Know
How Much Support You Need
Levels
of academic support vary greatly from college to college.
You will want to compare them carefully before making a decision.
You may need minimal support, or you may need moderate or
intensive assistance. Careful investigation of services can
be the key to a successful match between your needs and the
available services. Use the descriptions below to help you
decide the level of support that best suits your needs.
Minimal
Support - The responsibility to adapt is all yours!
The
college accepts students with disabilities but provides only
those supports required by law. All students may access available
academic support services, such as tutoring, remedial or developmental
classes, writing labs, and study skills courses. There is
no designated individual or office to advise you on finding
campus resources, to discuss appropriate academic adjustments
and auxiliary aids and services, or to mediate between you
and your faculty when problems arise. You are responsible
for being your own advocate, for knowing your rights under
the law, and for advocating for yourself with instructors
and others on campus. Students who do well in these settings
are usually confident of their abilities and talents, know
how to compensate for their disabilities, have or know how
to obtain needed assistive technology, and are bright and
well-motivated.
Moderate
Support - The campus helps you adjust to the program!
A
range of services is available to students with disabilities
to help them adjust to campus life. The disability services
office coordinates appropriate academic adjustments and auxiliary
aids and services. A disability services counselor advises
students, advocates for students with disabilities and works
with faculty to help the student obtain appropriate academic
adjustments and auxiliary aids and services as well as assistive
technology. You assume responsibility for explaining to faculty
your disability and your academic adjustments and auxiliary
aids and services. On some campuses, the disabilities services
office may provide a letter stating the services to which
you are entitled. You may have to arrange for tutors, readers,
and other services with guidance from the disability services
office. You have access to those campus resources (writing
labs, remedial courses, learning centers, etc.) available
to all students for additional assistance with academic or
study skills.
Intensive
Support - The program adapts to your needs!
Special
programs provide intensive support to prepare you to function
independently in classes. Often these programs charge additional
fees. You may receive specialized remedial and compensatory
instruction to improve your academic, study, and coping skills
from trained personnel who can assess your needs and design
interventions to help you succeed academically and in daily
living activities. Courses, small group instruction, and tutorial
sessions prepare you for academic requirements. On-going communication
occurs between the program staff and the faculty and residential
and other student services staff to facilitate your academic
adjustment and support your transition to independent living.
Counseling and support groups are available to assist in interpersonal
skill development and adjustment to postsecondary education.
Excerpted
from Virginia's College Guide for Students with Disabilities
(2003 Edition).
Available at http://www.pen.k12.va.us
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