By: Jessica Gonzalez florida international university EEC3403 professor: Dr. Jennifer Mirabal

[Audio] Assignment #11 Special Considerations By: Jessica Gonzalez.

[Audio] Introduction Do you know what awaits students with special needs who graduate from an institution and continue their study at the postsecondary level? Do you possess the knowledge necessary to tell them of what to anticipate in postsecondary education? Accurate awareness of one's civil rights is crucial for students with disabilities to make the successful transition from high school to higher education. This guide's objective is to give high school teachers, parents and families of special needs answers to queries that students with disabilities might have as they prepare to transition to a postsecondary learning setting..

[Audio] The admissions process Are students with impairments eligible to modifications to the rules governing standardized testing while taking admission examinations for higher institutions? It varies. In general, tests should not be chosen or given in a way that focuses more on the person's abilities or achievements than their impairment. Federal law also mandates modifications to the testing environment that are required to permit participation by a student with a handicap, provided that the modifications don't fundamentally alter the test or impose an excessive financial or administrative burden. Many postsecondary schools rely a student's performance on commercially accessible tests, even if others may have their own admission examinations. The institution of postsecondary education or the organization that administers the exam must be contacted in order to request one or more changes in the testing environment, which test administrators may also refer to as "testing accommodations". Students must also provide proof of their disability and the reason why they need the requested changes in testing conditions. Following is a discussion of the documentation problem. Examples of potential modifications to the testing environment include, but are not limited to: fewer things on each page, large print, and braille; responses on a tape, answers in the exam booklet, many pauses; prolonged testing period; many sessions of testing; Smaller group size, a private space, preferred seating, and the employment of a sign language interpreter to translate spoken directions are all advantages..

[Audio] Are postsecondary schools allowed to inquire about an applicant's handicap before making a decision on admission? In general, postsecondary educational institutions are not allowed to conduct a "pre-admission inquiry" into an applicant's handicap status. Pre-admission inquiries are only authorized if the postsecondary institution is taking corrective measures to undo the consequences of prior discrimination or voluntary effort to remove the obstacles that prevented people with disabilities from participating fully. Unauthorized pre-admission questions include, for instance: Are you physically healthy? Have you spent any time in the hospital recently for a medical issue? Postsecondary educational institutions are permitted to ask applicants about their capacity to fulfill important program criteria as long as the questions aren't intended to betray their handicap status. For instance, if lifting weights physically is a prerequisite for a physical therapy degree program, it would be allowed to ask applicants, "With or without a reasonable accommodation, can you lift 25 pounds?" Institutions of higher education may obtain proof of a student's disability status after admission in response to a request for "academic adjustments, reasonable changes, or auxiliary aids and services..

[Audio] Do students have to disclose their disabilities to institutions? No, a student is not required to disclose his or her disability to a postsecondary educational institution. However, if the student wants the institution to make an academic adjustment, place him or her in accessible housing or facilities, or provide other services related to their disability, the student must disclose their disability. It's never required to disclose a handicap. For instance, a student with a handicap who does not need services may decide not to reveal it. Do organizations have a duty to recognize pupils with disabilities? Institutions are under no obligation to recognize students with impairments. If they require academic accommodations, postsecondary students are responsible for informing the institution's personnel of their impairment. High schools, on the other hand, have a responsibility to identify kids who are within their authority and who may be eligible for assistance and who have a handicap. Can postsecondary schools refuse an applicant admission on the grounds that they have a disability? No. If an applicant satisfies the prerequisites for admission, an institution may not refuse admission to that applicant only on the grounds that the applicant has a handicap, nor may an institution categorically reject an applicant with a specific impairment as ineligible for its program. For instance, a facility cannot presume that all applicants with hearing or vision impairments would be unable to satisfy the fundamental eligibility standards of its music program. However, an institution may demand that a candidate achieve any necessary technical or academic requirements in order to be admitted to the institution or to participate in its program. Any student, disabled or not, who does not satisfy the necessary criteria for admission or participation may have their enrollment denied by the school..

[Audio] Who is in charge of getting the required tests to prove a disability exists? The pupil. Although some postsecondary institutions do so, postsecondary institutions are not compelled to carry out or pay for an evaluation to support a student's impairment and need for an academic adjustment. A student with a handicap who qualifies for assistance through the state's VR assistance program may be entitled to a free examination. By selecting "Info about RSA," "Resources," "State and Local Government Employment Resources," and then "Vocational Rehabilitation Offices" on the website http://rsa.ed.gov , high school teachers may help students with disabilities find their state's VR agency. Students with disabilities are responsible for covering the cost of any essential evaluations or tests for higher education if they are unable to locate alternative financing sources. A school district's obligation to offer a free appropriate public education (FAPE) at the elementary and secondary school levels includes the duty to offer, at no cost to the parents, an evaluation of any suspected areas of disability for any of the district's students who is thought to require special education or related aids and services. Once a student graduates and moves on to postsecondary education, school districts are not obligated by Section 504 or Title II to carry out evaluations with the aim of getting academic changes. What type of proof is often required for students with impairments to get academic modifications from postsecondary institutions? Institutions are allowed to establish their own standards for documentation as long as they are reasonable and adhere to Title II and Section 504 regulations. Students with disabilities should explore the documentation standards at the universities that interest them since documentation standards might vary significantly between institutions. Upon request, a student must show proof of their handicap, which is defined as an impairment that significantly restricts one or more key living activities12 and necessitates academic adjustment. The supporting materials should explain how a student's impairment affects how well they can operate. The documentation's main goal is to prove that the student has a disability, which will enable the institution to determine the best services in collaboration with the student. The key question is whether the data sufficiently demonstrates the existence of a present handicap and the requirement for an academic adjustment..

[Audio] Understand their disabilities Students with disabilities need to be aware of the functional restrictions brought on by their conditions as well as be aware of their advantages and disadvantages. They have to be able to describe their disabilities to the disability coordinators or other suitable staff members of an institution. Students should be able to describe their prior struggles, how they overcame them, and what precise modifications would be effective in other circumstances as part of this process. High school teachers can urge students to actively participate in their IEP or Section 504 sessions to help them in this area. To help students become more comfortable having these types of talks in a postsecondary context, high school staff may also advise students to practice discussing their disability and the reasons they require certain assistance to appropriate secondary staff or through role-playing exercises. Accept accountability for their own accomplishments. 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. Learn time management skills. Although monitoring, directing, and guiding a child as they reach the end of high school is a fundamental responsibility of a caregiver, parents must also teach their kids how to act independently and how to manage their time with little to no supervision. Parents and other adults who look after youngsters can aid them by finding tools that will teach them time-management and scheduling skills. Consider supplemental postsecondary education preparatory programs Many tertiary educational institutions offer summer programs that students can take part in while they are still in high school or after they graduate to make the transition easier. Students are frequently exposed to experiences in these programs that they will probably have in higher education, such living in residence halls, interacting with other students, and dining in common areas. A student can be better prepared for success in higher education by participating in programs that emphasize training in certain subject areas, such as math or English, or in specific abilities, such as computer, writing, or study skills. Educators in high schools can help kids with disabilities by pointing out these program possibilities near where they live. Research postsecondary education programs. Students with disabilities are free to choose any program for which they are eligible, but they should be urged to carefully evaluate the documentation requirements and other program criteria for their chosen program or institution. In order to avoid making a significant financial and time commitment only to discover several years into a program that they cannot, even with academic adjustments, meet an.