In this series of videos, former Associate Dean of Student Support Services Susan Woods answers questions for students and parents preparing for the transition from high school to college. Here she takes a moment to discuss how students declare a disability in college to access accommodations. Some students may resist declaring their disability because they don’t want to be stigmatized, but FERPA protects students’ rights to privacy. Plus, declaring a disability allows students to plan for times when ytheyu may need more support. It doesn’t necessarily mean they have to activate any particular accommodations.
Interested in seeing more from Susan? You might like her Core Issues page, The Academic World: An Introduction for Parents or Spectrum Q & A With College Transition Consultant Susan Woods: Self-Assessment. You can also read up on FERPA here. Let us know your thoughts in the comments!