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# Transition of Students With Disabilities To Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators

Reproduction and ordering information

U.S. Department of Education     Arne Duncan Secretary

Office for Civil Rights 		Russlynn Ali*Assistant Secretary*

	 First published March 2007. Reprinted March 2011.   

### U.S. Department of Education   Office for Civil Rights   Washington, D.C. 20202

March 2011

**Contents**

 

Introduction

Frequently Asked Questions

The Admissions Process

Post-Admission: Documentation of a Disability

Keys to Success: Attitude, Self-Advocacy and Preparation

Endnotes

**Introduction**

***Do you know what is in store for students with disabilities who graduate from   your school and head off to postsecondary education? Do you have the information you need to advise them on what to expect in postsecondary education?***

For students with disabilities, a big factor in their successful transition   from high school to postsecondary   education is accurate knowledge about their civil rights. The purpose of this   guide is to provide high   school educators with answers to questions students with disabilities may have   as they get ready to move to the postsecondary education environment.

   This guide was developed by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil   Rights (OCR).   OCR has enforcement responsibilities under *Section 504 of the Rehabilitation   Act of 1973* (Section   504), as amended, and Title II of the *Americans with Disabilities Act of   1990*,   as amended, (Title II), which   prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. Every school district and   nearly every college and university   in the United States is subject to one or both of these laws, which have similar   requirements.1 Private   postsecondary institutions that do not receive federal financial assistance   are not subject to Section 504   or Title II. They are, however, subject to Title III of the *Americans with   Disabilities Act*, which is enforced   by the U.S. Department of Justice and which prohibits discrimination on the   basis of disability by private entities that are not private clubs or religious entities.

   This guide also makes reference to Part B of the *Individuals with Disabilities   Education Act (IDEA)*,   which provides funds to states to assist in making a free appropriate public   education (FAPE) available to   eligible children with disabilities. *IDEA* requirements apply to state education   agencies, school districts   and other public agencies that serve *IDEA*-eligible children. Institutions of   postsecondary education   have no legal obligations under the *IDEA*.2

   Similarly, this guide references the state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services   Program, authorized   by the *Rehabilitation Act*, which provides funds to state VR agencies to assist   eligible individuals with   disabilities in obtaining employment. State VR agencies provide a wide range   of employment-related   services, including services designed to facilitate the transition of eligible   students with disabilities from   school to post-school activities.3

   In preparing this guide, we have highlighted the significant differences between   the rights and   responsibilities of students with disabilities in the high school setting and   the rights and responsibilities   these students will have once they are in the postsecondary education setting.   Following a set of   frequently asked questions, we have provided some practical suggestions that   high school educators can   share with students to facilitate their successful transition to postsecondary   education.

**Frequently Asked Questions**

**The Admissions Process**

**1. Are students with disabilities entitled to changes in standardized testing   conditions on entrance exams for institutions of postsecondary education?**

   It depends. In general, tests may not be selected or administered in a way   that tests the disability rather   than the achievement or aptitude of the individual.4 In addition, federal law   requires changes to the testing   conditions that are necessary to allow a student with a disability to participate   as long as the changes do not   fundamentally alter the examination or create undue financial or administrative   burdens.5 Although some   institutions of postsecondary education may have their own entrance exams,   many use a student's score on   commercially available tests. In general, in order to request one or more changes   in standardized testing   conditions, which test administrators may also refer to as "testing accommodations"6,   the student will need   to contact the institution of postsecondary education or the entity that administers   the exam and provide   documentation of a disability and the need for a change in testing conditions.   The issue of documentation   is discussed below. Examples of changes in testing conditions that may be available   include, but are not   limited to:
                  - Braille;
                  - Large print;
                  - Fewer items on each page;
                  - Tape recorded responses;
                  - Responses on the test booklet;
                  - Frequent breaks;
                  - Extended testing time;
                  - Testing over several sessions;
                  - Small group setting;
                  - Private room;
                  - Preferential seating; and
                  - The use of a sign language interpreter for spoken directions.

**2. Are institutions of postsecondary education permitted to ask an applicant   if he or she has a   disability before an admission decision is made?**

   Generally, institutions of postsecondary education are not permitted to make   what is known as a   "preadmission inquiry" about an applicant's disability status. Preadmission   inquiries are permitted only if the   institution of postsecondary education is taking remedial action to correct   the effects of past discrimination   or taking voluntary action to overcome the effects of conditions that limited   the participation of individuals   with disabilities.7

Examples of impermissible preadmission inquiries include: *Are you in good   health? Have you been hospitalized   for a medical condition in the past five years?*Institutions of postsecondary   education may inquire about an   applicant's ability to meet essential program requirements provided that such   inquiries are not designed to   reveal disability status. For example, if physical lifting is an essential   requirement for a degree program in   physical therapy, an acceptable question that could be asked is, *With or   without reasonable accommodation,   can you lift 25 pounds?* After admission, in response to a student's request   for "academic adjustments,8"   reasonable modifications or auxiliary aids and services, institutions of postsecondary   education may ask for documentation regarding disability status.

**3. May institutions of postsecondary education deny an applicant admission   because he or she has a   disability?**

   No. If an applicant meets the essential requirements for admission, an institution   may not deny that   applicant admission simply because he or she has a disability, nor may an institution   categorically exclude an   applicant with a particular disability as not being qualified for its program.9 For instance, an institution may   not automatically assume that all applicants with hearing or visual impairments   would be unable to meet   the essential eligibility requirements of its music program. An institution   may, however, require an applicant   to meet any essential technical or academic standards for admission to, or   participation in, the institution   and its program.10 An institution may deny admission to any student, disabled   or not, who does not meet   essential requirements for admission or participation.

**4. Are institutions obligated to identify students with disabilities?**

   No. Institutions do not have a duty to identify students with disabilities.   Students in institutions of   postsecondary education are responsible for notifying institution staff of   their disability should they need   academic adjustments. High schools, in contrast, have an obligation to identify   students within their   jurisdiction who have a disability and who may be entitled to services.

**5. Are students obligated to inform institutions that they have a disability?**

   No. A student has no obligation to inform an institution of postsecondary education   that he or she has   a disability; however, if the student wants an institution to provide an academic   adjustment or assign   the student to accessible housing or other facilities, or if a student wants   other disability-related services,   the student must identify himself or herself as having a disability. The disclosure   of a disability is always   voluntary. For example, a student who has a disability that does not require   services may choose not to   disclose his or her disability

**Post-Admission: Documentation of a Disability**

**6. What are academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services?**

   Academic adjustments are defined in the Section 504 regulations at 34 C.F.R.   § 104.44(a) as:

11

   Academic adjustments also may include a reduced course load, extended time   on tests and the provision   of auxiliary aids and services. Auxiliary aids and services are defined in   the Section 504 regulations at   34 C.F.R. § 104.44(d), and in the Title II regulations at 28 C.F.R. § 35.104.   They include note-takers,   readers, recording devices, sign language interpreters, screen-readers, voice   recognition and other adaptive   software or hardware for computers, and other devices designed to ensure the   participation of students with   impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills in an institution's programs and   activities. Institutions are not   required to provide personal devices and services such as attendants, individually   prescribed devices, such   as eyeglasses, readers for personal use or study, or other services of a personal   nature, such as tutoring. If   institutions offer tutoring to the general student population, however, they   must ensure that tutoring services   also are available to students with disabilities. In some instances, a state   VR agency may provide auxiliary   aids and services to support an individual's postsecondary education and training   once that individual has   been determined eligible to receive services under the VR program.

**7. In general, what kind of documentation is necessary for students with disabilities   to receive   academic adjustments from institutions of postsecondary education?**

   Institutions may set their own requirements for documentation so long as they   are reasonable and comply   with Section 504 and Title II. It is not uncommon for documentation standards   to vary from institution   to institution; thus, students with disabilities should research documentation   standards at those institutions   that interest them. A student must provide documentation, upon request, that   he or she has a disability, that   is, an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity12 and that   supports the need for an academic   adjustment. The documentation should identify how a student's ability to function   is limited as a result   of her or his disability. The primary purpose of the documentation is to establish   a disability in order to   help the institution work interactively with the student to identify appropriate   services. The focus should   be on whether the information adequately documents the existence of a current   disability and need for an   academic adjustment.

**8. Who is responsible for obtaining necessary testing to document the existence of a disability?**

   The student. Institutions of postsecondary education are not required to conduct   or pay for an evaluation   to document a student's disability and need for an academic adjustment, although   some institutions do   so. If a student with a disability is eligible for services through the state   VR Services program, he or she   may qualify for an evaluation at no cost. High school educators can assist   students with disabilities in   locating their state VR agency at http://rsa.ed.gov (click on "Info about RSA,"   then "Resources," then "State   and Local Government Employment Resources," then "Vocational Rehabilitation   Offices"). If students   with disabilities are unable to find other funding sources to pay for necessary   evaluation or testing for   postsecondary education, they are responsible for paying for it themselves.

   At the elementary and secondary school levels, a school district's duty to   provide a free appropriate public   education (FAPE) encompasses the responsibility to provide, at no cost to the   parents, an evaluation   of suspected areas of disability for any of the district's students who is   believed to be in need of special   education or related aids and services. School districts are not required under   Section 504 or Title II to   conduct evaluations that are for the purpose of obtaining academic adjustments   once a student graduates   and goes on to postsecondary education.

**9. Is a student's most recent individualized education program (IEP) or Section   504 plan sufficient   documentation to support the existence of a disability and the need for an   academic adjustment in a   postsecondary setting?**

   Generally, no. Although an IEP or Section 504 plan may help identify services   that have been used by   the student in the past, they generally are not sufficient documentation to   support the existence of a   current disability and need for an academic adjustment from an institution   of postsecondary education.   Assessment information and other material used to develop an IEP or Section   504 plan may be helpful to   document a current disability or the need for an academic adjustment or auxiliary   aids and services. In   addition, a student receiving services under Part B of the *IDEA* must be provided   with a summary of his or   her academic achievements and functional performance that includes recommendations   on how to assist   in meeting the student's postsecondary goals.13 This   information may provide helpful information about   disability and the need for an academic adjustment.

**10. What can high school personnel, such as school psychologists and counselors,   transition specialists,   special education staff and others, do to assist students with disabilities   with documentation   requirements?**

   By the time most students with disabilities are accepted into a postsecondary   institution, they are likely to   have a transition plan and-or to be receiving transition services, which may   include evaluations and services   provided by the state VR agency. High school personnel can help a student with   disabilities to identify   and address the specific documentation requirements of the postsecondary institution   that the student   will be attending. This may include assisting the student to identify existing   documentation in her or his   education records that would satisfy the institution's criteria, such as evaluation   reports and the summary   of the student's academic achievement and functional performance. School personnel   should be aware   that institutions of postsecondary education typically do not accept brief   conclusory statements for which   no supporting evidence is offered as sufficient documentation of a disability   and the need for an academic   adjustment. School personnel should also be aware that some colleges may delay   or deny services if the   diagnosis or the documentation is unclear.

**11. Will a medical diagnosis from a treating physician help to document disability?**

   A diagnosis of impairment alone does not establish that an individual has a   disability within the meaning   of Section 504 or Title II. Rather, the impairment must substantially limit   a major life activity, or the   individual must have a record of such an impairment or be regarded as having   such an impairment.14 A   diagnosis from a treating physician, along with information about how the disability   affects the student,   may suffice. As noted above, institutions of postsecondary education may set   their own requirements for   documentation so long as they are reasonable and comply with Section 504 and   Title II.

**12. If it is clear that a student has a disability, why does an institution   need documentation?**

Students who have the same disability may not necessarily require the same   academic adjustment. Section   504 and Title II require that institutions of postsecondary education make   individualized determinations   regarding appropriate academic adjustments for each individual student. If   the student's disability and need   for an academic adjustment are obvious, less documentation may be necessary.

**13. If an institution thinks that the documentation is insufficient, how will   the student know?**

 If the documentation a student submitted for the institution's consideration   does not meet the institution's   requirements, an official should notify the student in a timely manner of what   additional documentation   the student needs to provide. As noted above, a student may need a new evaluation   in order to provide   documentation of a current disability.

**Post-Admission: Obtaining Services**

**14. Must institutions provide every academic adjustment a student with a disability   wants?**

   It depends. Institutions are not required to provide an academic adjustment   that would alter or waive   essential academic requirements.15 They also do not have to provide an academic   adjustment that would   fundamentally alter the nature of a service, program or activity or result   in undue financial or administrative   burdens considering the institution's resources as a whole.16 For example,   an appropriate academic   adjustment may be to extend the time a student with a disability is allotted   to take tests, but an institution   is not required to change the substantive content of the tests. In addition,   an institution is not required to   make modifications that would result in undue financial or administrative burdens.   Public institutions are   required to give primary consideration to the auxiliary aid or service that   the student requests, but can opt to   provide alternative aids or services if they are effective. They can also opt   to provide an effective alternative   if the requested auxiliary aid or service would fundamentally alter the nature   of a service, program or activity   or result in undue financial or administrative burdens. For example, if it   would be a fundamental alteration   or undue burden to provide a student with a disability with a note-taker for   oral classroom presentations and   discussions and a tape recorder would be an effective alternative, a postsecondary   institution may provide the student with a tape recorder instead of a note-taker.

**15. If students want to request academic adjustments, what must they do?**

   Institutions may establish reasonable procedures for requesting academic adjustments;   students are   responsible for knowing these procedures and following them. Institutions usually   include information on   the procedures and contacts for requesting an academic adjustment in their   general information publications   and Web sites. If students are unable to locate the procedures, they should   contact an institution official,   such as an admissions officer or counselor.

**16. What should students expect in working with a disability coordinator at   an institution of   postsecondary education?**

   A high school counselor, a special education teacher or a VR counselor may   meet with high school students   with disabilities to provide services or monitor their progress under their   education plans on a periodic basis.   The role of the disability coordinator at an institution of postsecondary education   is very different. At many   institutions, there may be only one or two staff members to address the needs   of all students with disabilities   attending the institution. The disability coordinator evaluates documentation,   works with students to   determine appropriate services, assists students in arranging services or testing   modifications, and deals with   problems as they arise. A disability coordinator may have contact with a student   with a disability only two   or three times a semester. Disability coordinators usually will not directly   provide educational services,   tutoring or counseling, or help students plan or manage their time or schedules.   Students with disabilities   are, in general, expected to be responsible for their own academic programs   and progress in the same ways   that nondisabled students are responsible for them.

**17. When should students notify the institution of their intention to request   an academic adjustment?**

   As soon as possible. Although students may request academic adjustments at   any time, students needing   services should be advised to notify the institution as early as possible to   ensure that the institution has   enough time to review their request and provide an appropriate academic adjustment.   Some academic   adjustments, such as interpreters, may take time to arrange. In addition, students   should not wait until after   completing a course or activity or receiving a poor grade to request services   and then expect the grade to be   changed or to be able to retake the course.

**18. How do institutions determine what academic adjustments are appropriate?**

    Once a student has identified him- or herself as an individual with a disability,   requested an academic   adjustment and provided appropriate documentation upon request, institution   staff should discuss with   the student what academic adjustments are appropriate in light of the student's   individual needs and the   nature of the institution's program. Students with disabilities possess unique   knowledge of their individual   disabilities and should be prepared to discuss the functional challenges they   face and, if applicable, what   has or has not worked for them in the past. Institution staff should be prepared   to describe the barriers   students may face in individual classes that may affect their full participation,   as well as to discuss academic   adjustments that might enable students to overcome those barriers.

**19. Who pays for auxiliary aids and services?**

   Once the needed auxiliary aids and services have been identified, institutions   may not require students with   disabilities to pay part or all of the costs of such aids and services, nor   may institutions charge students   with disabilities more for participating in programs or activities than they   charge students who do not   have disabilities. Institutions generally may not condition their provision   of academic adjustments on the   availability of funds, refuse to spend more than a certain amount to provide   academic adjustments, or refuse   to provide academic adjustments because they believe other providers of such   services exist.17 In many cases,   institutions may meet their obligation to provide auxiliary aids and services   by assisting students in either   obtaining them or obtaining reimbursement for their cost from an outside agency   or organization, such as   a state VR agency. Such assistance notwithstanding, institutions retain ultimate   responsibility for providing   necessary auxiliary aids and services and for any costs associated with providing   such aids and services or   utilizing outside sources. However, as noted above, if the institution can   demonstrate that providing a   specific auxiliary aid or service would result in undue financial or administrative   burdens, considering the   institution's resources as a whole, it can opt to provide another effective   one.

**20. What if the academic adjustments the institution provides are not working?**

   If the academic adjustments provided are not meeting the student's needs, it   is the student's responsibility   to notify the institution as soon as possible. It may be too late to correct   the problem if the student waits   until the course or activity is completed. The student and the institution   should work together to resolve the   problem.

**Keys to Success: Attitude,     Self-Advocacy And Preparation**

The attitude and self-advocacy skills of students with disabilities may be   two of the most important factors   in determining their success or failure in postsecondary education. Students   with disabilities need to be   prepared to work collaboratively with the institution's disability coordinator   to enable them to have an   equal opportunity to participate in an institution's programs and activities.   To ensure that students with   disabilities possess the desired levels of self-advocacy to succeed in postsecondary   education, high school educators may want to encourage the students to:

***Understand their disabilities.*** Students with disabilities need to know the   functional limitations that   result from their disabilities and understand their strengths and weaknesses.   They should be able to explain   their disabilities to an institution's disability coordinators or other appropriate   staff. As part of this process,   students should be able to explain where they have had difficulty in the past,   as well as what has helped them   overcome such problems and what specific adjustments might work in specific   situations. To assist students   in this area, high school educators can encourage high school students to be   active participants in their IEP   or Section 504 meetings. High school personnel also can suggest that students   practice explaining their   disabilities, as well as why they need certain services, to appropriate secondary   staff or through role-playing   exercises to prepare them to engage in such conversations with confidence in   a postsecondary setting.

***Accept responsibility for their own success.*** All students, including those   with disabilities, must take   primary responsibility for their success or failure in postsecondary education.   Students with disabilities, in   particular, are moving from a system where parents and school staff usually   advocated on their behalf to a   system where they will be expected to advocate for themselves. An institution's   staff will likely communicate   directly with students when issues arise and are generally not required to   interact with students' parents. In   general, students with disabilities should expect to complete all course requirements,   such as assignments   and examinations. Students with disabilities need to identify the essential   academic and technical standards   that they will be required to meet for admission and continued participation   in an institution's program.   Students also need to identify any academic adjustments they may need as a   result of their disabilities to   meet those standards and how to request those adjustments. Students with disabilities   need to understand   that, while federal disability laws guarantee them an equal opportunity to   participate these laws do not   guarantee that students will achieve a particular outcome, for example, good   grades.

***Take an appropriate preparatory curriculum.*** Because all students will be expected   to meet an institution's   essential standards, students with disabilities need to take a high school   curriculum that will prepare them to   meet those standards. If students with disabilities plan to attend a rigorous   postsecondary institution, they,   like their peers without disabilities, need to make high school curriculum   choices that support that goal.   High school guidance counselors and state VR agency counselors, in particular,   can play an important role in   students' curriculum planning.

For all students, good study skills and the ability to write well are critical   factors of success in postsecondary   education. High school educators can help students in these areas by offering   or identifying opportunities,   such as workshops, courses or tutoring programs, that emphasize the importance   of reading, writing and   good study skills. In addition, staff should encourage students to enroll in   classes that will focus on writing and study skills in their freshman year of postsecondary education.

***Learn time management skills.*** Although a primary role of high school educators   is to provide monitoring,   direction and guidance to students as they approach the end of their high school   career, staff also need to   prepare students to act independently and to manage their own time with little   to no supervision. High   school educators can assist students by identifying resources that will help   them learn time management and   scheduling skills.

***Acquire computer skills.*** Because postsecondary students use computers to complete   a multitude of tasks,   from registering for classes to accessing course material and obtaining grades,   it is essential that students   learn to use computers if they are to be prepared for postsecondary education.   Ideally, students with   disabilities need to start using computers as early as possible in school to   increase their familiarity with, and   their comfort level in using, computers. Students with visual impairments,   hearing impairments, learning   disabilities or mobility impairments may have problems with inputting data   or reading a computer monitor.   Assistive technology can help certain students with disabilities use computers   and access information.

***Consider supplemental postsecondary education preparatory programs.*** A variety   of institutions of   postsecondary education have summer programs in which students can participate   while they are still in high   school, or after graduation, to ease their transition to postsecondary education.   These programs often expose   students to experiences that they are likely to encounter in postsecondary   education, such as living in dorms,   relating to other students and eating in dining halls. The programs may also   focus on instruction in certain   subject areas, such as math or English, or in certain skills, such as computer,   writing or study skills, that can   prepare a student to be successful in postsecondary education. High school   educators can assist students   with disabilities by identifying such program opportunities in their area of   residence.

***Research postsecondary education programs.*** Students with disabilities may select   any program for   which they are qualified but should be advised to review carefully documentation   standards and program   requirements for their program or institution of interest. For example, students   should pay close attention to   an institution's program requirements, such as language or math, to avoid making   a large financial and time   commitment only to realize several years into a program that they cannot, even   with academic adjustments,   meet an essential requirement for program completion. Campus visits, which   include visits to the disability   services office, can be helpful in locating an environment that best meets   a student's interests and needs. In   addition, while all institutions have a legal obligation to provide appropriate   services, certain colleges may be   able to provide better services than others due to their size or location.

***Get involved on campus.*** To help students avoid the isolation that can occur   away from home during the   first year of postsecondary education, high school educators should encourage   students to live on campus   and to become involved in campus activities. Attendance at orientation programs   for freshmen is a good   first step in discovering ways to get involved in the postsecondary education environment.

If you would like more information about the responsibilities of postsecondary   schools to students with   disabilities, read the OCR brochures *Auxiliary Aids and Services for Postsecondary   Students with Disabilities:   Higher Education's Obligations Under Section 504 and Title II of the ADA* and   *Students with Disabilities   Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities.*You may obtain copies of these   brochures by contacting us at the address and phone numbers below or on the   Department's website at:   http://www.ed.gov/ocr/publications.html#Section504. To receive more information   about the civil rights of students with disabilities in education institutions, please contact OCR at:

**Customer Service Team**   Office for Civil Rights   U.S. Department of Education   Washington, DC 20202-1100

**Phone:** 1-800-421-3481**TTY:** 1-877-521-2172**E-mail:**ocr@ed.gov

   Web address: http://www.ed.gov/ocr

This publication is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in   whole or in part is granted.   The publication's citation should be: U.S. Department of Education, Office   for Civil Rights, *Transition   of Students With Disabilities to Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High   School Educators*, Washington,   D.C., 2011.

   To order copies of this publication:

**Write** to: ED Pubs Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of Education,   P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.

   Or **fax** your order to: 703-605-6794.

   Or **e-mail** your request to: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.

   Or **call** in your request toll-free: 1-877-433-7827 (1-877-4-ED-PUBS). Those   who use a   telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY), should   call 1-877-576-7734.   If 877 service is not yet available in your area, call 1-800-872-5327 (1-800-USA-LEARN).

   Or **order** online at http://edpubs.gov.

   This publication is also available on the Department's website at http://www.ed.gov/ocr/transitionguide.html. Any updates to this publication will be available on this website.

   On request, this publication can be made available in alternate formats, such   as Braille, large print   or computer diskette. For more information, contact the Department's Alternate   Format Center at   202-260-0852 or 202-260-0818. If you use a TDD, call 1-800-877-8339.

**Endnotes**

1 The *Americans     with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (Amendments Act)*, P.L.   110-325, amended the *ADA* and Section 7 of the *Rehabilitation Act   of 1973*, which contains the disability   definition for Section 504. The   *Amendments Act* became effective on January 1, 2009. The *Amendments   Act* affected   the meaning of the term   "disability" in the ADA and Section 504, most notably by requiring that "disability"   under these statutes be   interpreted broadly. More information about the *Amendments Act* is   available from OCR's website at http://www.ed.gov/policy/rights/guid/ocr/disability.html and http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html.

2 The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)   administers the *IDEA*.   You can find additional information about the *IDEA* at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep,   or   by contacting OSEP at:   Office of Special Education Programs   Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services   U.S. Department of Education   400 Maryland Ave. S.W.   Washington, DC 20202-7100   Telephone: 202-245-7459

3 OSERS' Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) administers a formula   grant program that funds state   VR agencies to provide eligible individuals with disabilities with employment-related   services, including   services to facilitate transition. Additional information about this grant   program is available at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/index.html or by contacting RSA at:   Rehabilitation Services Administration   U.S. Department of Education   400 Maryland Ave. S.W.   Washington, DC 20202-2800 Telephone: 202-245-7488

4 See 34 C.F.R. § 104.42(b) (2010); and 28 C.F.R. § 35.130(b)(8) (2010).

5 See 28 C.F.R. § 35.130(b)(7) and 28 C.F.R. § 35.164.

6 The term "accommodations"   is also referenced under the *IDEA* and used by the major publishers of college   entrance exams. The term generally refers to changes in the standardized testing   conditions provided to a   student with disabilities that will not impact the validity of the student's   test scores.

7 See 34 C.F.R. § 104.42(b)-(c).

8 In this document, consistent with the Section 504 regulations at 34 C.F.R.   § 104.44, we generally use the   term "academic adjustments" to refer to modifications to nonessential academic   requirements, reasonable   changes to policies, procedures and practices, and the provision of auxiliary   aids and services necessary   for individuals with disabilities to participate in, and benefit from, the   postsecondary education program.   These terms are further explained in the section of this guide titled "Post-Admission:   Documentation   of a Disability." It should be noted that the term "reasonable accommodations,"   commonly used in the   employment context, also may be familiar to postsecondary school personnel.

9 See 34 C.F.R. §§ 104.4 and 104.42; and 28 C.F.R. § 35.130.

10 See 34 C.F.R. § 104.3(l)(3); and 28 C.F.R. § 35.104.

11 Although the term "handicap" is used in the Section 504 regulation, consistent   with contemporary usage,   this guidance uses the term "disability."

12 Regulations implementing Section 504 and Title II of the ADA contain non-exhaustive   lists of major   life activities. See 34 C.F.R. § 104.3(j)(2)(ii) (2010) and 28 C.F.R. § 35.104   (2009). The *Amendments Act* included additional examples of general activities and "major bodily functions"   that are major life activities.   See 42 U.S.C. § 12102(2).

13 See 34 C.F.R. § 300.305(e)(3) (2010).

14 See 34 C.F.R. § 104.3; and 28 C.F.R. § 35.104.

15 See 34 C.F.R. § 104.44(a).

16 See 28 C.F.R. § 35.164.

17 See 34 C.F.R. § 104.4; and 28 C.F.R. § 35.130.

 

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