Incoming Student Tips & FAQ

Your Successful Transition to Cal State Fullerton:

Trasitioning from high school to college is both an exciting and challenging time. At CSUF, transitioning means you must become your own advocate. Your family and support team members will still be able to provide some assistance, but in college you will have the primary responsibility to explain your needs and advocate for any assistance you may need.

That means you must understand your disability, know how it affects you, and remain aware of your own strengths and challenges. You must be independent, and you are responsible for seeking assistance. Thus, you must be able to explain your needs to others including faculty, tutors, and other service providers.

You will need to develop an ability to assess your need for academic adjustments and effective accommodation strategies. You will need to know what services you need for success. For many students with disabilities, a big factor in their successful transition from high school to postsecondary education is an accurate knowledge about their civil rights.

Requesting Academic Accommodations in College

In college, academic accommodations aim to provide equal access for students who identify as an individual with a disability. Unlike high school, getting accommodations and services in college is at the initiation of the student. Note that tutors and personal attendants are not academic accommodations that a college must provide.

At CSUF, students are responsible for applying for disability support services. Submitting appropriate documentation of their disability is strongly encouraged, but not always required. After your application and documentation are submitted, students will be instructed to set up an appointment to meet with a disability management specialist to discuss accommodations. Requested academic accommodations must be supported by information that spells out the disability itself, any functional limitations due to that disability, and the need for the requested accommodation. Not all academic accommodations used in high school will be appropriate for college. In addition, some academic adjustments not used in high school will be appropriate for college.

Incoming Student Tips

Develop your “own voice”:

Federal law prohibits the college faculty/staff from releasing educational information to anyone without your consent, even your parents. Thus, you will need to voice your own needs, ideas, and concerns as a college student.

Learn about your disability and support needs:

Become knowledgeable about your disability, its impact on learning, and your strengths and weaknesses as a learner. You will need to reach a level of comfort in explaining your disability and need for accommodations to college disability offices, advisors, and sometimes your instructors.

Collect and keep copies of your disability documentation:

Students may have to present documentation to verify their disability, and each college may vary in what they will accept as documentation. Some may accept the high school IEP/504 Plan. Some may require an updated evaluation or documentation.

Register with DSS early:

To have your accommodations in place early in the semester, make sure you have applied for accommodations and provided appropriate documentation before the beginning of the school year. DSS will follow up via e-mail to set up an appointment once your documentation has been reviewed.

Attend Orientation:

During orientation you will be able to speak with an academic advisor to schedule classes. If possible, don’t schedule classes back-to-back. Leave some extra time in between classes if you plan to utilize extended time on exams. Attend resource fairs to learn what types of support are available on the campus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between High School and College Accommodation?

In high school, services were implemented by a team of educators and parents with an aim toward promoting your success. When you enter college the responsibility shifts. You must seek out assistance by contacting Disability Support Services offices to arrange your accommodations.

This is a fundamental change in the way that you relate to instructors and advisers; as a college student, you will now initiate all services and accommodations.

Differences Between High School and College Accommodation
High School	College
Focus is to promote *SUCCESS*	Focus is to provide *ACCESS*
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is implemented at the secondary school level with an aim toward *success* for all students entitled to a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) at their Local Education Agency (LEA).	The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act guides college-level accommodation policy with an aim toward *access* for “otherwise qualified” students based on the colleges’ admission criteria.
Modification of instruction and curriculum are commonly provided in response to student learning needs.	Through an interactive interview process, reasonable accommodations are identified to ensure equal access and participation. Students are responsible for meeting the standards of the course, and essential elements of the course objectives are not modified.
The LEA is responsible for identifying a student’s disability, determining eligibility for services and implementing appropriate accommodations.	Students identify their request for services to the disability office, and provide documentation that verifies eligibility for accommodations specific to a functional limitation.
Cost of evaluations are borne by the LEA	Cost of evaluations are borne by the student
Individual Education Plans or 504 Plans are created to guide the student’s instruction and mandate services	Higher education institutions do not develop comparable individual education plans
Teachers and parents arrange services and assistance for the student	Students must initiate request for services and arrange required accommodations
School-based services based on demonstrated need are put in place to promote success, such as: Special education classes Co-teaching and resource room Teaching assistants or personal aides Speech therapy/OT/PT providers Extended time exams	College accommodations are intended to mitigate the impact of disability based on eligibility to ensure access, such as: Alternative testing arrangements Assistive technology/software Alternative formats Communication access services
Personal aide services are arranged and provided by school district	College is not responsible for personal aide services
Teachers and parents remind students to complete homework, help in exam preparation, and aid with time management	Students independently plan homework and create reading and study schedules
High school provides a highly regimented, closely monitored schedule with homework assigned at regular intervals	College schedule has more free, unstructured time; classes meet less frequently, more difficult homework, and heavy reading load
Parents communicate routinely with teachers, and can easily monitor student academic progress	Parents have no contact with instructors, and written consent is required to access student progress
Parents and teachers guide and intervene on the student’s behalf, recommending strategies and supports	Students need to self-advocate, articulate their needs for services and accommodations proactively, and pursue resources on campus for assistance

Attribution: The Advocacy Consortium and Learning Disabilities Association of America

What can DSS do for me?

DSS provides academic support services for a wide range of physical, mental, emotional, learning, developmental and temporary disabilities. Services are assigned on a case-by-case basis and are based upon the documentation submitted with the student’s application. To apply for services, submit an application for accommodations.

How long does it take to get accommodations after I turn in documentation?

Once documentation is received and reviewed Disability Support Services staff will contact the student to schedule an appointment within 2-3 business days. At the beginning of the fall semester this process may take a little longer than it will during the rest of the school year. We recommended that you submit your information at least 30 days prior to the date that services are needed. If you will require any accommodations that may involve securing additional services or materials such as sign language interpreters, books in audio format or specialized housing requests, please submit your documentation at least 60 days prior to the date that services are needed.

What will my New Student Appointment look like?

When you first meet with your Disability Management Specialist, they will do what is called an "interactive process" which is really a conversation where they get to know more about you, your disability, and the ways you may be impacted by your disability while at school. You will also discuss accommodation eligibility and next steps to request accommodations and send Course Accommodation Letters (CALs) to your professors. You can also bring a member of your support team with you to help you, we may just ask you for their permission to be there with you before we get started.

Will I receive all of my IEP or 504 plan accommodations in the college setting?

Not necessarily. The IEP or 504 plan may provide good information for the Disability Management Specialist to learn about how you have been accommodated in the past. However, you will need to submit documentation such as a recent psychological evaluation or letter from your doctor describing your disability, your functional limitations, and recommendations for accommodations that might help you to be successful. It is important to keep in mind that high school services are geared toward guaranteeing success for students whereas the goal of college services is to provide access. As a result of this difference, the types of accommodations provided in a college setting may differ from those you are accustomed to receiving in high school.

What if there is an accommodation I need that is not offered?

DSS provides reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities based on understanding their unique needs. If there is an accommodation that is not offered that you need to succeed, please set a follow up appointment with a specialist to discuss your unique need with us further.

What happens if a faculty member does not want to accommodate me?

According to ADA and Section 504, schools must provide appropriate supports and accommodations so that students with disabilities can participate equally in classes, activities, housing, and other aspects of school. If a professor does not wish to grant accommodations, notify DSS as soon as possible. For contact information, visit our About Us page.

Am I obligated to disclose my disability?

Outside of the DSS, you do not have to disclose your disability to anybody at school. The professor may ask you about your accommodations to ensure you receive them, but you do not need to reveal your disability to your professor. Your professor will only have your accommodation letter which lists your eligible accommodations. Whether or not you wish to share more directly with them is entirely up to you.

Do I need to send my Course Accommodation Letters every semester?

Yes.

Resources

The resources linked below are valuable resources to help make the smoothest transition possible.