What types of services are required for students with disabilities in elementary and secondary schools?
School districts are required to provide a free appropriate education to students with disabilities based on their individualized educational needs. The services may include special education and related aids and services such as physical therapy, as well as modifications to the regular education program including adjustments in test taking procedures and adjustments to rules regarding absences when a student's absences are due to a disability. (ed,gov)
Students with disabilities attending school from kindergarten through high school graduation are accommodated under the Individual with Disabilities Act of 2004 and sub-part D of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 197. The IDEA covers students who require special education. Accommodations and services are found on an IEP. Students with 504 Plan often do well academically but need accommodations to access their education. 504 Plans are often based on documentation from external evaluations. A decision is made about whether a student is a child has a disability and what accommodations are needed to provide access. Accommodations on an IEP or 504 Plan are often very similar. A primary goal of both laws is preparing a student with disabilities for college. The protections and services of both laws end with high school graduation.
What types of adjustments are required for students with disabilities in colleges and universities?
Colleges and universities are required to provide students with appropriate academic adjustments and auxiliary aids and services that are necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in the school's program. Examples of auxiliary aids that may be required are taped texts, notetakers, interpreters, readers, and specialized computer equipment.Colleges and universities are not required to supply students with attendants, individually prescribed devices such as hearing aids and wheelchairs, readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a personal nature, (gov,com)
In college, students are provided accommodations under sub-part E of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA as amended in 2008. Both are civil rights laws that protect students from discrimination of the basis of disability in colleges or universities receiving federal money. Accommodations (adjustments and auxiliary aids and services) are provided when documentation supports the presence of a disability and, but for the functional limits of that disability, the student is as qualified to attend a particular college as any other student rerolled there. Accommodations permit students to gain access to institutional programs and services, but do not promote academic success. The goal of documentation review, while often resulting in adjustments and auxiliary aids and services, is determination of eligibility for protection from discrimination on the basis of disability.
All three above laws have information about protecting students with disabilities from harassment.
Information about accommodations on the SAT is found on ets,org by tapping the picture for information for parents and students. Information about accommodations on the ACT is available on act,org and tapping on students with disabilities. Information about documentation required for accommodations in college is found on AHEAD.org. After high school graduation, documentation requirements are the same. Adverse decisions are tied to the match between students and institutional requirements and clearly meeting each guideline. The first submission of documentation may be denied for reasons listed in the denial letter.
After 25+ years of reviewing documentation and working as a disability service provider, I know how frustrating you feel with all this information. As the saying goes, more heat than light. I call assure you with complete confidence that professionals involved in documentation review are not trying to deny accommodations to your son or daughter.
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