From School-Driven Support to Self-Advocacy

By Jaret Hodges, Ph.D.

Many students and their parents become accustomed to the structured support
provided by public school districts for learning needs. Schools coordinate meetings with parents, develop formal education plans, and proactively support students through appropriate accommodations. Coming to a university, many parents expect similar levels of structural support – a continuation of services, a person might think. However, the model in higher education is fundamentally different than what parents and students experience in K-12. In a university, the name of the game is student self-advocacy. This process is not automatic or retroactive. It requires initiative on part of the student. The steps to getting an accommodation in the university can be seen as:

1. A student contacts the disability services office. And just a forewarning, each
   university has their own name for this office.
2. The student then provides documentation to that office (e.g., medical,
   psychological, educational). It is important to note that a student’s 504 or IEP plan is not enough. They will need formal documentation that goes beyond this. And very often, it needs to be recent (within the last 3-5 years). Again, this can vary by university.
3. The student then meets with a coordinator at the university’s disability office.
4. Accommodations for that student are approved. The most common accommodations that you will see are additional testing time, but these also can
   include an alternative testing room with fewer distractions, note-taking support,
   additional time to turn in assignments, and technology support.
5. Student must notify professors of their approved accommodations each semester. This is the key point: a student is the one who notifies the professor. As a professor, we don’t know who has an accommodation unless we are told by someone. When I look at my roster for a class, it provides me with a student’s name and major. That’s about it.

What a parent will be unlikely to get is something like an ARD meeting where they meet with the disability office, the student’s professors, and administration to work out a plan of action for their child. A university will not modify curriculum or mandate that a professor provide individual tutoring time.

As parents, there are some keys to success that you should ensure your child understands. First of all, apply early. Secondly, make sure your documentation is updated. Finally, use the resources that universities do provide. Very often, universities provide additional support through help sessions and writing labs. Using the resources and self-advocating will lead to success.