Guest Author - Monica J. Foster
It’s time for school and college. A new school year can be scary for anyone - new classmates, new teachers and professors, new buildings and campus to get accustomed to. Add a disability to the mix and you might be swimming in a soup of overwhelm starting your school or college year.
Moving to a new school, whether the move is from elementary school to junior high or junior high to high school, or even going into college, can be a difficult and frightening undertaking. If you or your children with disabilities are facing this daunting experience, there are some steps you all can take and some things you can do to lessen the anxiety, making the transition smoother.
The first thing you should do when you find out that a new school or college campus is on the horizon is to check out the buildings your child or you will be spending most of the time in. Some campuses offer what they call a “transition day” before classes start to allow students the opportunity to tour the new school or campus they will be attending. If the school you are currently attending does not offer a transition day, arrange to go on your own for a tour or call the administrative office to get a tour to get the lay of the land and go through what might be your upcoming routine. This is especially important for students in wheelchairs and other disabilities so that they can locate classrooms, administrative and counselors’ offices, elevators and accessible restrooms before the first stampede of students filling the halls, making it difficult to navigate and remember your route easily.
This will also give students as well as parents a chance to see what accommodations need to be made in order for a student to get the most out of the experience. Does the child need an attendant? What about an interpreter or note taker? Talk with the principal and teacher, or in college, contact a disability services coordinator on campus to learn your options. If the school you will be attending is more than one floor without an elevator, or your college classes are spread across campus, an early summer visit will give ample opportunity to figure out reasonable accommodations for you.
Find a special needs family or college student who has faced the same situation.
Perhaps you have an older sibling or friend who has previously attended the school you are about to attend? Have a talk with them! Chances are, they will have great insider information to share on good and bad teachers and professors, how to get along with them, the best route to the cafeteria, the really accessible entrances to the student center or cafeteria and more. Some schools offer mentoring programs between older students and incoming students. You can also find students from your new school on social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.
Be sure to educate your family and/or yourself with the laws governing disabilities and education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) all regulate how students with disabilities are treated in public schools and colleges, and what services they are entitled to receive. The ADA also deals with the architectural barriers that are still in place in some schools.
Take these steps or even come up with your own plan for the easy transition to a new school or college campus.
Other ways to prepare include:
•Medication - If you or your child is on medication during the class day now is the time to obtain an extra container or plan for taking medications at school. Public school likely has a school nurse that dispenses medications, but in college you are all on your own and need to make sure all your medications stay in a bottle well marked with what they are so you remember and you aren’t mistaken for carrying illicit drugs.
•Equipment – What adaptive equipment do you need during the day and how are they stored? Do you need assistance with getting them out from an aide at public school? More than likely, unless you have hired an attendant or have a friend on campus, you are on your own to figure your equipment routine out at college.
•Emergency Contact Information - This is critical for any student with a disability. Make sure that the numbers are for family or friends who will be available if the school or college needs someone on your behalf.
•Medical Contact Information - Who are your doctors? Make sure you have a list at the school office or in your wallet or book bag handy. Have a Medic Alert bracelet? Wear it!
•Change of Clothing – Let’s face it, accidents happen. Have an extra set of clothes in a book bag, at your dorm or at the office just in case you need a fresh change.
•Miscellaneous Supplies - Batteries, small tool kit for loose screws, incontinent pads, surgical gloves and catheter kits, wipes, feeding tubes, car-size trash bags, etc. may fall into this area. Your aide at school can take care of these items for you or you can leave them in your car or dorm room at college, or an extra tote bag.
•Communication Notebook - Families sometimes opt for communication online which can be an efficient way of communicating even during the school day. Email is great for your college student to stay in touch. For others, a good old-fashioned spiral notebook is good for communication between teachers and parents, or for college students to write down their to-do list between this and the next class.
•Study Tools - Index cards, flashcards, highlighters, sticky notes, rulers, a dictionary for the correct age, a thesaurus, pens, pencils, folders, and paper come in handy at home for homework assignments in a central study area. These are good to for the college student to keep in the car or at home as backup if a trip to do homework at the library is needed.
•For children, review your child's IEP. Encourage your child to be present if they are willing and able to contribute so the IEP team keeps the goal in mind, your child! It’s not uncommon or wrong for a child to be present and coloring or working on an assignment while the adults meet, especially if it’s after school. It’s also not uncommon for an independent child to be a voice at the table to incorporate their interests into their needs assessments. What about some music or their favorite, colorful weights during physical therapy? Why can’t your child sit among his class rather than set aside with the aide who’s helping him? These are important to remember. In college, IEP’s aren’t the norm, but it might be good between the family and the student to continue with a self-designed chart assessment to keep them on track with their goals even at college. It promotes focus and lessens frustrations with what’s coming next.
•Become familiar with the campus handbook for all students. Find out how behavioral problems are handled if your child’s disability involves erratic behavior. This shouldn’t happen to start with, but no one wants their child’s behavior at school to be misunderstood as criminal by an uneducated resource officer. Talk to them as well!
•Establish a place to keep school handouts / letters to parents and reminders for the college student. A central spot for notices, handouts and assignments keeps everyone organized from school through college and on track for success.
Being prepared for school or college is as important for the successful student with a disability, parents and school personnel. Think positively.
Establish rapport with the school or college and a routine at home early in the game. Get to know fellow students so the child feels a part of things and get to know classmates and dorm mates on your college campus in case you need help getting from Point A to Point B or want help in a study group. You will have set the foundation for a great educational experience!
