D11: Students with Disabilities and College Applications
D11: Students with Disabilities and College Applications Terence J. Houlihan School Counselor, Iona Preparatory Adjunct Faculty, City University of New York, Lehman College
Preliminary Remarks ■ ASCA (American School Counselor Association) and NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) & the role of the school counselor ■ Secondary school report 10-20% of students receiving services ■ Between 2001 and 2010, # of LD college applicants grew to 400,000 ■ an increase of 50 % ■ 99% of public colleges enroll LD students & 88% of private colleges enroll LD students ■ Of the general “disability” categories reported “specific learning disabilities” was the highest at 31% and ADHD at 18%
Key Terms
■ Because SCs are mandated service providers (depending on the IEP), knowing the terms are crucial ■ IDEA ■ IEP ■ 504 ■ FAPE ■ LRE ■ LD ■ ADHD
IDEA ■ The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the nation’s federal special education law that guarantees public schools serve the educational needs of students with disabilities. ■ IDEA requires that schools offer special education services to eligible students as outlined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). ■ It specifies requirements to guarantee a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for these students in the least restrictive environment (LRE). ■ IDEA was first passed in 1975, but is reauthorized every few years, the most recent being 2006.
Specific Disabilities Under IDEA ■ IDEA lists 13 different disability categories under which three- through 21-year-olds may be eligible for services. ■ AUTISM ■ DEAF-BLINDNESS ■ DEAFNESS ■ EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE ■ HEARING IMPAIRMENT ■ INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY ■ MULTIPLE DISABILITIES ■ ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENT ■ OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT ■ SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY ■ SPEECH OR LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT ■ TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY ■ VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) ■ If a student is found eligible, parents work with a team (CSE) to develop the IEP ■ This document is crucial for SCs, especially for accommodation on standardized entrance exams ■ SCs are not required to be part of the CSE, but may attend at the request of a parent ■ The IEP is a legal document that must ■ be written, signed and agreed upon ■ have the student’s current performance ■ annual goals & objectives ■ strategies need to allow students to participate in GE curriculum
Private Schools ■ almost 10% of K-12 students attend private schools in U.S. ■ These students have a right to special education services ■ The law requires the local educational agency (LEA) to “locate, identify, evaluate, and provide services to all children in the school district served by the LEA.” ■ Many private schools do not employ special education teachers, so services often fall to SCs
Section 504
■ Sometimes confused with or used interchangeably with an IEP ■ A 504 refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ■ A law that protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. ■ Schools that receive federal funding are obligated to serve students under Section 504. ■ Every school can have its own 504 team. ■ Often created for students with medical issues or disabilities that do not significantly impact the student’s learning
Learning Disability Defined ■ According to IDEA (2004) a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
ADHD ■ Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ■ First written about in late 18th century ■ Misconception is that children will grow out of this … 50% of children with ADHD retain symptoms well into adulthood ■ According to the DSM 5, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is a “persistent” or on-going pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that gets in the way of daily life or typical development. Difficulties with ■ maintaining attention, ■ executive function ■ working memory
Expectations of School Counselors ■ Because school systems vary in their expectations for SCs when it comes to students with disabilities, the ASCA position statement, The Professional School Counselor and Students with Disabilities: ■ “Professional school counselors work with students individually, in group settings, in special education class settings, and in the regular classroom. Professional school counselor responsibilities may include but are not limited to: ■ providing short-term goal-focused counseling in instances where it is appropriate to include these strategies in the individual educational program (IEP) ■ advocating for students with special needs in the school and in the community ■ providing assistance with developing academic & transition plans for students in the IEP as appropriate.
School Counselor Services ■ If a student’s IEP indicates that they are to receive any counseling-related service, the SC is mandated, by law, to deliver that service ■ Some of these services include ■ counseling ■ early identification and assessment ■ parent counseling, and training ■ Related services can be provided directly through individual or group counseling, or they can be delivered indirectly by consulting with a teacher or parent/guardian ■ transition (post-secondary), including career development, evaluation of college options, assistance with applications, etc.
Accommodations OR modifications? ■ An accommodation as “a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability,” ■ copy of notes/outlines ■ preferential seating ■ daily planner checks ■ extended time on tests, including standardized tests ■ while “a modification…is a change in what is being taught to or expected from the student.” (Hamilton and Kessler, 2014) ■ reduction of homework/classwork ■ any changes to the curricula ■ copies of tests to use as a study guide ■ grading scale changes (pass/fail)
Accommodations on Standardized Tests ■ Most time-consuming and widely-known activity ■ final decision rests with the either the ACT or the College Board ■ students with IEPs, 504s or private neuropsychological evaluations should apply ■ Both the ACT and the College Board require specific documentation that identifies the accommodation requested and ■ supports the need for the accommodation on standardized tests ■ provides a history of the accommodations the student received while in school.
Applying for accommodations on SATs ■ College Board allows SSD coordinator to apply for accommodation online ■ State the specific disability, as diagnosed; diagnosis should be made by a person with appropriate professional credentials, ■ Be current (within 5 years) ■ Provide relevant educational, developmental and medical history ■ Describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used in arriving at the diagnosis ■ Describe the functional limitations (for example, limitations to learning that result from the diagnosed disability) ■ Describe the specific accommodations being requested on College Board tests ■ Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator
Applying for accommodations on SATs ■ If all the documentation is current, in order and in place at the school, the approval process is typically smooth ■ CB states they need at least 7 weeks to make a decision ■ If additional documentation is requested, the CB asks for an additional 7 weeks
Accommodations on the ACT ■ this is more detailed, more “strict” and time consuming than the SAT ■ Students must first register for the test, than request accommodations ■ while the SAT allows for diagnostic testing to have been done within 5 years, the ACT limits it to 3 years ■ two types of accommodations: ■ 50% extended time or “Special Testing.”
■ more than time and 1/2 ■ testing over multiple days ■ alternate test formats (Braille, reader of DVDs) ■ use of a scribe or computer for the Writing test ■ extended time of the Writing test only
Accommodations on the tests and Diagnostic Assessments ■ Cognitive Assessments ■ Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (18 or over) ■ Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children ■ Woodcock Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities ■ Stanford Binet Intelligence Scales ■ Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children
■ Academic Achievement Assessments ■ Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement ■ Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults ■ Wechsler Individual Achievement Test ■ Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement
Differences between high school and college ■ Special education services end at 18 or at HS graduation ■ Colleges are under no legal obligation to offer services to students with learning disabilities. ■ Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), colleges are required to provide appropriate adjustments as necessary to ensure that it does not discriminate on the basis of disability. ■ Special services offered to students often come with additional fees
Disclosure
■ biggest difference is that it is up to the student to disclose their disability ■ one study found that 63% of postsecondary students who had documentation in high school with a disability diagnosis did not consider themselves to have that disability by the time they entered college ■ less than 30% of college students with disabilities disclose their disability ■ That number drops to 20% when it comes to those students who go on to receive accommodations or supports while in college. ■ the most common accommodation offered in college is extended time
Encouraging Self-Advocacy ■ In order to succeed in their post-secondary world, students with disabilities need to become their biggest advocate ■ Delivery of self-advocacy skills falls to the SC (groups, classroom, individual) ■ Suggest to juniors and seniors that they attend their own IEP meetings “Colleges expect students to be in charge of their own learning and to find ways to get information they need on their own” (Hamblet, 2009).
Researching Programs in colleges ■ If a student is willing to disclose, than they can research programs ■ Most colleges will accept an IEP, 504 plan or private evaluation from a student’s high school (within last 3 years). ■ should begin as early as possible because postsecondary institutions are allowed to set their own limits on how old that testing can be, and, if a student’s documentation does not fit a college’s requirements, the responsibility falls on the student. ■ Common types of services offered to students through these support programs include: study skills, tutoring, provisions for alternate testing, preregistration for courses, taping of lectures and others ■ Staffed by education professionals ■ These come at an additional fee: $3k - $10k ■ Landmark and Beacon
Accommodations in College
■ Almost 90% of colleges in the US will have some type of ODS ■ Just because a college claims to have services, it doesn’t mean it’s a program ■ The common types of accommodations or extended time testing, access to audio textbooks and permission to record classroom lectures ■ Students are often expected to notify their professors and make specific requests ■ Many colleges have tutoring centers, but these are staffed by students
What to ask the college ■ Meet with your students before they interview the ODS and prep them with questions...a sample ■ Do full-time professionals staff the program? ■ What documentation do you require in order to support my disability? ■ If I am approved for accommodations, how will I be notified, and are others notified as well? Who is responsible for arranging accommodations? ■ What is the advisement system for students with special needs? ■ Is there an active support group on campus for students with disabilities? ■ How well-informed are professors and instructors regarding students with disabilities? ■ Can I speak with any students who do receive accommodations?
The emotional component ■ The college search process can produce anxiety and stress for all involved, but students with disabilities report higher levels of anxiety ■ Developmental impact ■ Keep in mind that the same goes for them while they’re in college ■ The biggest help SCs can offer is to outline expectations ■ Assist students with their stress offering evidence-based stress reduction techniques ■ Help students contact the counseling centers at colleges before they graduate ■ Make referrals over the summer
Final Notes ■ NACAC’s Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling (4th Ed) contains a list of 75 colleges that have support programs for students with disabilities as well as detailed information on scholarships for these students ■ Join NACAC, ASCA and ask questions ■ Make notes of all interventions
Preliminary Remarks ■ ASCA (American School Counselor Association) and NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) & the role of the school counselor ■ Secondary school report 10-20% of students receiving services ■ Between 2001 and 2010, # of LD college applicants grew to 400,000 ■ an increase of 50 % ■ 99% of public colleges enroll LD students & 88% of private colleges enroll LD students ■ Of the general “disability” categories reported “specific learning disabilities” was the highest at 31% and ADHD at 18%
Key Terms
■ Because SCs are mandated service providers (depending on the IEP), knowing the terms are crucial ■ IDEA ■ IEP ■ 504 ■ FAPE ■ LRE ■ LD ■ ADHD
IDEA ■ The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the nation’s federal special education law that guarantees public schools serve the educational needs of students with disabilities. ■ IDEA requires that schools offer special education services to eligible students as outlined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). ■ It specifies requirements to guarantee a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for these students in the least restrictive environment (LRE). ■ IDEA was first passed in 1975, but is reauthorized every few years, the most recent being 2006.
Specific Disabilities Under IDEA ■ IDEA lists 13 different disability categories under which three- through 21-year-olds may be eligible for services. ■ AUTISM ■ DEAF-BLINDNESS ■ DEAFNESS ■ EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE ■ HEARING IMPAIRMENT ■ INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY ■ MULTIPLE DISABILITIES ■ ORTHOPEDIC IMPAIRMENT ■ OTHER HEALTH IMPAIRMENT ■ SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY ■ SPEECH OR LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT ■ TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY ■ VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) ■ If a student is found eligible, parents work with a team (CSE) to develop the IEP ■ This document is crucial for SCs, especially for accommodation on standardized entrance exams ■ SCs are not required to be part of the CSE, but may attend at the request of a parent ■ The IEP is a legal document that must ■ be written, signed and agreed upon ■ have the student’s current performance ■ annual goals & objectives ■ strategies need to allow students to participate in GE curriculum
Private Schools ■ almost 10% of K-12 students attend private schools in U.S. ■ These students have a right to special education services ■ The law requires the local educational agency (LEA) to “locate, identify, evaluate, and provide services to all children in the school district served by the LEA.” ■ Many private schools do not employ special education teachers, so services often fall to SCs
Section 504
■ Sometimes confused with or used interchangeably with an IEP ■ A 504 refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ■ A law that protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. ■ Schools that receive federal funding are obligated to serve students under Section 504. ■ Every school can have its own 504 team. ■ Often created for students with medical issues or disabilities that do not significantly impact the student’s learning
Learning Disability Defined ■ According to IDEA (2004) a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia.
ADHD ■ Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ■ First written about in late 18th century ■ Misconception is that children will grow out of this … 50% of children with ADHD retain symptoms well into adulthood ■ According to the DSM 5, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is a “persistent” or on-going pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that gets in the way of daily life or typical development. Difficulties with ■ maintaining attention, ■ executive function ■ working memory
Expectations of School Counselors ■ Because school systems vary in their expectations for SCs when it comes to students with disabilities, the ASCA position statement, The Professional School Counselor and Students with Disabilities: ■ “Professional school counselors work with students individually, in group settings, in special education class settings, and in the regular classroom. Professional school counselor responsibilities may include but are not limited to: ■ providing short-term goal-focused counseling in instances where it is appropriate to include these strategies in the individual educational program (IEP) ■ advocating for students with special needs in the school and in the community ■ providing assistance with developing academic & transition plans for students in the IEP as appropriate.
School Counselor Services ■ If a student’s IEP indicates that they are to receive any counseling-related service, the SC is mandated, by law, to deliver that service ■ Some of these services include ■ counseling ■ early identification and assessment ■ parent counseling, and training ■ Related services can be provided directly through individual or group counseling, or they can be delivered indirectly by consulting with a teacher or parent/guardian ■ transition (post-secondary), including career development, evaluation of college options, assistance with applications, etc.
Accommodations OR modifications? ■ An accommodation as “a change that helps a student overcome or work around the disability,” ■ copy of notes/outlines ■ preferential seating ■ daily planner checks ■ extended time on tests, including standardized tests ■ while “a modification…is a change in what is being taught to or expected from the student.” (Hamilton and Kessler, 2014) ■ reduction of homework/classwork ■ any changes to the curricula ■ copies of tests to use as a study guide ■ grading scale changes (pass/fail)
Accommodations on Standardized Tests ■ Most time-consuming and widely-known activity ■ final decision rests with the either the ACT or the College Board ■ students with IEPs, 504s or private neuropsychological evaluations should apply ■ Both the ACT and the College Board require specific documentation that identifies the accommodation requested and ■ supports the need for the accommodation on standardized tests ■ provides a history of the accommodations the student received while in school.
Applying for accommodations on SATs ■ College Board allows SSD coordinator to apply for accommodation online ■ State the specific disability, as diagnosed; diagnosis should be made by a person with appropriate professional credentials, ■ Be current (within 5 years) ■ Provide relevant educational, developmental and medical history ■ Describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used in arriving at the diagnosis ■ Describe the functional limitations (for example, limitations to learning that result from the diagnosed disability) ■ Describe the specific accommodations being requested on College Board tests ■ Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator
Applying for accommodations on SATs ■ If all the documentation is current, in order and in place at the school, the approval process is typically smooth ■ CB states they need at least 7 weeks to make a decision ■ If additional documentation is requested, the CB asks for an additional 7 weeks
Accommodations on the ACT ■ this is more detailed, more “strict” and time consuming than the SAT ■ Students must first register for the test, than request accommodations ■ while the SAT allows for diagnostic testing to have been done within 5 years, the ACT limits it to 3 years ■ two types of accommodations: ■ 50% extended time or “Special Testing.”
■ more than time and 1/2 ■ testing over multiple days ■ alternate test formats (Braille, reader of DVDs) ■ use of a scribe or computer for the Writing test ■ extended time of the Writing test only
Accommodations on the tests and Diagnostic Assessments ■ Cognitive Assessments ■ Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (18 or over) ■ Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children ■ Woodcock Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities ■ Stanford Binet Intelligence Scales ■ Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children
■ Academic Achievement Assessments ■ Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement ■ Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults ■ Wechsler Individual Achievement Test ■ Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement
Differences between high school and college ■ Special education services end at 18 or at HS graduation ■ Colleges are under no legal obligation to offer services to students with learning disabilities. ■ Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), colleges are required to provide appropriate adjustments as necessary to ensure that it does not discriminate on the basis of disability. ■ Special services offered to students often come with additional fees
Disclosure
■ biggest difference is that it is up to the student to disclose their disability ■ one study found that 63% of postsecondary students who had documentation in high school with a disability diagnosis did not consider themselves to have that disability by the time they entered college ■ less than 30% of college students with disabilities disclose their disability ■ That number drops to 20% when it comes to those students who go on to receive accommodations or supports while in college. ■ the most common accommodation offered in college is extended time
Encouraging Self-Advocacy ■ In order to succeed in their post-secondary world, students with disabilities need to become their biggest advocate ■ Delivery of self-advocacy skills falls to the SC (groups, classroom, individual) ■ Suggest to juniors and seniors that they attend their own IEP meetings “Colleges expect students to be in charge of their own learning and to find ways to get information they need on their own” (Hamblet, 2009).
Researching Programs in colleges ■ If a student is willing to disclose, than they can research programs ■ Most colleges will accept an IEP, 504 plan or private evaluation from a student’s high school (within last 3 years). ■ should begin as early as possible because postsecondary institutions are allowed to set their own limits on how old that testing can be, and, if a student’s documentation does not fit a college’s requirements, the responsibility falls on the student. ■ Common types of services offered to students through these support programs include: study skills, tutoring, provisions for alternate testing, preregistration for courses, taping of lectures and others ■ Staffed by education professionals ■ These come at an additional fee: $3k - $10k ■ Landmark and Beacon
Accommodations in College
■ Almost 90% of colleges in the US will have some type of ODS ■ Just because a college claims to have services, it doesn’t mean it’s a program ■ The common types of accommodations or extended time testing, access to audio textbooks and permission to record classroom lectures ■ Students are often expected to notify their professors and make specific requests ■ Many colleges have tutoring centers, but these are staffed by students
What to ask the college ■ Meet with your students before they interview the ODS and prep them with questions...a sample ■ Do full-time professionals staff the program? ■ What documentation do you require in order to support my disability? ■ If I am approved for accommodations, how will I be notified, and are others notified as well? Who is responsible for arranging accommodations? ■ What is the advisement system for students with special needs? ■ Is there an active support group on campus for students with disabilities? ■ How well-informed are professors and instructors regarding students with disabilities? ■ Can I speak with any students who do receive accommodations?
The emotional component ■ The college search process can produce anxiety and stress for all involved, but students with disabilities report higher levels of anxiety ■ Developmental impact ■ Keep in mind that the same goes for them while they’re in college ■ The biggest help SCs can offer is to outline expectations ■ Assist students with their stress offering evidence-based stress reduction techniques ■ Help students contact the counseling centers at colleges before they graduate ■ Make referrals over the summer
Final Notes ■ NACAC’s Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling (4th Ed) contains a list of 75 colleges that have support programs for students with disabilities as well as detailed information on scholarships for these students ■ Join NACAC, ASCA and ask questions ■ Make notes of all interventions
