Beverly Sermons, Ed.D.

Liaison,

Georgia Southern University

Lynn Mahovsky, Ph.D.

Liaison,

Georgia State University

--RCLDs – purpose and services

--The importance of self-advocacy skills and success in college

--Laws related to serving college students –

comparison of IDEA and ADA

--Students rights and responsibilities

--Faculty/institutional rights and responsibilities

--Self-advocacy skills

--Ways to develop self-advocacy in high school

Become aware of the importance of self-

advocacy for success in college

Gain an understanding of specific advocacy

skills needed on college campuses

Explore ways to teach, help students apply

and generalize advocacy skills for use in

college

Who we are

What we do

Located regionally to support Disability

Services on the 35 public colleges and

universities in Georgia

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State University

University of Georgia

Mission:

1. Support disability service providers on campuses

Review documentation, provide consistency

Develop and disseminate best practices for accommodating students with disabilities

Provide evaluations for students

2. Provide community outreach

3. Conduct research related to post-secondary students

with disabilities

Philosophical shift

Policy shift

Individuals with Disabilities

Education “Improvement” Act (IDEA)

Free and appropriate Mandatory education Entitlement Law Remedial Learning Tools Outcome Oriented: Successful Learning Federal funds provided

ADAAA and Section 504

Optional, Appropriate Education

Civil Rights Law Aids/Accommodations Equal Access State & Local Funds

High School

IDEAA

Responsible to identify

Responsible to evaluate

Accommodations implemented by school

Accommodations decisions made by IEP team

Parents are advocates

LRE. Self-contained, regular classroom, resource room

College

Section 504/ADA

Student self identify

Student provides documentation

Student request accommodations

Accommodations determined by evaluation data

Students self-advocate

Regular classroom

High School College

School personnel

responsible for providing

support services

Responsibility Student responsible for

requesting assistance

Six hours per day for 180

days. This totals 1,080

hours each year

Class Time 12-15 hours per week, 10

weeks per quarter. This

totals 360 - 450 each year.

Frequent tests or quizzes,

generally covering one

chapter

Tests One to 3 tests per quarter.

Tests cover more material

Class time allowed to

complete homework,

generally 1-3 hours per day

Study Time Rule of thumb: at least two

hours of homework for

every hour in class; 3 - 5

hours per day

Information is provided

mostly through in-class

resources; assigned reading

and classroom discussion;

out of class research is

minimal

Knowledge Course work requires more

library work and writing;

often required to do out of

class research and write

reports

Assignments broken down

into steps

Assignments Instructions less specific

and up to the student to

determine best course

High School College

Classroom attendance monitored and

participation contributes to overall

grade; class standards changed for

students with IEP’s

Grades Attendance is not a

requirement. All students must

meet the same class standards

Teachers take attendance, check

notebooks, put information on the

blackboard, and directly impart facts

from the textbook. Teachers monitor

progress and offer clarification and

assistance

Teachers Instructors rarely teach from the

textbook, often lecture non-

stop, and expect students to

learn from outside assignments

and library research. Students

must monitor progress and ask

for assistance when needed

Parents are often advocates and work

directly with teachers to assure

necessary academic support

Parent Role Parents become mentors and

work with student to offer

guidance and support

Time and assignments are structured by

teachers, parents, and other adults

Freedom Students must structure their

own time between academics

and extracurricular activities.

Students make decisions

regarding schedules, class

attendance, studying, etc.

Equal access to academic content and

programs in post-secondary institutions if

otherwise qualified

Participate in student activities

Academic adjustments (reasonable

accommodations)

File a complaint if discrimination occurs due

to disability (an appeal process)

Confidentiality of disability-related

information

Meet criteria for admission

Provide appropriate documentation of

disability

Advocate for learning needs

Self-identify to Disability Service Office on

campus Seek reasonable accommodations

(when needed) in a timely manner

Meet qualifications and maintain essential

standards for courses, programs, services and

activities

Maintain rigor and fundamental nature of

course content

Require students to demonstrate knowledge

of essential course content

Negotiate accommodations with students and

Disability Services Office if accommodations

seem unreasonable

Request verification of student’s eligibility

for accommodations

Note-taking assistance (note-takers, copies

of notes, audio-taping class discussions)

Extended time on tests and in-class

assignments

Quiet space, stop the clock breaks

Assistive technology

--electronic text

--voice to text

---SMART pen

Provide access on admission to the institution

Implement best practices in teaching to reach diverse learners (UDL)

Share information on how students can request accommodations (provide notice)

Work with the Disability Services Office and with students with disabilities to make reasonable accommodations in a timely manner

Have an awareness of campus resources available, maintaining confidentiality

Maintain academic integrity of institution and programs

Legal rights of

individuals to

equal access

and full

participation.

Legitimate

interest of the

institution in

preserving the

integrity of

programs.

The institution must have established policies for working with students with disabilities.

The policies must be strictly adhered to.

The student must follow published policies in seeking assistance.

The institution must make a good faith effort to reasonably accommodate students with documented need(s).

I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY OWN

SUCCESS…OR FAILURE.

RETENTION

PERSISTENCE

ACHIEVEMENT

GRADUATION

Knows him/herself

Knows what he/she needs & wants (how to set goals )

Knows how to get what he/she needs

& wants (how to attain goals)

I am aware of my strengths

I am aware of my challenges

I am aware of the strengths and challenges

presented by my disABILITY

I am aware of challenging areas where I need

help

I am aware of challenging areas that I can

navigate successfully on my own

I am able to describe nature of disability and

how it affects me

I can list and describe accommodations and

supports that are effective in helping me learn

I am aware of technology that will assist me

with learning

I know how to use appropriate assistive

technology

Listening skills

Motor skills

Reading skills Comprehension

Speed

Decoding

Study Skills

Organization/planning/time management

Problem-solving

Written expression

Math

Study skills/learning styles

Academic accommodations

Assistive technology

Social life

Independent living skills

Health and wellness

Communication skills

Resources (support systems)

Communication/Interpersonal Skills

Involvement/Engagement

Accountability/Responsibility

Goal-Setting/Goal Attainment

Use of Contacts/Initiative

Learning Strategies/Social Skills & Strategies

Organization/Planning/Time Management

Problem Solving

Technical Skills

What is the problem/issue?

What skills/resources do I have?

What other resources are available to help

me solve it?

What is my goal?

What skills/resources do I have?

What resources are available to help me

reach it?

I. Identify a problem or a personal goal. (Goals are specific, attainable/realistic, and measurable)

II. List 3 things you can do about it on your

own.

III. List 3 additional resources that may be

helpful.

IV. Identify the conditions needed before you

can say problem solved or goal reached.

Opportunities – (student-led IEPs, workshop ideas, others?)

Teaching opportunities in courses across curriculum – school culture that supports self-advocacy

Partner with parents (examples)

Generalize skills across daily life activities

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Bangser, Michael (2008). Preparing High School Students for Successful Transitions to Postsecondary Education

and Employment. National High School Center. betterhighschools.org

Frostig Center. (2009). Life Success for Children with Learning Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.ldsuccess.org/teacher_ guide/ index.html

Johnson, Nancy (2007), Self-Advocacy: Know Yourself, Know What you Need, Know How to Get it. Retrieved from http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/sec504.selfadvo.ld.

johnson.htm

Pocock, Al, Lambros, Stan, Karvonen, Meagan, Test, David W., Algozzine, Bob, Wood, Wendy, Martin, James (2002). Successful Strategies for Promoting Self-

Advocacy Among Students with LD: The Lead Group

Intervention: Cooperative Teaching Teams, 37, number 4.

Roessler, Richard, Brown, Patricia, Rumrill, Phillip (1998). Self- Advocacy Training:

Preparing Students with Disabilities to Request Classroom Accommodations. Journal on Postsecondary Education and Disability, 13, number 3.

The Access Project (2005-2010). Department

of Occupational Therapy. Colorado State University. Retrieved from http://accessproject.colostate.edu/sa/ index.cfm