The Importance of Checking Your Sources - Including Me

I had the pleasure of giving a webinar on preparing students with disabilities for successful college transition for my hosts at the Commonwealth Learning Center week. One of the viewers put a comment in the chat arguing that I was wrong when I said that not everyone who requests them gets notetakers.?This person insisted notetakers were widely available and easy to get.

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Whoever this person was, what they were doing was irresponsible. The bad news is that there are a lot of folks out there telling families things that are incorrect. But families have no idea. They don't ask how someone can be so sure of what they're saying.

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This person should not be assuring students it's easy to get notetakers - at least not without making the point that this will depend on numerous factors, including the philosophy of the disability services (DS) office at the college they'll attend, and how DS views their eligibility. They're setting a lot of students up for disappointment.

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If you've been following my work long enough, you'll know that I provide data when it exists about a particular accommodation. If it doesn't, I tell you what I observe being said in my professional community by other DS staffers and directors. And I will say that the evidence I have is anecdotal and that - of course - I have no idea what happens at the more than 4000 two- and four-year schools in the country.

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And for this reason, I'll always recommend students ask for the accommodations they think they need at the college they attend - they may get them, even if a lot of colleges wouldn't approve those accommodations.

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My role is to share the data where I can and give folks a sense of trends I see in my professional community. But I hope I'm consistent about the message that - from college to college, "your mileage will vary."

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When I say that something isn't commonly approved, or is approved for a very specific category of students, it's not to discourage people. It's to give them the information they need about how to prepare students for the possibilities at college.

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I believe that?competence builds confidence, and that's what I want for students. They will develop competence by doing things that are challenging. (They'll often need direct instruction in skills and some practice.) Even if they don't complete tasks as well as some of their peers (and remember - there's no such thing as a "perfect" set of notes), having some experience with tasks like notetaking - even if their notes are missing some details - will help them know that they can do the things they may have to do at college if certain supports they're used to aren't available or aren't approved for them (even if they're approved for other students).

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On Tuesday in my Facebook group , I'll be presenting my detailed webinar on accommodations that are and aren't approved. (You must agree to the rules to join) Not on Facebook? Contact me to learn how to get $5 off this same webinar plus my overview webinar, which is available on-demand for a fee. (I can’t offer CEUs.)

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My point in posting about this is you have to consider the sources of information you see. Some consultants, advocates, psychologists, and other related professionals have taken the time to educate themselves about the college environment. And I know accurate information is hard to find.

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But based on what I see people saying and posting online, a lot of folks offering advice don't know what they're talking about, or they're missing the nuances I'm describing here.

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Ask around rather than taking any one person's word for granted -?including mine! I'm always happy to have folks verify what I've told them. As I said, I know I don't know everything, and I learn from others that some of my colleagues approve things many of us don't, or approve accommodations for a wider range of students than others do. My goal is to give people a sense of the overall picture at the postsecondary level.

This brings me to ask you to consider - what information are you sharing about the college environment for students with disabilities? Where did it come from? Have you spoken with a DS staffer at a college or - even better - more than one college?

I've given two professional development programs where teachers told me their school/district moves all students on IEPs to a 504 plan for their senior year because someone there mistakenly believes 504 plans are valid at college. They're not . It's very upsetting that schools are operating on incorrect information.

I know your training likely didn't discuss what happens for students with disabilities and college - and doesn't. But if you are working with these students, it's crucial that you what you tell people and the policies your school enacts is based on facts, not assumptions.

I always have free information to help you.

• Read nearly 60 posts containing bonus interview content from the book plus other advice on my blog .
• Watch webinars and Q&A with other relevant professionals plus my short information videos on my Youtube channel .
• Sign up for my twice-monthly newsletter to get a selected blogpost plus two other helpful resources sent directly to your inbox.

Want to know more? Read my book, Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities, if you want to learn:

• what the laws in place at college say about accommodations and what colleges have to do for students, and don't (Step 1)
• how students get access to accommodations, and what responsibilities they'll need to be ready to take on (Step 2)
• the non-academic and academic skills they'll need to handle college (Steps 3 and 4)
• how they can find colleges that are a good fit all around (Step 5)
• what role disability plays in the admissions process (you'll hear directly from admissions directors - Step 6)
• what accommodations are and aren't commonly available, and the documentation students will need to request them (Step 7)

The paperback will be out in the fall and is available for pre-order. If you want to start the fall armed with accurate knowledge, grab the hardcover now. See the code to get 20% off from my publisher, Rowman & Littlefield , plus other purchase options. bit.ly/ECHbook

Are you knowledgeable, but you're finding families are dubious about the information you're sharing about college? You can hire me to present to your school or district. (Lots of folks do.) See what topics I cover .

Looking for a brief overview of important topics (a great resource for students)? Read my concise 6-page guide (Contact National Professional Resources for a bulk discount.)

National Association for College Admission Counseling National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) National Disability Center for Student Success Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) National Association of School Psychologists National Association of Independent Schools American School Counselors Association IECA Independent Educational Consultants Association