered by the

campus as a whole services

that go above and beyond making a program accessible. Examples include tutoring services,

either in students' coursework or

in general areas of deficit, such as

study skills, organizational skills,

or time management. Counseling

services may also be provided

personal, academic, or vocational.

As the services provided in such

programs do go above and beyond those that the college or

university is required to provide

under Section 504 and ADA,

many colleges and universities

charge for these services above

the tuition fee. (Services required

by Section 504 and ADA are provided at no cost to the student).

It is also possible that such programs have their own separate

admissions requirements. Students who wish to learn more

about such programs should

either call each of the colleges

and universities that they are interested in and ask if such a program exists on campus, or check

one of the many guidebooks

found in public libraries and

bookstores that contain listings

of, and information about, such

programs. (See the Selected Resources section of this paper for

further information about such

guidebooks.)

Documentation of a Learning

Disability

A high school student with a

learning disability is one who has

been evaluated by professionals.

Such professionals (a school psychologist or educational diagnostician), after reviewing the results

of various tests and other evidence, provide for each student a

written diagnosis that a learning

disability ezists. Recommendations for accommodative services

and programs are also usually
6

part of the written document.

This document can serve as a

vehicle for the student to understand his or her strengths and

weaknesses, as well as a "ticket"

to obtain the accommodative

services necessary to participate

in regular college programs.

There are several points for a

student planning to go to college

to keep in mind concerning the

documentation of a learning

disability:

IDEA requires reevaluations

to be conducted at least every

three years, therefore, students

with learning disabilities may be

wise to have a comprehensive

reevaluation conducted close to

high school graduation time. This

will ensure, for students who are

going directly into postsecondary

education, that the documentation that they take with them will

be timely.

If the student is unable to be

evaluated close to graduation

from high school, it is possible

that a college or university after

receiving documentation, may

decide that the documentation is

too old. This may occur if the college or university feels that the

information does not adequately

describe the student's current

academic strengths and weaknesses, learning styles, etc. Such

current information can be invaluable in determining the most

appropriate accommodations for

the student. While an agreed

upon definition does not exist

within the postsecondary/disability community of "how old is

too old," evidence from the field

suggests a range of two-five

years. While it is ultimately the

student's responsibility to obtain

necessary documentation, some

colleges and universities do provide testing services. Students

should ask about campus-based

possibilities before going to a private diagnostician.

Students and parents should

study and discuss the documentation in order to fully understand what it conveys about the

student's strengths, weaknesses,

and recommended accommodative services. If the report is not

clear, discuss it with the school

psychologist or whoever has

prepared it.

Many high schools routinely destroy copies of student records after a

predetermined number of years. As

students with learning disabilities

will need copies of select items in

their records to show to the college or

university as documentation of their

disability, students should make sure

that they have complete copies of all

of their records upon leaving high

school.

Course Selection and

Accommodative Services

Students with learning disabilities should consider various college options as well as their academic strengths and weaknesses

in planning their high school program. Students seeking admission to selective institutions

MUST meet the criteria set by the

college. Students planning to attend a non-selective college

should check to see if the high

school diploma or certificate of

attendance meets the entrance

criteria.

Successful college students

with learning disabilities report

that high school courses teaching

keyboard skills and word processing are especially important.

A high school transcript displaying successful completion of a

wide array of courses (science,

math, history, literature, foreign

111111111M1111111111111111111MNI language, art, music) are attractive to selective college admissions staff. Involvement in school

or community sponsored clubs,

teams, or performances also enhance a college admission candidate's application.

Students interested in any of

the emerging technical careers

should explore the tech-prep programs available in many areas.

Such tech-prep programs include

a partnership between secondary

vocational-technical schools and

postsecondary institutions

most often community colleges.

These tech-prep programs help

people prepare for careers in such

areas as engineering technology;

applied science; mechanical, industrial, practical art, or trade; or

agriculture; health; or business.

They offer both classroom instruction and practical workbased experience.

Accommodative services are

essential to the success of many

students with learning disabilities. Prior to the ITP meeting at

which the services will be listed,

students should try out various

accommodations which have

proven successful to others. These

may include:

listening to a tape recording

of written material while

reading it,

using extended time to compleateleexams (usually time and

using a computer to write out

exams or papers,

taking the exam in a quiet

place without distraction of

other students or intrusive

noises.

In addition, students with

learning disabilities may benefit

from mini-courses in study skills,

assertiveness training, and time

management. The importance of
7

listing the accommodative services for each student in the IT?

cannot be emphasized strongly

enough. The types of accommodations students may receive

when taking standardized college

admissions tests or licensing examinations may depend on the

evidence of having received them

in high school.

COLLEGE APPLICATION

PROCESS

For students with learning disabilities to assume responsibility

for college application processes,

they need to have an accurate

idea of what they have to offer

colleges. They also need to have

an accurate idea of the academic

requirements and admission procedures of the colleges or universities in which they are interested.

Successful college students with

learning disabilities advise that

the actual college application

process should begin as early as

possible in one's high school

junior year. That is the time to review the documentation of the

learning disabilities and work on

understanding strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, and accommodative services. In addition, the following activities are

part of the process and will be

discussed in this section.

COLLEGE APPLICATION

PROCESS

Creating a Short List

Caution about Course Waivers

and Substitutions

Admissions Tests

and Accommodations

Application and Disclosure

Making a College Choice

Creating a Short List

The staff of the HEATH Resource Center are often asked for

a list of colleges or universities

that are best for students with

learning disabilities. Our answer

is always the same HEATH

does not compile such a list because different schools are better

for different students for different

reasons. HEATH staff do go on to

suggest the following:

* First, the student, parents,

and anyone else that is important

to the college-search process

should make a short list of six to

ten schools that the student is interested in. The key at this point is

to temporarily set aside any disability-related concerns. Create the

short-list according to all other

factors that are important, just as

any student going through the

college-search process might.

These factors may include: components of various academic programs offered, admissions-related

requirements, cost, opportunities

for financial aid, location, community resources, athletics, social

activities, as well as others. The

reason for putting disabilityrelated concerns aside at this

point is that, under Section 504

and the ADA, all schools are required to provide accommodative

services to qualified students

with disabilities, including students with learning disabilities.

* After the first version of the

short list is created, bring disabilityrelated concerns back into the picture. Now work to refine the short

list by becoming familiar with the

services that are provided to students with learning disabilities at

each of the colleges or universit ies on the list. Most colleges and

universities today have a Disability Support Services Office (which

may also be called Special Student Services, or Disability Resource Center, or a similar name)

or a person designated by the college president to coordinate services for students with disabilities. Some schools have

comprehensive learning disabilities programs.

* Personally visit, preferably while

classes are in session, so that you

can get an impression of campus

daily life, or talk by telephone

with the staff of the Disability

Support Services Office or the

learning disabilities program.

Campus staff may be able to give

only general answers to questions

of students who have not yet

been admitted and for whom

they have not reviewed any documentation. Nevertheless, a student can get a good idea about

the nature of the college by asking questions such as:

Does this college require

standardized college admissions

test scores? If so, what is the range

of scores for those admitted?

For how many students with

learning disabilities does the campus currently proviie services?

What are their major fields of

study?

What types of academic accommodations are typically provided to students with learning

disabilities on your campus?

Will this college provide the

specific accommodations that I

need?

What records or documentation of a learning disability are

necessary to arrange academic -

accommodations for admitted

students?

How is the confidentiality of

applicarts' records, as well as

those of enrolled students, protected? Where does the college

publish Family Education Rights

and Privacy Act guidelines which

I can review?
8

How is information related to

the documentation of a learning

disability used? By whom?

Does the college or university

have someone available who is

trained and understands the

needs of adults with learning

disabilities?

What academic and personal

characteristics have been found

important for students with

learning disabilities to succeed at

this college?

How many students with

learning disabilities have graduated in the past five years?

What is the tuition? Are there

additional fees for learning disabilitiesrelated services? If so,

what services beyond those required by Section 504 and the

ADA do you get for those fees?

In addition to talking with college staff, try to arrange a meeting with several college students

with learning disabilities and talk

with them about the services they

receive and their experiences on

campus. Such a meeting can be

requested at the time of scheduling the interview with the college

staff.

While you will certainly be interested in the answers to the

questions, the impressions that

you get during the conversations

will be equally important r..nd

may serve as a way to make final

refinements to the short list.

(HEATH's How to Choose a College: Guide for the Student with

a Disability contains more detailed advice.)

Caution about Course Waivers

and Substitutions

Colleges and universities are not

required to alter admissions requirements, nor are they required to alter

programmatic requirements for students with learning disabilities once

they have been admitted. Students

should keep such factors in mind

when creating their short lists. For

example, a student with a mathrelated learning disability would

be poorly advised to accept admission at a university on the

assumption that the mathrequirements will be waived once

that student is admitted. While

colleges and universities need to

give consideration to requests of

students with learning disabilities

for course waivers and substitutions, such waivers and substitutions are not often granted. If the

campus academic committee, to

whom a request for waiver is

made, determines that the course

in question is not an essential

component of the student's

course of study, it is possible that

a waiver will be granted. Substitutions of other courses which

convey the essential elements of

the requirement (such as substituting a course in the culture of

another country for a course in

foreign language) are more readily granted than waivers, according to reports from the field.

However, if the course in question is found to be an essential

element to the student's course of

study or the degree sought, it i3

unlikely that a waiver or a substitution would be granted. Therefore, passing such a course would

continue to be a requirement for

graduation. Remember, accommodative services, including the

provision of course waivers and

substitutions, are not to be used

in a way that would lower academic standards established by

the college or university.

Admissions Tests and

Accommodations

If the colleges on the student's

short list require standardized

test scores, the following information is important to understand.

With proper documentation, high

school students with learning disabilities may take standardized

college admissions tests, Such as

the PSAT, SAT, and ACT, with individually determined accommodations. Examples of such accommodations for students with

learning disabilities may include:

individual administration of

the test,

audiocassette tape or large

print test editions,

special answer sheets,

extended testing time.

However, the rules and procedures for taking each of the standardized tests with accommodations varies, and students should

contact the agency that administers each standardized test that he

or she will need to take for specific information. Contact information for the testing agencies is

provided in the Selected Resources section of this paper.

As is the case with each of the

steps in the college search process, starting early is better than

starting late. Do not wait until the

last minute to contact these agen-,

cies. The tests are given across the

country on specific dates only. It

is the responsibility of the student

to request information and accommodations in a timely fashion

in order to meet the standard

timelines and requirements of the

agency.

Again, any accommodative service given by a testing agency to

a student with a learning disability is solely meant to give that

student equal footing in the testing environment. It is then every

student's responsibility to do

well, or not do well. Tests taken

by students with disabilities are

scored in the same fashion as
9

those taken by students without

disabilities. Scores of tests taken

under a non-standard administration (that is, those taken with accommodations) are so noted

when they are reported to the

schools.

Application and Disclosure

Once students have decided on

the final version of their short-list,

it is time to begin the formal application process. To apply to any

college, candidates must complete

a form usually one designed

by the particular college formally requesting admission. Such

forms cover basic information

about the prospective student.

The form may not, however, require the student to disclose

whether or not he or she has a

disability In addition, the student must usually supply the college with an official transcript of

high school grades. Some colleges

require the student to write and

send a personal essay, and obtain

letters of recommendation from

teachers and others who can

speak for the student's ability to

succeed in college. Some colleges

may be especially interested in

evidence of a candidate's performance ability in sports, the arts,

or other talents.

At this time the student will

need to decide whether or not to

"disclose" the fact that he or she

has a disability. (Colleges and

universities attempting to overcome past discrimination or wishing to voluntarily overcome past

effects of limited participation by

students with disabilities may invite applicants for admission to

indicate the existence of disabilities on the application form, but

may not require the applicant to

respond to this pre-admission inquiry.) However, should a student

decide to disclose his or her disability this information in and of

itself can not be used as a basis

for denying admission. Colleges

and universities can not discriminate solely on the basis of disability. On the other hand, colleges

and universities are also under no

obligation to alter their admissions requirements or standards.

This means that having a learning

disability, or any disability does

not entitle a student to admission

at any college or university. Students with disabilities, like all

other prospective applicants,

must meet the admissions criteria

established by the college or

university

College level admissions committees do, however, often maintain a degree of flexibility with

regard to the particular qualifications that they look for in prospective students. As a result,

HEATH staff often suggest that

high school students with learning disabilities consider the option of disclosing their disability

during the application process

(either through a required essay

and/or during the personal interview, if there is one). By disclosing the disability the student may

explain possible discrepancies

within various pieces of admissions documents. For example, a

student with a learning disability

may present a high school transcript with excellent grades, but

may also submit SAT scores that

are quite low. Or, another student

may present high SAT scores,

while transcript grades are varied. Such discrepancies are typical

of a student with a learning disability. However, if an admissions

committee is not aware that such

discrepant information is being

presented by a student with a

learning disability, admission

may be denied.

Disclosure of a learning disability does not guarantee admission.

It can, however, offer the student

the opportunity to provide the

admissions committee with additional insights. For example,

within a required essay, the student may explain his or her learniig and how the disability accounts for any

discrepancies in his 'or her academic record. Students might

convey an understanding of their

learning disability and how academic strengths and weaknesses

mesh with interests in specific

courses and fields of study. Students may also go on to state

plans for managing their learning

disability at the college level, and

describe how they would work

with the Office of Disability Support Services, noting their understanding of the student's responsibilities in making his or her

college career successful.

Making a College Choice

After understanding his or her

particular academic strengths and

weaknesses, narrowing down the

short list, visiting campuses, taking standardized college admissions tests if necessary, and completing the applications, students

will be faced with making a

choice among those colleges

which have offered admission.

Students who have worked hard

at getting ready for college will

be able to identify the school

which seems "right."

IN THE MEANTIME

In addition to becoming familiar with all of the tips and procedures discussed in this paper,

there are a number of additional

ways that high school students

with learning disabilities can prepare for college. In order to make

themselves more attractive candidates, students should consider

the following:

Take courses in high school

1 0
10

that will help prepare for college.

If appropriate, take foreign language credits and computer training while still in high school.

Consider internships, or parttime jobs, or volunteer community service that will develop necessary skills.

Consider enrolling in a summer pre-college program specifically desio .ed for students with

learnine disabilities in either the

summer before or after the high

school senior year. Such shortterm experiences (most programs

are designed to last anywhere

from one week to one month)

have been shown to be incredibly

helpful in giving students a feel

for what college or university life

will be like. (Each spring, HEATH

produces Summer Pre-College

Programs for Students with

Learning Disabilities which is a

listing of select programs across

the country).

Contact the local Vocational

Rehabilitation (VR) agency and

investigate eligibility requirements. VR agencies may offer a

variety of services to eligible students with learning disabilities,

including vocational assessment,

tuition assistance, or testing

services.

Explore sources of financing

the college education. Most families need financial assistance to

pay the costs of attending college.

While there is very little scholarship money specifically for students with learning disabilities,

readers are encouraged to review

the HEATH paper, Financial Aid

for Students with Disabilities.

Become familiar with, and

practice using, the various compensatory strategies identified

earlier in this paper. For example,

students may want to practice

talking to their high school teachers and administrators about their

academic strengths and weaknesses and the ways in which

they compensate for their learning disabilities.

Join one of the national organizations which provide support

not only to students with learning

disabilities, but also to parents

and professionals, as well. Participation in the activities of such organizations is an excellent way to

build confidence, to increase disability awareness and disabilityrelated knowledge, and to get information about special programs

and resources. (HEATH's Resolace Directory and National

Resources for Adults with

Learning Disabilities provide

brief descriptions of these national organizations as well as

complete contact information.)

A MESSAGE TO STUDENTS

Awareness of your strengths,

your advocacy skills, and persistence are among the most important tools you can use to build

your future through education.

You can maximize the range of

colleges that may admit you by

playing an active role in high

school, getting appropriate support, continually assessing your

growth, and carefully planning.

Students may be admitted only to

colleges and universities to which

they actually apply. More students who have learning disabilities than ever before are applying

to, enrolling in, and graduating

from America's colleges and universities. You can join the growing number of undergraduates

who have learning disabilities.

Good luck in getting ready for

college.

SELECTED RESOURCES

Learning Disability Advocacy

Organizations

Learning Disabilities Association of

America (LDA)

4156 Library Road

Pittsburgh, PA 15234

(412) 341-1515

(412) 344-0224 (Fax)

LDA a non-profit, 60,000

meml.. national organization

and reterral service. It provides

free information on learning disabilities and puts an inquirer in

contact with one of 700 local

chapters throughout the country.

In addition to the quarterly

newsletter, Newsbriefs, LDA produces the biannual Learning Disabilities Multidisciplinary Journal, and annually sponsors a

professional, international conference. There is an annual membership fee, which includes a

newsletter subscription.

National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)

381 Park Avenue South, Suite

1420

New York, NY 10016

(212) 545-7510

(212) 545-9665 (Fax)

NCLD, established in 1977, is a

national not-for-profit organization committed to improving the

lives of individuals with learning

disabilities. Its services include:

raising public awareness and understanding, national infc-mation

and referral, educational programs, and legislative advocacy.

NCLD produces educational

tools, including an annual magazine called 11-1EIR WORLD,

newsletters, and a five-part video

series entitled We Can Learn.

NCLD's referral, through a computerized database and trained

volunteers and staff, links parents, professionals and others

concerned with LD and those
who can help them. Memberships

are available to the public, which

entitles individuals and organizations to receive a special packet of

information on LD, as well as regular updates on LD.

National Network of Learning Disabled Adults (NNIDA)

800 N. 82nd Street

Scottsdale, AZ 85257

(602) 941-5112

NNLDA is an organization run

by and for people who have

learning disabilities. A free

newsletter and list of self-help

groups is available. Please send a

stamped envelope for mail responses.

Orton Dyslexia Society

The Chester Building, Suite 382

8600 LaSalle Road

Baltimore, MD 21286-2044

(410) 296-023?

(800) 222-312,

(410) 321-5069 (Fax)

The Orton Dyslexia Society is

an international non-profit organizat'qn concerned with the complex issues of dyslexia, a specific

learning disability. The Society

promotes effective teaching approaches and related clinical educational intervention strategies,

supports and encourages interdisciplinary study and research, and

is committed to dissemination of

research through conferences,

publications, and 43 volunteer

branches staffed by professionals.

Guidelines are available for the

College Affiliate Program, a network of support groups for students with dyslexia on college

campuses.

standardized Test Administrators

College Board

SAT Services for Students with

Disthilities

P.O. Box 6226

Princeton, NJ 08541-6226

(609) 771-7137

(609) 882-4118 (TT)

(609) 771-7681 (Fax)

Through its Admissions Testing

Program, the College Board provides special arrangements to minimize the possible effects of disabilities on test performance. Two

plans are available. Plan A (Special

Accommodations) is for students

with documented hearing, learning, physical, and/or visual disabilities. It permits special test editions, special answer sheets,

extended testing time, aids, and

flexible test dates. Plan B, which

offers extended time only, is for

those with documented learning

disabilities. Plan B permits additional testing time for the SAT and

TSWE (Test of Standard Written

English). Call or write for Information for Students with Special

Needs, or Information for Counselors and Admissions Officers.

ACT Test Administration

P.O. Box 4028

Iowa City, IA 52243-4028

(319) 337-1332

(319) 337-1701 (TT)

(319) 337-1285 (Fax)

ACT (American College Testing)

will arrange for individual administration of assessments for students with physical or perceptual

disabilities, given proper documentation of the disability. Individual administrations may be approved, for example, for those who

can not take the tests within the allotted time using regular-type test

booklets, or for those who need to

use large-type or audiocassette

versions of the tests. For further i nformation, call or write for a Request for Special Testing.

11 Commercially Available Guides

to College Programs for

Students with Learning

Disabilities

Peterson's Colleges with Programs for Students with Learning

Disabilities (Fourth Edition,

1994), edited by Charles T. Mangrum II and Stephen S. Strichart,

is a comprehensive guide to over

800 colleges and universities in

the United States and Canada, including two-year, four-year, and

graduate programs. Available for

$31.95, plus $6.75 shipping and

handling, from Peterson's Guides,

P. 0. Box 2123, Princeton, NJ

08543-2123. (800) 338-3282.

The K & W Guide to Colleges

for the Learning Disabled (Third

Edition, 1995), edited by Marybeth Kravets and Imy F. Wax, analyzes more than 200 colleges

around the United States that offer programs and services specifically geared to students with

learning disabilities. Available for

$28.00, plus $3.00 shipping and

handling, from Educators Publishing Service, Inc., 31 Smith

Place, Cambridge, MA 02138-

1000. (800) 225-5750.

The two guides listed above are often

available in local bookstores and libraries

Information aLout Tech Prep

Programs

Tech Prep, by Bettina A

Lankard (1991) . Digest No. 108.

ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult,

Career, and Vocational Education.

centerfocus (number 5/June

1994) features Emerging Tech Prep

Models: Promising Approaches to

Educational Reform. This is a publication of the NCRVE, National

Center for Research in Vocational

Education at 2150 Shattuck Avenue, Suite 1250, Berkeley, CA

94704. (800) 7624093.

1 2
12

osissmorsusw

Information about Legal Issues

The Family Educational Rights

and Privacy Act of 1974 is monitored by the Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department

of Education, 600 Independence

Avenue, SW, Washington, DC

20202-4605. (202) 260-3887 (voice)

or (202) 260-8956 (1% '

The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)

has published a number of books

about legal issues, including Subpart E. Impact of Section 504 on

PoAsecondary Education, by

Jane Jarrow; Title by Title: The

ADA and Its Impact on Postsecondary Education, by Jane Jarrow; and Issues in Higher Education and Disability Law, by

Jeanne Kincaid, Esq. and Jo Anne

Simon, Esq. Each book is available for $35 ($20 for AHEAD

members). AHEAD, P.O. Box

21192, Columbus, OH 43221. (614)

488-4972 (voice and TT).

Additional materials from

HEATH.

Please contact HEATH for a full

Publications List. Selected relevant materials are listed below.

Access to the Science and Engineering Lab and Classroom

Financial Aid for Students with

Disabilities

How to Choose a College -

Guide for the Student with a

Disability

Learning Disabled Adults in

Postsecondary Education

Measuring Student Progress in

the Classroom

National Resources for Adults

with Learning Disabilities

Summer Pre-College Programs

for Students with Learning Disabilities

Two Brochures: The ADA / Section 504 - The Law and Its Impact on Postsecondary Education

Vocational Rehabilitation Services - A Postseccndary Student

Consumer Guide

I j

Spring 1995.

Vickie M. Barr

Rhona C. Hartman

Stephen A. Spillane, Ph. D.

Getting Ready for College: Advising

High School Students with Learning

Disabilities has been prepared under Cooperative Agreement No. H030C30002-94

awarded to the American Council on Education by the U.S. Department of Education. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government,

nor does mention of products or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S.

Government.

3M/2nd ptg /11 /95 /92350