Introduction
All students who attend college make a big transition, as the academic environment is different and more demanding. Those who choose to live on campus have to take charge of creating their own structure in order to get things done. An additional shift for students with disabilities is that the system for receiving accommodations is different than the one they are used to from high school. Some accommodations and supports they’re used to receiving may not be available. Students should be prepared for these changes, and they should know what questions to ask when looking at colleges.
In my work in the transition field, I come across resources for students with learning disabilities and ADHD, as well as for students with other types of disabilities. Here are books and posts I think families will find helpful in their student’s preparation and college search. (Read my book, 7 Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities, to learn more about what students should look at during their search and how to make best use of the resources below. And check out the college preparation and readiness and college search resources here on my site.)
Learning Disabilities and/or ADHD
Students in this group need to know about academic accommodations and supports. They should be aware that assignment and test modifications typically aren’t available, and that colleges aren’t required to have learning disabilities specialists on staff.
Resources on college searches
- “Choosing a College: How to Help Kids With Learning and Attention Issues Weigh the Options” – my post for Understood
- “Focusing on Fit: Special Considerations for the College Search for Students with ADHD and LD” – advice on my main site (extending beyond the ideas in the Understood piece)
- Find a College Counselor – find the list of college counselors I know who truly specialize in helping students with learning disabilities. (All can work virtually, but I also offer tips for finding one near you.)
- Campus Disability Resource Database (CeDaR) – developed by the National Center on College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD at the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), through funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
- Collegewebld.com – database built by Judith Bass (one of the counselors I recommend) with information about 500 colleges’ disability services (free and paid access available)
- The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Differences – this book contains information on services at several hundred colleges across the country. (Read this post where one of the co-authors told me about the book’s development, and limitations.) Order from Amazon or go to Bookshop.org, where you can support an independent bookseller.
Resources on preparation
- Taking Flight: The Guide to College for Diverse Learners and Non-Traditional Students – a terrific book for students that speaks to them in an authentic way (Order from Amazon or Bookshop.org)
- Ready for Take-Off – Preparing Your Teen with LD or ADHD for College – a book for parents by experts Theresa Maitland and Patricia Quinn (order from Amazon)
- There are numerous posts on my blog with advice from college disability services directors and additional resources on preparing students for college and on accommodations.
Students with Mental Health Disabilities
These students need to be aware of the limitations of college mental health services. They also need to have strategies for coping in the stressful college environment.
Resource on college searches
- Advice on College Searches for Students with Mental Health Disabilities – Laura DiGalbo, professor at Southeastern Connecticut University and specialist consulting to families, offers her advice on this blog
Resources on preparation
- Help Your Child With Psychiatric Needs Prepare for College – Dr. Marcia Morris. a psychiatrist at University of Florida, writes for Psychology Today (she also has written a book – The Campus Cure: A Parent’s Guide to Mental Health and Wellness for College Students – order from Amazon or Bookshop.org)
- Preparing Students with Mental Health Disabilities for Successful College Transition – advice on my blog from Laura DiGalbo, a consultant who specializes in working with students with these challenges
Students with Autism
Students in this group need to know that there may not be specialized resources available to them, and some will need to be aware of the academic and behavioral expectations for college students.
Resources on College Search
College programs for students on the autism spectrum – list provided by Brown and her fellow experts at collegeautism.com
United States College programs for autistic students – list provided by College Autism Network
Resources on Preparation
How High Schools Can Help Prepare Students with Autism for Successful College Transition– advice from college autism expert Lorraine Wolf on my blog
College Autism Experts’ Advice for Families on College Preparation – advice from college autism expert Jane Theirfeld Brown on my blog
The Parent’s Guide to College for Students on the Autism Spectrum – book by Brown and Wolf and their two co-authors (order from Amazon or Bookshop.org)
Students with Physical and Medical Disabilities
Students in this group should know that colleges are not required to provide personal attendants or medical care. They may also need to know about certain kinds of academic accommodations, especially those concerning attendance.
accessiblecollege.com – Annie Tulkin, a disability specialist, offers advice on her site and blog (she is also available to consult to families)
College Diabetes Network – ” a 501c3 non-profit organization whose mission is singularly focused on providing young adults with T1D the peer connections they value, and expert resources they need, to successfully manage the challenging transition to independence at college and beyond.”
College Readiness Resource Center from the Perkins School for the Blind.
Students with Intellectual Disabilities
Think College is “a national organization dedicated to developing, expanding, and improving inclusive higher education options for people with intellectual disability.”
Information from the U.S. Dept. of Education’s Office for Civil Rights for All Students with Disabilities
Auxiliary Aids and Services for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities
Dear Parent Letter about postsecondary transition
*For professionals – Transition of Students With Disabilities To Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators (also see tips from disability services directors on this blog).
