Know Your Rights
This U.S. law protects students with disabilities in colleges that receive federal funding.
What is Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?
Students typically need this type of paperwork from school, a doctor, or psychologist to receive accommodations.
What is disability documentation?
The first step after choosing a college if you want accommodations.
What is contact the disability services office?
Extra time on exams is one example of this type of accommodation.
What is testing accommodations?
This important skill means speaking up about your needs.
What is self-advocacy?
This law also protects people with disabilities from discrimination in colleges and universities.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
An IEP or 504 plan from high school is needed, but colleges usually also require this.
What is recent medical or psychological documentation? (MOST RECENT TESTING FROM SCHOOL)
Students usually submit documentation and fill out this type of request form.
What is an accommodations request application? (INTAKE APPLICATION)
Students may receive this service to help capture lecture content.
What is note-taking support?
Students should send professors this type of message early in the semester to discuss accommodations.
What is an email?
Unlike high school, this law (which covers IEPs) usually does NOT apply in college.
What is IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)?
This office at most colleges reviews documentation and approves accommodations.
What is the Disability Services Office?
Many colleges ask students to schedule this meeting to discuss accommodations.
What is an intake meeting?
Students with certain disabilities may get this quieter space to take exams.
What is a reduced-distraction testing room?
True or False: Professors can ask about your diagnosis.
What is False?
In college, professors are NOT automatically informed about disabilities. Students must do this first.
What is register with the disability services office?
True or False: Colleges automatically transfer your high school accommodations to your chosen college.
What is FALSE?
Students usually must give professors this document each semester to activate accommodations.
What is an accommodation letter?
Some students are allowed to record lectures using this device.
What is a voice recorder or recording app?
Students should request accommodations before this time to avoid problems.
What is before exams or early in the semester?
True or False: Colleges must provide reasonable accommodations but do not have to change course requirements.
What is True?
Documentation usually needs to explain both the diagnosis and this important thing.
What is how the disability impacts learning?
True or False: Parents usually handle requesting accommodations in college.
Accessible textbooks may be provided in this format for students with reading disabilities.
What are audio or digital text formats?
If a student feels accommodations are not being respected, they should contact this office
What is the Disability Services Office?