How Disability Accommodations Work in College
Students who had IEPs or 504 plans in high school often assume those supports will automatically continue in college. In most cases, the process works quite differently.
Understanding how college disability services work before a student arrives on campus can prevent unnecessary problems and help families prepare.
How College Accommodations Differ from High School
In high school, schools are responsible for identifying students who may need accommodations, developing education plans, and implementing supports. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504, schools take an active role.
In college, the responsibility shifts primarily to the student. Colleges provide accommodations through disability services offices, but students must take the initiative to contact those offices, provide documentation, and formally request accommodations.
IEPs do not transfer to college. Section 504 plans from high school do not transfer automatically either. A student who had accommodations in high school must begin a new process with the college's disability services office.
How Students Request Accommodations
The typical process involves contacting the college's disability services office, providing documentation of the disability, attending a meeting or completing an intake process with the disability services office, receiving a formal determination of approved accommodations, and requesting that those accommodations be implemented in each class.
The documentation required varies by institution. Some schools accept recent evaluations, medical records, or prior Section 504 documentation. Others require updated assessments. Students should contact the disability services office well before the start of classes to understand what documentation is needed.
The Role of the Disability Services Office
Disability services offices coordinate accommodations between students and faculty. They do not attend classes or monitor implementation directly. Instead, they issue accommodation letters that students deliver to professors, typically at the beginning of each semester.
Common accommodations in college include extended time on exams, testing in a separate location, note-taking support, extended deadlines in limited circumstances, and accessible housing or dining arrangements.
The specific accommodations approved depend on the student's documented needs and the college's policies. Accommodations that were part of a high school plan may or may not be approved in college.
Common Misunderstandings Families Have
Many families assume that once accommodations are approved, professors are automatically notified. In most colleges, students are responsible for delivering accommodation letters to each professor each semester. If a student does not do this, accommodations may not be in place.
Families also sometimes assume that colleges are required to provide the same accommodations that existed in a high school plan. Colleges evaluate accommodation requests based on current documentation and their own policies. They are not required to replicate a prior plan.
Another common misunderstanding involves retroactive accommodations. If a student encounters a problem during a semester and then requests accommodations, the college may not be required to apply those accommodations retroactively to earlier work or grades.
Section 504 and Disability Discrimination in College
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits disability discrimination in programs that receive federal funding, including most colleges. Students who believe they have been denied appropriate accommodations or have experienced disability discrimination may file a complaint through the college's Section 504 or ADA grievance process.
Each college must designate a Section 504 Coordinator responsible for handling disability discrimination complaints. If a student believes the college has failed to provide required accommodations or has otherwise discriminated on the basis of disability, that grievance process is the appropriate starting point.
What Families Should Do Before the First Semester
Students who need accommodations should contact the college's disability services office before classes begin, gather the required documentation, and understand the process for requesting accommodations each semester.
Parents can help by supporting students through this transition and encouraging them to make contact with disability services offices early. Students are the primary decision-makers about their accommodations in college, and understanding how the system works is an important part of their preparation.
