You might be familiar with the basic laws and tenants of IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, that governed your rights and responsibilities as a K-12 student. IDEA provides the legal structure for schools to create and implement an IEP (individualized education program) or a 504 plan.
Something you may not know is that your IEP or 504 plan doesn’t “transfer” from high school to college.
Colleges and universities are under the direction of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Cct. As a student in a postsecondary institution, such as OSU, you are now responsible for requesting and managing your accommodations.
This website provides a great Q&A about ADA and Section 504 as it applies to postsecondary education: http://www.pacer.org/publications/adaqa/504.asp:
Many parents of students with disabilities have learned the basics of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). However, as students and their families prepare for the transition from secondary school to postsecondary options they often find they are less familiar with the protections provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
It is crucial that students and their advocates become knowledgeable about their rights and responsibilities in postsecondary education because, although protections exist, the student has considerably more responsibility to request and design their own accommodations. And this responsibility is ongoing. For many students with disabilities, good self-advocacy skills will be key to success, and knowing your rights is one essential element of effective self-advocacy.
If you have any further questions about your rights and responsibilities as a student registered with a disability at OSU check out our rights and responsibilities page in the student handbook: http://ds.oregonstate.edu/handbook/handbook.php?chapter=2.
