{"138861":{"#nid":"138861","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Making the Transition: Tips for Parents of Students with Disabilities","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech assists students with disabilities by providing programs designed to coordinate academic accommodations and promote access to all phases of campus life. Such programming is coordinated through the Office of Disability Services, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.adapts.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ewww.adapts.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs part of the Office of the Dean of Students, Disability Services personnel oversee and coordinate programs to ensure accessibility to students with disabilities on an individual basis. Georgia Tech strives to provide equal access to a college education as well as support to students with disabilities in their experience in the campus community.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EStudents and parents new to Georgia Tech will notice differences in the provision of services to students with disabilities from the secondary high school to the post-secondary school or college environment. An example of the differences can be found in the laws that guide the provision of services for student with disabilities. Most parents will be familiar with the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In high schools under IDEA, for example, special education program procedures may apply primarily to learning disabilities. High school students who use wheelchairs, may fall under a subpart of Section 504. IEP\u0027s (Individual Education Plans) are developed for these students simply because that is the procedure required under the IDEA mandated program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe misunderstanding comes from assuming that the \u0022504 Plan\u0022 or the IEP developed at a high school will be binding at a college or university. In fact, the responsibilities differ between high school and college. Understanding these differences upfront is critical for a successful transition into college.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHigh School Responsibilities:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EIdentify students with disabilities\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProvide assessment of learning disabilities\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EClassify disabilities according to specified diagnostic categories\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInvolve parents or guardians in placement decisions\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProvide certain non-academic services\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPlace student in programs where they can benefit (in any way) by placement committee with parent participation and approval\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EStructure a large part of the student\u0027s weekly schedule\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EModify educational programs\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPrepare IEP\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProvide a free and appropriate education\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProvide appropriate services by the school nurse or health services\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECollege Responsibilities:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProtect a student\u0027s right to privacy and confidentiality\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProvide access to programs and services which are offered to persons without disabilities\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInform students of office location and procedures for requesting accommodations\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAccept and evaluate verifying documentation\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDetermine that a mental or physical impairment causes a substantial limitation of a major life activity based on student-provided verifying documents\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EDetermine whether a student is otherwise qualified for participation in the program or service, with or without accommodations, and if so, whether a reasonable accommodation is possible\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMake reasonable accommodations for students who meet the above qualifying criteria\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProvide reasonable access to program and service choices equal to those available to the general public\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EInform students of their rights and responsibilities\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EColleges are NOT required to:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EReduce or adjust the essential requirements of a course or program\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EConduct testing and assessment of learning disabilities\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProvide personal attendants\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EProvide personal or private tutors\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EPrepare IEP\u0027s\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWe want parents and students to be as prepared as possible for this exciting transition to Georgia Tech. To obtain services through the Office of Disability Services at Georgia Tech, students must be accepted through admissions via regular procedures and complete an application for eligibility through disability services which includes providing the required documentation. For more information about disability services and how we can help, please visit us at \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.adapts.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003Ewww.adapts.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E or call (V) 404-894-2563; (TDD) 404-894-1664; (FAX) 404-894-9928.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech assists students with disabilities by providing programs designed to coordinate academic accommodations and promote access to all phases of campus life.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27164","created_gmt":"2012-07-03 15:38:24","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:12:29","author":"Rachael Pocklington","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2012-07-03T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2012-07-03T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.adapts.gatech.edu\/","title":"ADAPTS"},{"url":"http:\/\/www.deanofstudents.gatech.edu\/","title":"Office of the Dean of Students"},{"url":"http:\/\/studentaffairs.gatech.edu\/","title":"Division of Student Affairs"}],"groups":[{"id":"1298","name":"Parent and Family Programs"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:dmarshall@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EDenise Johnson Marshall\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAssistant Dean\u003Cbr \/\u003EDirector of Disability Services\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["parents@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}