Boundless Opportunities Await Students with Disabilities in the US

Students with disabilities have been a growing presence on American college campuses for more than twenty-five years. Much of this progress can be directly traced to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a civil rights law requiring, among other things, that public and private postsecondary institutions that receive any amount of federal funding make appropriate and reasonable academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. More recently, passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) has extended the protections of the Rehabilitation Act beyond the academic realm, requiring that all campus functions within all higher education institutions be made accessible.

Students from beyond our shores who are considering postsecondary study in the United States should know that they, too, can enjoy the same rights and opportunities afforded by the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA. The HEATH Resource Center, located in Washington DC, is the national clearing-house on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. Funded by the United States Department of Education, HEATH is an excellent resource for interested students with disabilities who are seeking information about educational opportunities within the United States.

Since 1977, the HEATH project has gathered and disseminated information about educational support services, adaptations and opportunities on American campuses, vocational-technical schools and other postsecondary training entities. Through a variety of means, including printed topic papers, a toll-free telephone consultation service, e-mail, a comprehensive website, and a quarterly electronic newsletter, HEATH staff communicate with and respond to tens of thousands of inquirers annually.

Many HEATH inquirers are seeking assistance with the sometimes overwhelming process of choosing 'the best' college or vocational program. HEATH information about choosing an appropriate postsecondary program seeks to organize and clarify this search. Others are exploring financial aid options to help pay for their schooling (unfortunately, a good deal of the information we disseminate on this important topic discusses financial resources available exclusively to American citizens). Even more are seeking insight into the accommodations that they can reasonably expect to receive for their disability.

Over time, colleges have grown more comfortable with and less wary of the challenge of ensuring equal access to their campuses and programs. In the process, many have discovered that it often requires little additional investment to incorporate accessible design features in new buildings, or to foster teaching and communication practices that enhance the learning of all students, not only those with learning disabilities. In fact, many colleges now provide a wide array of accommodations that go above and beyond the base level 'reasonable' accommodations that are mandated by the Rehabilitation Act. In short, the climate on American campuses has become more favourable for students with disabilities who are seeking fair and equal access to higher education.

For example, a student with a documented learning disability might be granted a guaranteed seat in the front of the classroom for lectures, or allowed to take tests and quizzes orally. Similarly, a student can be provided with an interpreter for lectures and class-related activities; or if visually impaired, might ask the school to provide all of their textbooks on audiocassette. Accommodations and auxiliary aids available to students with disabilities can be as simple as allowing priority registration for a student with specific curricular needs, or more technical in nature, such as providing access to adaptive computing devices such as voice recognition software or Braille keyboards.

It is important that students with disabilities become familiar with accommodations and practices that effectively address their particular needs. The student seeking accommodations at the postsecondary level is expected to be an active and informed participant in discussions with campus administrators about particular accommodations; the student who has not developed adequate self-advocacy skills is often at a disadvantage in these discussions. It is also important to note that it is unlawful in the United States for a public or private postsecondary institution to deny admittance to a student on the basis of their disability. A prospective applicant is not required to disclose, not shall any institution request, any information regarding a disability.

With the recent proliferation of information about colleges and universities now available on-line, students can quickly and easily familiarize themselves with programs and services available at a particular college. In addition to the information available on the HEATH website (http://www.heath-resource-center.org), students may want to continue their search at the website for the Association on Higher Education and Disability (http://www.ahead.org), where they will find numerous links to the homepages of Disability Support Services (DSS) offices of many American campuses. Exploring these will give students a better sense of the range of programs and services being offered. With over 3,000 accredited postsecondary institutions to choose from, the United States offers educational opportunities for everyone. With the proper research and planning, the visiting student with a disability can make the most of them.

For further information, contact HEATH at:
Heath Resource Center
1 Dupont Circle
Suite 800
Washington DC 20036
USA

Author
Dan Gardner
Heath Resource Center

Dan Gardner is the Information Specialist on staff at the HEATH Resource Center. He welcomes any inquiries regarding postsecondary study in the United States for students with disabilities.