University of Northwestern Ohio

Differences: High School and Post-Secondary

High School

In high school the school has responsibilities which include the following:

• Identify students with disabilities
• Provide assessment of learning disabilities
• Classify disabilities according to specified diagnostic categories
• Involve parents or guardians in placement decisions
• Provide certain non-academic services
• Place students in programs where they can benefit (in any way) by placement committee with parent participation and approval
• Structure a large part of the student's weekly schedule
• Modify educational programs
• Prepare Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
• Provide a free and appropriate education
• Provide appropriate services by the school nurse or health service

Post-Secondary

The post-secondary level institutional role changes as follows:

• Protect a student's right to privacy and confidentiality
• Provide access to programs and services which are offered to persons without disabilities
• Inform students of office location and procedures for requesting accommodations
• Accept and evaluate verifying documentation
• Determine that a mental or physical impairment causes a substantial limitation of a major life activity based on student-provided verifying documents. [Simply having a disability diagnosis is not adequate unless the functional impact (substantial limitation) is established.]
• Determine whether students are otherwise qualified for participation in the program or service, with or without accommodations, and if so, whether a reasonable accommodation is possible
• Make reasonable accommodations for students who meet the above qualifying criteria
  Provide reasonable access to program and service choices equal to those available to the general public
• Make reasonable adjustments in course delivery which do not alter the essential content of a course or program (Students are required to show the same quality of mastery as other students)
• Assure that off-campus and contracted program facilities also comply with Section 504 (Subpart E) and ADA
• Inform students of their rights responsibilities
• In contrast to their K-12 educational experience where many responsibilities were assumed by the school, student responsibilities at the post-secondary level change as follows:

Students have a responsibility to:

• Self identify or disclose their disability to the designated office for disability services
• Provide verifying documentation to that designated office
• Obtain assessment and test results and provide them to that office
• Act as independent adults
• Arrange their own weekly schedules
• Contact their instructors to activate and adopt accommodations for each class
• Arrange for and obtain their own personal attendants, tutoring and individually fitted or designed assistive technologies

Post-secondary institutions are not required to:

• Reduce or waive any of the essential requirements of a course or program
• Conduct testing and assessment of learning, psychological or medical disabilities
• Provide personal attendants
• Provide personal or private tutors (but tutoring services normally available to persons without disabilities must be accessible to persons with disabilities who are otherwise qualified for those services)
• Prepare "Individual Education Plans" (IEPs)