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Answer: Students need the support, but not the control of parents and other family members. Appropriate parental involvement must take place within the boundaries set by law, by good sense, and by keeping the long-term best interest of the emerging young adult in mind. Such involvement as it relates to WSU life most often involves advising and encouraging college life from the sidelines. Only the most extreme circumstances, such as those that seriously threaten the health of the student, allow for direct parental involvement.

Answer: Any student's role is to successfully transition into an independent adult. We know that students with disabilities face the same challenges as every college bound young adult plus the challenges related to their disability. However, their role remains to successfully transition into an independent adult. The time for dependence is ending. A student with a disability is responsible for requesting accommodations through OSAT. OSAT will not seek the students out. A student with a disability is also responsible for providing acceptable documentation of his or her disability. After being approved through OSAT the student is responsible for requesting accommodation letters to be sent to professors, self-advocating to receive the accommodations. However, if the professor is not providing the accommodations, then the student must contact OSAT at osat@wichita.edu and report the issue. The student is also responsible for setting up appointments for proctored tests when needed. The following is a step-by-step process the student must do for receiving accommodations and setting up accommodated proctored tests.

Answer: No. All requests for accommodations and services must come directly from the student.

Answer: No. Students must request academic accommodations and other support services. This can be very frustrating for parents who have always taken an active role in their students’ educational needs. Students may want to “try it on their own” before requesting support services. Encourage your student to meet with an OSAT staff member to determine whether they should request support services. Our staff is available to help students make informed decisions.

Answer: In its most basic form, documentation must be provided by a qualified provider, be current and substantial, and contain a clear diagnosis, functional limitations in an academic environment, and recommendations justified by the nature and severity of the functional limitations. OSAT will accept IEPs and 504 Plans as they show a history of accommodations and typically lists information of a diagnosis.  However, colleges are not legally obligated to follow the accommodations/modifications listed in the IEPs and 504 Plans. Accommodations in higher education will look very different from the accommodations/modifications listed in IEPs and 504 Plans.

Answer: WSU offers academic support services to all students who request it, including tutoring, writing support, and academic workshops.

Answer: Not necessarily.

While high school IEPs and 504 Plans are useful for showing a history of accommodations, colleges are not legally obligated to follow them.

At the college level, the student's diagnosis needs to meet the criteria of a “disabling condition.” Any test data needs to support evidence of a current and significant functional limitation that impacts learning, or other aspects of the academic environment. The evaluation must support a link between the disability and the requested accommodation.

Also, not all accommodations granted at the high school level are appropriate in college. Accommodations cannot change the fundamental nature or requirements of a class or course of study. Keep in mind that while high school accommodations and services tend to be geared toward student success, college-level accommodations are meant to provide equal access, and do not guarantee success.

Answer: The responsibilities towards students with disabilities at WSU are very different from those of high schools. High schools are required under IDEA to identify the educational needs of students with a disability and provide a free and appropriate education. This responsibility is not required of WSU. WSU is required to provide appropriate academic accommodations to ensure that a student with a disability is not discriminated against. The student is responsible for disclosing his or her disability to the institution.

Answer: In college, students are expected to know how they are doing and seek assistance if they are having problems. The college is not permitted to release information about a student's academic progress without a release from the student. Even if the student signs a release, we encourage parents to allow their students to handle their academics themselves, while keeping parents in the loop. It is not appropriate for parents to contact their student's instructors; however, for a parent with concerns, it would be appropriate for the parent to make a CARE report Concerning Behavior Submission Form.

The following is further information about difference between high school and higher education accommodations

Under K-12 IDEA: Special consideration for behavior problems and Under K-12 504 PLAN students must follow high school behavior code.  In higher education, students are held to the Student Code of Conduct, No special consideration.

Under K-12 IDEA: District identifies disability and under K-12 504 PLAN Parent provides documentation of disability. In higher education, the student is responsible for providing documentation about their disability and making the request for reasonable accommodations. The must contact the disability service program at your college/university

Under K-12 IDEA: Special education classes are provided and K-12 504 PLAN: Regular class curriculum with modification. In higher education, there are no special education classes: disability support office's role is to accommodate student in college level classes.

Under K-12 IDEA: Free evaluation of disability and under K-12 504 PLAN: Parent is responsible for providing evaluation of disability. In higher education, the student is responsible for disability evaluation.

Under K-12 IDEA: Fundamental modifications to program of study permitted as identified on IEP and under K-12 504 PLAN: Fundamental modifications to program of study permitted as identified in 504 Plan. In higher education, no fundamental modifications allowed: Accommodations may not result in a fundamental alteration to a course or academic program; nor impose an undue burden on an institution.

Under K-12 IDEA: Teacher can advocate for student and under K-12 504 PLAN: Parent/student advocate. In higher education, the student advocates for self.

Under K-12 IDEA: Personal services: e.g., transportation, personal attendant, nurse, in class aide and K-12 504 PLAN: No personal services provided. In higher education, no personal services provided

Answer: An OSAT student can sign a release giving OSAT staff permission to share information with parents. However, you should know that even if a student signs a release, OSAT staff require that the student handle any matters related to our office, including registration and accommodations. We do not work with the parent in place of the student. It is in the students’ best interest to negotiate their accommodations as they learn to be their own self-advocate.