Making the Transition

Making the Transition A Guide For High School Graduates INDEX

from High School… …to College INDEX BEGIN

Beginning college is an exciting milestone. It brings a sense of maturity and freedom… But freedom comes with responsibility… And responsibility comes with challenges. continue INDEX

For hearing-impaired students, one of the greatest challenges is the greater emphasis on PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY & SELF-ADVOCACY. While this is believed to be an important part of the developmental process for college students, it can lead to difficulties for students who are used to having the majority of procedures for accommodations handled by someone else on their behalf. Let’s explore some procedural differences between high school and college. INDEX

HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY The following laws govern the accommodation process in the secondary (high school) and postsecondary (college) environment. IDEA Section 504 Section 504 ADA ADA Civil Rights Restoration Act Civil Rights Restoration Act What does all this mean for ME? INDEX

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA) • Applies to school children through high school, but not college • A revision of PL 94-142 • Legislates funding for special education services in the least restrictive environment (LRE) • Children with disabilities are entitled to a free and appropriate education that allows for achievement. INDEX more

IDEA (cont’d.) This legislation holds that the school system must: • Identify children with special needs • Evaluate children to determine presence or absence of a disability • Evaluate children to determine their needs • Plan educational services to allow for achievement All services are provided at the school district’s expense. INDEX back

Contrasts… • IDEA, which does not extend beyond high school, focuses on achievement, while college level legislation (504 and ADA) allows only to ensureequal access. • IDEA provides a list of specific disabilities eligible for services. • College level 504/ADA defines disabilities in more general terms: A disability is a substantial impairment in a major life activity, i.e. learning or working. continue INDEX

At the college level, the law requires schools to…. • Provide equal access to students with disabilities • Protect these students from discrimination • Ensure access, not academic success Evaluation becomes the student’s/family’s responsibility! INDEX continue

SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT of 1973 • National Law; protects those qualified from discrimination based on their disability • Qualified individuals are persons with a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities. • Activities include: caring for one’s self, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, working, performing manual tasks, and learning. more INDEX back

Regarding employment and section 504… • qualified individuals with disabilities are persons who, with reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job for which they have applied or have been hired to perform. INDEX back

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT(ADA) • Protects those with disabilities against discriminination in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. back INDEX

CIVIL RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT • The receipt of federal funding by any component of an institution requires every program within the institution to comply with civil rights requirements • As a recipient of federal financial assistance, a post secondary institution has an obligation under Section 504 to be accessible to students with disabilities. back INDEX

Student responsibilities: • Register with the office responsible for providing accommodations • Make specific accommodation requests • Present documentation of condition(s) for consideration of accommodations So what’s the difference? INDEX

Remember… • Unlike high school, colleges and universities are not responsible for identifying students with disabilities. • Evaluation of students with perceived disabilities is not the responsibility of postsecondary institutions. Evaluations conducted are performed at the student's expense. continue INDEX

Colleges and Universities have the right to ask for current documentation that clearly details: (1) the diagnosis (2) the functional limitations (3) the need for accommodations. The 504 plan or IEP that was developed in high school may not be sufficient. back INDEX

Tuition… • Check to see if you are eligible for a tuition waiver offered by the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services or your local rehabilitation organization NOTE: You must have an unaided hearing loss of 55 decibels or greater in the better ear to qualify • You may qualify to receive money for tuition, equipment, or even books! INDEX continue

Select the right college: • Location: Does it require relocation? Will it effect your existing support structure? • Size: Number of students in class? Will it effect the attention the professor can provide? • Disability Services: Does the college have enough resources? Is the college willing to provide services to meet your particular needs? INDEX continue

Interview the right people: • Talk to people to help you select your college: i.) Admission counselor:Know the admission requirements. ii.) Disabilities coordinator: - To establish contact with the Office of Support Services - To learn about the services offered - To determine the likelihood of getting the services you need INDEX more

Interview the right people: - To see how knowledgeable the coordinator/office is of services for the deaf/HOH (Note: Some schools only provide specific service such as sign language interpreters). iii.) Current student or alumni: - Learn about the services they use - What happens when one of those services fail, what backup services are in place, and etc. INDEX services

Services you can request: • American Sign Language Interpreter • Signed English Interpreter (SEE-Signing Exact English or PSE-Pidgin Sign English) • FM Systems and Conference Microphones • CART • Remote Captioning • Cued Speech Transiliterator • I-Communicator • Typewell/C-Print • Professional or Volunteer Notetakers • Extended time for exams • Service animal • Fire Alarm with lights installed in your dorm room • Lighted Door Bell for your dorm room door INDEX continue

CART • Communication Access Realtime Translation • Performed by a Certified CART provider using a realtime translation system (stenotype machine, notebook computer and realtime translation software). • The certified CART provider is able to simultaneously translate the spoken word at 170-210 words per minute with a minimum of 96% accuracy. • CART is displayed as a full screen of text as distinguished from captioning which displays two or three lines of text with a video picture. Terry McGinty providing CART, large audience setting back

Remote Captioning • Same as CART except that the CART is located in a different location than the consumer and/or the presenter. • It is accomplished by a CART provider utilizing remote connectivity software. • The audio of the proceedings is sent to the CART provider via telephone line or IP phone and the CART provider listens to the proceedings and writes the text to an internet site. • It is an affordable alternative to onsite CART, which requires travel time and setup fees. • It is also a useful tool for rural areas where there are no CART providers Teleview screen as viewed by consumer during remote CART session. back

Cued Speech Transliterator • A Cued Speech Transliterator uses Cued Speech to convey the sounds that make of the words some one is saying so that another person (who understands Cued Speech) can understand word for word what was being said in the same language that it was said in. • Cued Speech Transliterators are completely different from Sign Language interpreters, who convey what is being said in a manual language that is completely different from the spoken language. back

Lauren E. Butler Madhu Sundarrajan Reagan L. Youngblood University of Texas at Dallas Callier Center for Communication Disorders Spring 2006 Click to exit INDEX

Resources: • AG Bell Association for Deaf and Hard of Hearing: www.agbell.org • www.eeoc.gov • www.hhs.gov • www.nad.org • www.texascaption.com INDEX

INDEX • Title • Title II • Introduction • Challenges • Legislation Menu • IDEA • IDEA II • Contrasts • College Level • Section 504 • Section 504 II • ADA • Civil Rights • Responsibilities • Remember • Documentation • Tuition • Selection • Interview • Interview II • Services • Sources • Credits

Making the Transition