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Try these hints for helping your students make a smooth transition to college
See some of the steps leaders in the field recommend you take to help your students make a smooth transition to college. For more information, please refer to the guides listed.
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1. b. Michaela has been used to having a special education professional take care of services for her in school. But in college, it will be up to her to arrange supports and services. How can you help her prepare? Provide Michaela plenty of opportunity to practice essential self-determination and self advocacy skills; one key way is to actively involve her in developing her IEP and transition goals.
Whether a student has disabilities or not, a big change between high school and college is that the students are held responsible for their own success. Because college students are held responsible, much of the preparation ends up being the student's responsibility. The majority of telephone calls, meetings, and administrative aspects of entering college will be carried out by the students and their families.
As students develop their transition goals, provide resources and practice opportunities for them to 1) seek out campus resources, 2) ask for additional supports from the office for students with disabilities, 3) advocate for what they need, 4) organize their records, 5) think about accomodations they'll need beyond the academic ones, 6) talk personally with their professors and explain what accommodations they'll need and why, 7) know their rights, the law, and campus policies.
—Universal Design for Transition: A Roadmap for Planning and Instruction by Colleen A. Thoma, Christina C. Bartholomew, & LaRon A. Scott
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2. c. Abby, who has AD/HD, has trouble keeping up with technologies in the classroom. How can you keep her from being overwhelmed by the instructional technologies she may encounter in college? Help Abby research what instructional technologies will be used in college, familiarize her with their use in advance, and help her devise strategies that will help her work around her particular difficulties.
A technology specialist can give you and Abby ideas for solutions that will work for her. If, when using the computer, for example, she tends to lose positional memory moving from one screen to another, show her how to view information in split-screen format on her monitor. Or, for homework, she might want to try software that allows her to use two computer screens at once. She can also reduce the amount of scrolling necessary by decreasing font size.
—Preparing Students with Disabilities for College Success: A Practical Guide to Transition Planning edited by Stan F. Shaw, Joseph W. Madaus, & Lyman L. Dukes, III
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3. f. Brett would benefit from a program that would help him develop both job skills and people skills. What model should you arrange that would enable him to develop both crucial sets of skills? Set up a dual-enrollment model with postsecondary education programs that would enable Brett to learn job skills in community work environments while facilitating social interaction with other students on campus.
Although there is wide variation in how these models are configured, students typically receive public school special education services that are primarily based on the campuses of 2- and 4-year colleges. For the most part they feature a combination of classroom and community-based instruction of functional and life skills, paid and unpaid employment experiences, use of campus facilities (e.g., library, career center, fitness center), and participation in college courses as determined by individual interests, needs, and IEP goals. The primary objective of these programs is for students to exit mandated publicly supported education with a range of inclusive experiences, work experiences, and employment.
—The Way to Work: How to Facilitate Work Experiences for Youth in Transition by Richard G. Luecking with invited contributors
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4. a. Juan has a behavioral disorder and has struggled to stay in school. Longer-term college programs are not likely to be a good match for him. What might be a good option to suggest? One viable but underused option that may work well for Juan is the occupationally specific, short-term training programs that are offered at many community colleges.
These programs have different labels, but they share several core characteristics, including 1) a focus on specific occupations, 2) a curriculum that can be completed within 1 year or less, and 3) hands-on instruction and/or worksite-based training. The employment focus of these community college programs also aligns well with the mission and outcomes of vocational rehabilitation, and provides an ideal service-delivery structure to meet the needs of youth with emotional or behavior disorders.
—Transition of Youth and Young Adults with Emotional or Behavioral Difficulties: An Evidence-Support Handbook edited by Hewitt B. "Rusty" Clark & Deanne K. Unruh
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5. e. Shannon hasn't had the same opportunities to attend college that students without intellectual disabilities have had. What legislation is now going to change all that? You can help Shannon and her family take advantage of new provisions in the reauthorized Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) that will open new avenues to students with intellectual disabilities.
HEOA allows for students with ID to be eligible for the first time for Pell Grants Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and the Federal Work-Study Program. Such students previously have not been eligible for financial aid because they typically 1) do not receive a regular diploma or General Educational Development equivalency test, and 2) are not usually accepted for enrollment in a degree or accredited certificate program.
The amended HEOA authorizes the development and expansion of high quality, inclusive, comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs. It also provides for the establishment of a coordinating center that will provide technical assistance, evaluation, and development of recommendations for model accreditation standards, as well as outreach to postsecondary programs, families, and prospective students.
—Think College! Postsecondary Education Options for Students with Intellectual Disabilities by Meg Grigal & Debra Hart
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6. d. David wants to attend a college that is used to accommodating requests such as extra time for tests but is unfamiliar with needs particular to students with autism. What sorts of supports can you suggest he request? Recommend David request eligibility for supports specific to his needs; he might ask, for example, to be excused from group projects, receive preferential seating to suit any auditory or visual sensitivity, or receive advance notification for changes in schedules.
Most schools offer a full range of services to assist students in successfully meeting their academic coursework, and students with autism should take advantage of these services along with any specialized services they need. Some of the most commonly requested supports by students with disabilities are textbooks on tape, notetakers, extended time on tests, environments with limited distraction for test taking, use of calculators, and permission to tape lectures.
—Autism and the Transition to Adulthood: Success Beyond the Classroom by Paul Wehman, Marcia Datlow Smith, & Carol Schall, with invited contributors