Assistive Technology for College Students

If you need assistive technology to access higher education

Have you graduated high school? Are you thinking about continuing your education? Here are four AT-related differences between high school and higher education that you need to know:

1. No more Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Academic adjustments and accommodations are made case by case.
2. No more IEP meetings. You must request assistance when you need help.
3. You are now responsible for anticipating your AT needs in class and on tests.
4. You are now responsible for requesting accommodations and knowing the school's procedures and timelines for requesting accommodations.

Want to learn more?

Check out these websites and resources:

National Resources

• U.S. Department of Education – Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
• Tools for Your Future
• National Center for College Students with Disabilities
• Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring (DREAM)

State Resources

• Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) Access and Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities Policy
• MnSCU - Online Services for Students

Videos

• Off to College with a Visual Impairment: An Interview with Disability Services (7 min)
  Meet Rakeb, a senior in high school who is blind and touring potential colleges. Take a sneak peek at her visit to a disability service office where she learns more about how to access needed accommodations.
  View and audio-described version of this video
  
  
• Words of Wisdom for Students with Vision Loss from a Director of Disability Services (5 min)
  Kathy McGillivary, Director of the Center for Learning and Accessible Student Services at Augsburg University shares her expertise about the transition from high school to college for individuals with vision loss.
  View an audio-described version of this video
  
  
• Words of Wisdom from Rakeb, a High School Senior with Vision Loss Preparing for College (3 min)
  Rakeb, a high school senior who is blind, shares her insight into how she has prepared to make a successful transition to college.
  View an audio-described version of this video
  
  

Legal Assistance

The Minnesota Disability Law Center (MDLC) provides free civil legal assistance to individuals with disabilities statewide on legal issues related to their disabilities. All individuals with disabilities are eligible to receive help, regardless of age or income level. Learn more at http://mylegalaid.org/about/our-work/disability-law.