Disabled in Post Secondary

This article will be looking at things you should know if you are disabled and heading into post secondary education. Things that you should be aware of, and things to look for in prospective schools.

Know What You Need

This is important in two ways. The first is knowing what you’ll need to succeed in school. Will you need a note taker? Will you need PowerPoint slides? Do you need a service animal? Figuring this out will help you advocate for yourself. It will also help inform which schools you apply to. When looking at school tours, or talks, make a point of visiting the school’s disability services. Ask what accommodations they offer. If you need an accommodation that they don’t mention, ask if they would be able to accommodate whatever it is that you need. How well this meeting goes should be considered when applying to schools, as how easily they can accommodate you will directly effect your success in school.

The second thing you need to know, is what a school requires when you apply for accommodations. Some schools will need assessments that were done recently, doctor’s notes and/or other forms. Knowing this ahead of time will allow you to collect anything that you don’t already have.

Using Your Accommodations

Some schools will have your accessibility/disability/accommodations counsellor send your accommodations to your professors each semester. Some schools will make the student do it. The student will be responsible for giving the accommodations to their professors at the start of each semester.

Remember that you need to advocate for yourself and your accommodations (or a parent can, if needed). Other people will sometimes forget what accommodations you need. So it’s important that you remind them when those accommodations are not provided.

Once Classes Start

Something to be aware of is that professors can refuse to provide accommodations. It isn’t fair or nice, but unfortunately it’s how the post secondary system works. It’s good to find this out early in the semester. That way you can evaluate how the loss of that accommodation will effect your ability to succeed in the course. You may decide to drop the course, if you think you might fail without your accommodation.

If you are having unexpected difficulty with something due to your disability, remember to discuss it with your disability counsellor. Then work with them to try and find an accommodation that will help you. Although they may want to help you, they may not always be able to. This usually has something to do with the school’s resources and/or policies.

To Wrap Up

Post secondary is already one of the biggest changes in a person’s life. Having a disability can make those changes even harder. You’re dealing with new places, new people, new schedules (8ams, ugh), new expectations, new everything. Having a disability can effect all, some or none of these things. The important thing is to be aware of that, and try to cope with it to the best of your ability.

Be kind to yourself. Remember that you are dealing with more than some people, and it’s okay if you aren’t acclimating at the same rate as your peers. It’s also okay to feel whatever you need to feel. Whether that’s frustration, anger, sadness, etc. It’s all valid, and you are in no way less than for feeling the way that you do.

Having a strong support system can also be extremely helpful. Whether that’s parents, siblings, friends, having people to lean on can really help you when it’s all feeling overwhelming or scary or impossible. Remember, others have been where you are, you are not alone.