1

Author: Denzine, Lori Title: Challenges for Students with Disabilities Transitioningfrom PreK-12

Education to Post Secondary Education The accompanying research report is submitted to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Graduate School in partial

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Denzine, Lori A. Cltallengesfor Students with Disabilities Transitioningfrom PreK-12

Education to Post Secondary Education

Abstract

2

Everything changes for students with disabilities as they transition from PreK-12

education to post secondary education. This study revealed three common challenges students

with disabilities face as they undergo this transition: self-determination to be able to self­

disclose, self-advocacy skills to be able to disclose and clarify their disability, and the knowledge

and understanding of what their rights and responsibilities are as mandated by law and how those

laws change who is in charge and control of their education. The researcher provided

suggestions and ideas as to how to best transition the students with disabilities as well as

recommendations for further research.

3

Acknowledgments

Where do I start to thank the numerous people who have helped me along the way on my

journey to pursue my bachelor's and now my master's degree at UW-Stout? It took a village!

Thank you to the most important person in my life, April, my daughter. You have taught

me so much about people with disabilities. When you were born, we didn't know how long we

would have you in our lives and now, 29 years later, you are my life! You are the reason I went

back to school to work with people with disabilities and make a difference in their lives! You

are the reason I do what I do!

Thank you to my mom, Marleen, for all your extra help with April and also for

understanding when I couldn't always come home for family functions because I had homework

to do. Finally, I'll be able to be there ... no more homework, at least not for a while.

Thank you to April's dad, Russell, and his fiance, Julie, for helping out with April over

the years when I had projects to do. You were always willing to switch a weekend here and

there with me so I could get my homework done.

Thank you to Amy Schlieve for EVERYTHING!!! You were one of the first people I

met on campus when I came here in 1999 and I will never forget all that you have done for me

from helping me to get my research paper completed (finally) to helping me with April's

education when I was frustrated because what I was learning at UW -Stout was not what was

happening in school for her. I enjoyed your classes and your no-nonsense approach to working

with people with disabilities. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't use something that I

learned from you, something you said in class or something you did. When I struggle with

issues at work or not sure of the best approach, I always think, "What would Amy do"?

Thank you to all my other instructors at UW -Stout. Your teaching and background is an

invaluable resource to me! Thank you to Vicki for all your help with editing! I appreciate it!

4

Table of Contents

................................................................................................................................................... Page

Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ 2

Chapter I: Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5

Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................................... 9

Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................................ 9

Assumptions of the Study .......................................................................... 10

Definition of Terms ........................................................................................................... 10

Limitations of the Study ................................................................................................... 12

Chapter II: Literature Review ........................................................................................................ l3

Identification of Challenges ............................................................................................... 14

Rights and Responsibilities ................................................................................................ 15

Table 1: Changes of Rights and Responsibilities as Mandated by Law for Students with

Disabilities Transitioning from PreK-12 to Post Secondary Education ........... 17

Self-Determination ............................................................................................................ 19

Self-Advocacy ................................................................................................................... 21

Chapter III: Discussion .................................................................................................................. 25

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 25

Summary ........................................................................................................................... 25

Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 25

Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 26

References ...................................................................................................................................... 29

Chapter I: Introduction

Everything changes for students with disabilities as they transition from the PreK-12

education system to the post secondary education system.

5

"I used to get extra help with my disability in high school. I didn't know that I could get

extra help in college, too. How do I do that? Who do I talk to? My high school teachers and my

mom always took care of that for me. "

"I don't know what my disability is and how it affects me. I just know that I struggled

with reading and math in school and was always able to go to a resource room for extra help. "

"What is disability documentation? What is an IEP and a 3 year re-evaluation? Is that

the stack of papers that my mom brought home from meetings about me that she had to go to at

school to get me extra help in school?"

"What do you mean my accommodations at college are different than what I received in

public school? I don 't know what those words mean!"

"When I was in high school, one of the things I got to help me on my tests was that if

there was a test that had 50 questions on it, I only had to do 25. Can I get that same help here?"

These are just a few of the questions the researcher had to answer as she implemented

accommodation plans and discussed strategies for success with her students with disabilities at

the post secondary level. This lack of knowledge by the students created many challenges and

led to frustrations for them as they tried to maneuver through the college system.

For example, some students do not self disclose their disability when they arrive at

campus to apply to college and take the entrance assessment. Often times they disclose to the

admissions counselor if they do not pass the assessment. They disclose that they struggled in

school and received extra help such as extended time on tests, the tests were read to them, and

the tests were taken in a resource room. That disclosure is the piece that gets the dialogue started

6

with the counselor about their disability. The counselor then refers the students to the campus

disability support specialist where they meet to decide on the appropriate reasonable

accommodations they are entitled to, based on their disability and the disability documentation

they provide. At that meeting, the researcher will get a dialogue going with the students

regarding a background of their disability, academics that they struggle with, what learning style

they have, and any other pertinent information to assist the students to be successful. This

requires self-advocacy skills. Getzel and Thoma (2008) stated that as students with disabilities

enter post secondary education, they have a lack of understanding as to how their learning is

affected by their disability.

In addition to self-disclosure and self-advocacy, there were several other challenges for

students with disabilities that appeared frequently in the research such as having no disability

documentation, not understanding special education law, lack of knowledge of support, desire to

be independent and chose not to access resources, unclear how to access accommodations, not

knowing rights and responsibilities, lack of self esteem, lack of self determination, refused to be

labeled, and chose to wait to disclose until the student is having problems. Wolanin and Steele

(2004) stated that because of these challenges, many students with disabilities may delay

entering higher education as much as three years later than students without disabilities.

The three most common challenges which were very apparent in the literature are the

lack of understanding about the different laws that transfer rights and responsibilities from the

school system and parents to the student, lack of self-advocacy skills, and lack of self­

determination skills (Eckes & Ochoa, 2005; Getzel & Thoma, 2008; Reed & Curtis, 2011 ).

Because of these challenges, the transition from high school to college can be a bit unsettling for

students (Barnard-Brak, Davis, Tate & Sulak, 2009).

Transition services are important to the students with disabilities who are leaving high

school and venturing toward post secondary education. As they move toward graduation, a

transition plan must be put in place to assist them in dealing with this change. The plan must

include, but should not be not limited to, their strengths and needs, long term and short term

goals (Levinson, Ferchalk, & Seifert, 2004), the laws that govern the students' services and how

those services will change their rights and responsibilities, how to build self-advocacy and self

determination skills while still in PreK-12 education.

One of the challenges which affect students with disabilities is in the laws. The manner

in which the services are delivered in PreK-12 is governed by IDEA and in post-secondary by

ADN504, as well as the shift of rights and responsibilities from the school team and the parents

to the student, change. The differences are important when deciding whether or not the student

should stay in high school for another year to postpone graduation as well as looking at what

services are needed or possible (Thierfeld Brown, Wolf, King, & Bork, 2012). Often times,

students and parents are not aware of all the changes in transition until the student actually starts

the college admittance process. By that time, it is too late to go back to high school. They just

have to move on, perhaps a bit frustrated, do their best and seek assistance from the college.

7

Another challenge is the lack of self advocacy skills. Self-advocacy is the ability to

speak up for yourself and your needs and be able to explain your disability clearly and concisely.

Students who have self-advocacy skills will be able to make informed choices and take

responsibility for those decisions. Self-advocacy is a necessary skill in students with disabilities

to succeed in college; however, many students don't have the ability to speak up for themselves

because their parents and teachers have been speaking for them all their lives. Feldman and

Messerli (as cited in Johnson, Zascavage, & Gerber, 2008) argued that some special education

8

settings may have a negative effect on self-advocacy skills and encourage dependence instead of

building the necessary skills for the success of students with disabilities in college.

Vogel, Hruby, and Adelman (as cited in Johnson, et al., 2008) found that:

Students who were in self-contained classrooms during elementary or secondary school

were less likely to graduate from college. The reason students from a self-contained

classroom were less successful could not be ascertained but the authors suggest this was

due in part to a protective environment which may have diminished the need for student

self-advocacy. (p. 4)

Self-determination is another important skill which often students with disabilities lack.

Self-determination is a concept reflecting the belief that all individuals have the right to direct

their own lives and to make their own decisions. Many studies have shown a "relationship

between self-determination and positive academic outcomes for students with disabilities" by

Algonzzine, Browder, Karvonen, Test, and Wood (as cited in Parker & Boutelle, 2009, p. 205).

In a study by Reed and Curtis (20 11 ), high school teachers reported barriers in access to

higher education on the basis of their experience. Most often ( 41% of those responding) those

teachers suggested, that because students with disabilities are so dependent on other people and

are not encouraged, they lack self-esteem and confidence. Those are both part of the self­

determination piece which students need to develop in order to be successful in post secondary

education.

What were the major challenges students with disabilities as they faced transitioning from

PreK-12 to post secondary education? How did these challenges affect students with disabilities

as they transitioned? What strategies and system of supports were implemented to insure that

students with disabilities are successful in transitioning to the post secondary level?

9

This study was designed to focus on the three main challenges that students with

disabilities face as they transition from PreK-12 to post secondary education. It was not an

exhaustive study nor was it intended to have all the answers. It was written in the spirit of

recognizing and addressing the challenges of transitioning. The researcher experienced many

challenges and frustrations with her students although not all students struggle with transition. It

was the researcher's hope to discover new strategies to implement to assist her students, along

with helping parents and teachers to maneuver through all that the challenges put before them.

Statement of the Problem

The transition from PreK-12 education to post secondary education for students with

disabilities is often a difficult road to travel down. This journey can be frustrating because of the

students' lack of knowledge that disability support services are available to them in higher

education. The researcher has experienced these frustrations with her students with disabilities

who she currently works with at the post secondary level. There are many disability support

services available but learning about them, knowing when and how to access them, and who to

talk to about accessing them, are just a few of the challenges students with disabilities face in

higher education.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this literature review was to determine the main challenges that exist for

students with disabilities as they transition from PreK-12 to post secondary education. In

addition to addressing each of these challenges, this study investigated possible solutions to

empower students to overcome these challenges so that the students with disabilities are

successful at the post secondary education level.

10

Assumptions of the Study

It is assumed that the term "disabilities" was used as an umbrella term encompassing all

disabilities and no one particular disability will be discussed. It was also assumed that there was

a substantial amount of resources to choose from in order to accurately report the challenges and

that the information collected in this review will be accurate and reliable. It should not be

assumed that all students with disabilities will face all the challenges as discussed in this review.

Definition of Terms

Accommodation. A change in the usual way of doing things so someone's needs can be

met (Opening doors, 2007).

Advocacy. A person's ability to speak up for a cause, person, or idea (Opening doors,

2007).

ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act. A federal law that prohibits discrimination

against individuals who are disabled. A postsecondary school may be discriminate on the basis

of disability. See Section 504 for more information (Opening doors, 2007).

Disability. Defined as impairment that substantially affects one or more major life

activities in Section 504 and ADA. A person with disabilities is an individual who have a record

of having such impairment or is regarded as having such impairment (Opening doors, 2007).

IEP - Individualized Education Plan. The IEP is a written document which ensures

that a child with a disability receives a Free Appropriate Public Education (F APE) in the least

restrictive environment. It is the most important legal document written for a child with

disabilities. IEPs are developed through the discussion at team meetings that include parents and

professionals involved in that child's education. The IEP describes the educational process

planned for the student and serves as a communication tool among parents, schools, and others

involved in the education and training of the individual (Opening doors, 2007).

11

Individuals with Disabilities Act- IDEA. The Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act (IDEA) is the federal law that secures special education services for children with disabilities

from the time they are born until they graduate from high school. The law was reauthorized by

Congress in 2004, prompting a series of changes in the way special education services are

implemented (Opening doors, 2007).

Post Secondary Education. After high school. College (Opening doors, 2007).

Public College or University. A post secondary school in the United States supported

by public funds and provides reduced tuition for education for citizens of the state which

supports it. They are often accountable in some way to the state legislature and other public

input (Opening doors, 2007).

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 was enacted to "level the

playing field" - to eliminate impediments to full participation by persons with disabilities.

Section 504 protects qualified individuals with disabilities. A postsecondary school may not

discriminate on the basis of disability. It must insure that the programs it offers are accessible to

students with disabilities (Opening doors, 2007).

Self-advocacy. A concept in speaking up for yourself and your needs and being able to

explain your disability clearly and concisely. Students who have self-advocacy skills will be able

to make informed choices and take responsibility for those decisions (Opening doors, 2007).

Self-determination. A concept reflecting the belief that all individuals have the right to

direct their own lives. Students who have self-determination skills have a stronger chance of

being successful in making the transition to adulthood (Opening doors, 2007).

Summary of Performance. A summary of a student's academic achievement, functional

performance, and recommendations provided to the student during the last year of high school

12

(prior to earning a diploma or aging out of eligibility for services provided through IDEA at the

age of 21) (Opening doors, 2007).

Special Education. Instruction which is specially designed under the IEP to meet the

unique needs of a child with a disability. It is offered at no cost to the family (Opening doors,

2007).

Transition. Preparing for and moving ahead from high school to life in the adult world

(Opening doors, 2007).

Limitations of the Study

There were several limitations to this literature review. The researcher reviewed and

decided what information was most important and relevant to this study. The researcher focused

on the three common challenges that were present in the literature that students with disabilities

may face as they transition from PreK-12 to post secondary education. Finally, the researcher's

perspective may have been skewed by personal values, beliefs, and her current experience as a

disability support specialist at the post secondary level.

13

Chapter II: Literature Review

With the increase of students with disabilities entering post secondary institutions and

then graduating (Eckes & Ochoa, 2005), students must be knowledgeable about the available

services and how to access them. Understanding all the laws is extremely important for students

with disabilities, parents and educators so that the students receive the proper services. Keeping

current on changes will assist in making the transition to post secondary education a positive

experience for everyone involved (Simpson & Spencer, 2009).

Services for students with disabilities are provided under the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Improvement Act (IDEA), (IDEIA, 2004). Under IDEA, students with disabilities

(ages 3-21) are guaranteed to receive a free and appropriate education which is based on their

individualized educational needs. The services they receive may be a special education

placement, accommodations, and modifications to programs and related services such as

occupational therapy (Simpson & Spencer, 2009).

Some students with disabilities do not receive services under IDEA 2004 but do receive

services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and the Americans

with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Simpson and Spencer (2009) stated that "Section 504 and

ADA are civil rights laws that provide equal access and opportunity and prevent discrimination."

(p. 28)

When a student with disabilities graduates and goes on to post secondary education,

IDEA 2004, no longer applies but Section 504 and ADA do apply. The interpretation of Section

504 and ADA guidelines by disability service specialist "means that a specific diagnosis with a

clearly established functional limitation in a major life activity is required" (National Joint

Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD], (2007).

14

Identification of Challenges

As students with disabilities transition from PreK-12 to post secondary education, there is

a change in the laws, IDEA 2004 and Section 504/ ADA. This change will significantly impact

the rights and responsibilities of the student. It shifts from the school to the student. Therefore,

when students with disabilities begin their college career, it is essential that they have a specific

set of skills to take on the responsibilities to overcome the challenges of transition (Simpson &

Spencer, 2009). These skills are self-determination which affords the students the ability to self­

disclose, self-advocacy skills which enables the students to be able to disclose and clarify their

disability, and the students' ability to know and understand what their rights and responsibilities

are as mandated by law.

The purpose of this literature review was to highlight and discuss the three main

challenges that students with disabilities face as they transition from PreK-12 secondary

education to post secondary education: lack of understanding about the different laws that

transfer rights and responsibilities from the PreK-12 school system and parents to the student,

lack of self-advocacy skills, and lack of self-determination skills (Eckes & Ochoa, 2005; Getzel

& Thoma, 2008; Reed & Curtis, 2011 ). The chapter began with a more in depth explanation of

the laws and how the changes affected the rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities.

The chapter went on to discuss the fact that the students will need to have the self-determination

skills to want to learn and understand those changes, and then have the ability to self-advocate

for themselves to request the services they require in college based on their disability and

documentation. As a result, these three areas were known to cause frustrations for students.

15

Rights and Responsibilities -- "What do you mean I'm in charge of getting the extra help I

need in college? My teachers and my mom always took care of that for me!"

According to DaDeppo (2009), the rights and responsibilities, as mandated by law, change

dramatically when students with disabilities transition from high school to college. This creates a

huge challenge for those students who, because of the support system they have had in PreK-12

special education, do not understand about those changes or understand how extremely important

it is to be educated about them.

ADA/Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Subpart D, applies to PreK-12.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is an entitlement law under Subpart D

(Wolanin & Steele, 2004) which ensures that all students with disabilities are entitled to a free

and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment (IDEIA, 2004 ). All children

are entitled to this education from the age of 3 through age 21 or until receipt of their high school

diploma. The free and appropriate education is initiated and monitored through the

Individualized Educational Program (IEP) or the 504 Plan. Under the IEP, there is a statement of

transition services which includes strategies and activities to assist students in preparing for

postsecondary education. Those services necessary for post secondary education must be in the

IEP at least by the time the student with disabilities turns 16 and be annually updated. The

student must be involved and become an active part of the IEP meetings (Simpson & Spencer,

2009) from the elementary years through graduation. Upon graduation, the IEP no longer is valid

and can't be utilized as disability documentation for services at the post secondary level. It is

used as a tool for a point of reference due to the fact that it contains a background on the student,

present level of performance, what accommodations the student received, and other additional

pertinent information. Actual assessment scores and results of disability determination are

needed at the post secondary level. Summary of Performance is another tool that is utilized

because schools are no longer required to do the regular re-evaluation every three years. The

IEP team makes that decision as a team. Summary of Performance is utilized to summarize

existing information (in lieu of a full re-evaluation) in such a way that it will provide the

necessary important information to the disability support specialists at the post secondary level

so that decisions can be made related to eligibility for services and reasonable accommodations

(NJCLD, 2007).

ADA/Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Subpart E, applies to Post

Secondary Education. This regulation provides that people with disabilities may not be

discriminated against in admissions, academic programs and other programs, services and

activities at higher education institutions (Wolanin & Steele, 2004 ).

16

Under Section 504 Subpart E, post secondary institutions are: required to modify all

programs and services to be physically accessible to all students with disabilities as well as

parents and guests with disabilities who might be visiting the campus; responsible for providing

supporting aids such as note takers, readers, tape recorders, etc.; and required to accommodate

the academic participations of qualified students with disabilities. Such accommodations include

adaptive testing, adapting the way courses are taught, substituting course requirements, and other

accommodations based on the students' individual needs. Accommodations are based on

disability documentation and are different than what students received in school through their

IEP under IDEA. Also, students may not necessarily receive all the accommodations they

requested but those received must be effective (Getzel & Wehman, 2005).

Students with disabilities and their parents don't realize as they begin the journey from

high school to college, that the legal framework between the two entities is quite different.

"Secondary education and higher education are different planets for students with disabilities" as

stated by IHEP (2004).

What are you talking about when you say that there are many differences with my rights

and responsibilities between high school and college?

17

Many students with disabilities and parents are under the assumption that because public

schools and colleges are schools, that the legal framework stays the same. Unfortunately, this is

not the case. During the process oftransitioning students with disabilities from PreK-12 and post

secondary education, students, their parents and teachers, should be aware, in clear terms, of

what the differences are in the rights and responsibilities of students and schools in PreK -12 as

compared to higher education (Wolanin & Steele, 2004 ). Table 1 pinpoints some of the

differences in laws and the rights and responsibilities between PreK-12 and post secondary. This

list contains examples of the more important changes and is not exhaustive.

Table 1

Changes of Rights and Responsibilities as Mandated by Law for Students with Disabilities

Transitioningfrom Secondmy to Post Secondary Education

Pre-K-12 POST SECONDARY

SECTION 504/REHAB ACT 1973/PART D SECTION 504/SUBPART E

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Americans with Disabilities Act

Responsibility on parent/school for services Responsibility to student to initiate services

Ensures success Ensures equal access

IDEA: Education law ADA: Civil rights law

Entitlement Eligibility

Special accommodations Reasonable accommodations

Focus on diagnostic label Focus on functional impact

Disability= One of 13 categories Disability= Impairment + Substantial

Limitation+ Major Life Activity

According to Thierfeld Brown et al., (2012), the first and most important change is the

difference in the laws. In PreK-12, the students' education is managed under the Individuals

with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) where the responsibility to provide services is with the

parent and the school. Contrast that with post secondary education, which is under the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), where it is the students' responsibility to initiate the

serv1ces.

18

IDEA, which is a public school education law, insures the successful education of the

student through an individualized education program (IEP) to meet specific educational needs.

ADA, which is a civil rights law, ensures equal access to programs and services for persons with

disabilities (Thierfeld Brown, et al., 2012).

Attending public schools is an entitlement whereby everyone is entitled to a free and

appropriate education. Post secondary education is based on the premise of eligibility. All

students must meet the admission requirements to be admitted to the college (Thierfeld Brown,

et al., 2012). Students with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the

admissions assessments.

Under IDEA, students with disabilities are provided special accommodations. Under

ADA, in post secondary education, reasonable accommodations are provided to assist the

students with meeting the demands and requirements of the curriculum (Thierfeld Brown, et al.,

2012). Students must meet certain criteria to qualify for accommodations in both PreK-12 and

post secondary education systems.

In PreK-12, under IDEA, focus for students with disabilities is on the diagnostic label and

the disability is classified according to specific diagnostic categories. Whereas, in post

secondary, under ADA, the focus is on the functional impact of the disability. How does the

19

mental or physical impairment cause a substantial limitation of a major life activity based on the

verifying documentation provided by the student (Thierfeld Brown, et al., 2012)?

It is apparent that the background information the researcher provided can be very

overwhelming. Imagine being a parent of a student with disabilities trying to understand all the

legalities. Parents have always played a major role in the education of students with disabilities

during the PreK-12 experience but as students move to post secondary education, parents have

no legal role. "Under the law, the student, not the parent, is the one who plans the program,

presents the documentation, requests needed accommodations, and monitor the efficacy of

accommodations" as stated by Shaw (2009, p. 6).

To insure a smooth transition of the rights and responsibilities from the school and the

parents to the students with disabilities, PreK-12 school personnel, the parents and all others

involved as part of the IEP team, need to cooperatively work with the students to successfully

transfer advocacy to the student. Janiga and Costenbader (2002) recommended that it is

necessary for teachers and parents to encourage and assist in building self-determination which

is an essential skill that must be included as part of the students' transition planning.

"What is self-determination? I don't know what my strengths are or what I need help

with? Can't you talk with my mom and my high school teacher? They can tell you all

about me! I don't like to talk about stuff like that!"

Self-determination is a mixture of skills that students with disabilities should possess so

they know what they want and how to get it, choose goals and pursue them, be assertive to make

their needs known, and problem solve to get what they want and need (WDPI, 2007). It is such

an important concept that students with disabilities need to learn to ensure their success at the

post secondary level in addition to being a skill that will be used throughout their lives.

20

Parker and Boutelle (2009) conducted a study of fifty four undergraduates with

disabilities who were "coached" on autonomy, executive functioning, promoting self-efficacy

and confidence. Seven were pulled out as a purposeful sample of students. During the interview

process, the students reported that coaching was very effective in helping them to be

academically successful in the post secondary setting. The college environment requires

students to be highly self- motivated and directed in asking for assistance to reach their goals.

At the post secondary level, the laws, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of

1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, ensure equal access but do not guarantee

that all the student's post secondary needs will be met. Access becomes eligibility based when

the student is trying to obtain services (Getzel & Wehman, 2005).

It is the students' responsibility to request accommodation services from the disability

support specialist on campus. Self-determination is extremely important. It enables the students

to disclose their disability and have the ability to talk with the support specialist about how the

disability affects their learning, what strategies have worked in the past, what accommodations

have the best results, and any other concerns that the students may have (Simpson & Spencer,

2009). That is time to share pertinent information so that the students with disabilities and the

support specialist can collaborate to get an appropriate plan in place consisting of reasonable

accommodations specific to the students' disabilities.

The students with disabilities, who the researcher had the opportunity to work with,

struggled with self-determination. When she asked students direct questions about their

disabilities, how they best learned, what they struggled with, and any other concerns they may

have had, she typically received no response. The researcher then used her strategies she learned

from Simpson and Spencer (2009) to try to promote their self-determination by discussing their

personal goals, how to make a plan to achieve those goals, how to advocate for themselves,

manage their daily activities, and just to be able to take an active role in their education. The

meetings were successful for both the students and the researcher. The students learned about

themselves and the researcher learned about the students.

21

Self-determination should be an important piece of the students' with disabilities

transition planning. According to the literature, self-determination taught in school is positive

toward transition outcomes. Wehmeyer and Schwartz (as cited in Bremer, Kachgal, & Schoeller,

2003) found in their follow up study of a high self-determination group of graduates from high

school with varying disabilities, that nearly a year after graduation, they were doing better than

their peers. They reported having many positive outcomes in their lives.

Because of what the literature showed and what the researcher has experienced, more

preparation needs to take place during the transition process by teaching self-determination. It is

imperative that the students understand their disabilities and know what supports are needed for

them to be successful at the post secondary college level. Thus, they will learn how to advocate

for themselves.

What is self-advocacy? What do you mean I have to advocate for myself and talk

about my disability and how it affects me? I don't like to do that. Why can't my high

school teacher just send over my IEP and you can get what you want off of those papers?

The first step in developing self-advocacy skills is self-knowledge. Students with

disabilities need to know about their disability and how it affects them, how they learn best,

strengths and weaknesses, interests, and what their preferences are. In a study by Getzel and

Thoma (2008), a critical theme emerged in that participants felt that it was important to

understand their disability as well as how it affected how they learned. Students with disabilities

attending post secondary education will need an awareness of their disability and knowledge of

how they learn in order to receive the accommodations that they require and qualify for.

22

Not all students with disabilities identify themselves to the post secondary disability

support specialists. According to Forrest (2003) (as cited in Johnson et al, 2008), it is estimated

that only 25 to 50% of students with disabilities disclose their disabilities and get registered with

the Disability Services Office at colleges. Students with disabilities are expected to be their own

self-advocate and request the accommodations themselves unlike when they were in PreK-12

education where the teachers initiated those modifications to their classes and curriculum

(Johnson et al., 2008). Many students chose not to be identified or labeled as having a disability.

They want to be accepted by their peers on an equal basis.

Additionally, some students have been accustomed to having their parents play the

advocacy role for them. According to Madaus (2005) parents of students with disabilities have a

tendency to be more involved in their child's education than other parents. This undoubtedly is

related to the fact that they were so involved in PreK-12 education by attending the IEP meetings

and making the decisions collaboratively with the instructors. Madaus (2005) goes on to state

that often times when students are enrolling in college, the parents will state "we" are applying

instead of my son or daughter is applying. Students may have gotten left out of the equation.

PreK -12 teachers and parents must implement instruction for students with disabilities on how to

advocate for themselves at an early age to benefit the students.

Being proactive and taking the initiative to self-disclose when students with disabilities

begin the admissions process, is a necessity. Students can receive accommodations for the

entrance assessment and throughout their academic program. The researcher remembered

hearing the following statement at a transition conference: "Students with disabilities must put

their disability in play!" Gaining the skills necessary to be self-advocates while the students are

in secondary education, is a necessity for success at the post secondary level. The drop-out rate

of students with disabilities during college is higher than their peers without disabilities said

Cohen and Brawer (2003) (as cited in McCleary-Jones, 2008). Reasons for the students

dropping out suggested that students with disabilities have limited self-determination and self­

advocacy skills and as a result, are in effective in requesting the necessary services.

23

PreK-12 schools face many challenges to assist students with disabilities as they

transition to post secondary. According to Garrison-Wade and Lehman (2009), high schools are

significant in ensuring that students with disabilities are properly trained for college. Much

pressure is put on schools to teach students self-advocacy and self-determination skills along

with learning their rights and responsibilities. Those both present challenges. This skill building

is progressive and builds over time through collaborating among the members of the IEP team.

Since 1990, special education law, namely IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities

Education Act), mandates that the IEP team must include a transition goal in the student's IEP

(Individualized Education Plan). At that time, the age was 14 to begin the transition piece but,

due to recent changes in legislation, IDEA (2004) now states that:

beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child is 16, and updated

annually thereafter-(aa) Appropriate measurable post-secondary goals based upon age

appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and where

appropriate independent living skills; (bb) the transition services (including courses of

study) needed to assist the child in reaching these goals. (as cited in Eckes & Ochoa,

2005,p.6)

The IEP team must have a good representation of the people involved in the

students' education, to include but should not be limited to, the student, parents, educators,

transition coordinator, and anyone else who is involved in the students' lives (Eckes & Ochoa,

2005). A disability support specialist from a college should also attend for input on what is

needed at the post secondary level.

24

For the success of students with disabilities transitioning to higher education and

delineate the frustrations that students feel as they approach post secondary education, the

appropriate transition plan is essential and must include the individual needs and skills of the

students. Goals specific for self-determination and self-advocacy should be very specific and

stated clearly in the students' IEPs stated Johnson, Stodden, Emanuel, Luecking and Mack

(2002). This is where the IEP plan is written to be all-inclusive and address the rights and

responsibilities of students as they transition to college, self-determination skills, self-advocacy

skills, academic requirements, and any other skill that the students need to develop. This must

be a collaborative effort.

25

Chapter m: Discussion

Introduction

This chapter begins with a summary of the literature review, including the purpose of the

study, a discussion of the findings and conclusions based on the results. Recommendations and a

need for further research will conclude this chapter and research project.

Summary

This literature review indicated the three main challenges that exist for students with

disabilities as they transition from PreK -12 to post secondary education. Those challenges are a

lack of understanding about the different laws that transfer rights and responsibilities from the

PreK -12 school system and parents to the student, lack of self-determination skills, and lack of

self-advocacy skills (Eckes & Ochoa, 2005; Getzel & Thoma, 2008; Reed & Curtis, 2011). The

laws and how the changes affect the rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities were

discussed along with the fact that it is a necessity for the students to have the self-determination

skills to want to learn and understand those changes, and then be able to self-advocate for

themselves in order to get the services they need in college based on their disability and

documentation. These three areas are known to cause frustrations for students and one challenge

is dependent on another.

Conclusions

Literature concurred with what the researcher stated in her problem statement in that

students with disabilities face many challenges as they transition from PreK-12 to post secondary

education. The researcher found that there are three main challenges that students face and they

are limited or lack of knowledge of the laws and how they affect the students' rights and

responsibilities, lack of self-determination and self-advocacy skills. Each challenge presents a

significant roadblock for students as they transition from PreK-12 to post secondary education.

26

In a study by Carney, et al. (2007), 39 students with disabilities were surveyed regarding their

perspectives on experiences in higher education. One third rated their transition support in high

school as poor and many were not familiar with laws pertinent to higher education.

It is a requirement for students with disabilities to have the self-determination and self­

advocacy skills in order to better understand the changes in the laws regarding their rights and

responsibilities. The challenge is to develop those skills based on transition goals as written in

the IEP. The IEP team must work collaboratively to assist the students development of the

attributes necessary to be proactive, assertive and determined in order to be able to have their

needs met once they are in post secondary education, according to Getzel and Thoma (as cited in

Connor, 2012).

Essentially, the transition from PreK-12 to post secondary is flagged by the shift in the

laws regarding the students' rights and responsibilities going from the school and parents to the

students. This has proved to be problematic for students with disabilities due to the fact that

everyone else has been taking care of what their educational needs are. Parents and educators

should step back as advocates for their students with disabilities as they transition to higher

education. The students should be managing their own IEP meetings and directing where they

want their future to go as soon as it is practical for them. If students had ownership in furthering

their education and valued that ownership, they were found to be more successful in their

involvement in college, thus wanting to improve their value to society, says a study by Bailey (as

cited in Paul, 2000).

Recommendations

Collaboration and communication between everyone involved is the key to success for

students with disabilities who are transitioning from PreK-12 to post secondary education. The

transition process needs to move students from dependence to independence. Everyone on the

27

IEP team must work together to achieve this goal and begin the process early. Invite a college

disability support specialist to the IEP meetings or ask for input. As the student progresses in the

PreK-12 setting, the IEP should be written to parallel with what will be occurring at college. For

example, the accommodations that students receive in high school are much different than those

at college. It is helpful to "wean the student from accommodations that would not be allowed in

college. Colleges will not provide accommodations that are believed to be inappropriate or

unreasonable" (Shaw, Madaus, & Dukes, 2010, p. 49). The documentation must justifY the need

for the accommodations. The goal for the students' accommodations in high school would result

in being equal to those at college by the time the students' graduate. At that time, the student is

no longer attending school under the IEP.

Students with disabilities, parents and instructors should connect with the disability

support specialist on the campus where the student with disabilities wants to attend well in

advance of graduation. Set up a meeting with the disability support specialist and take the

necessary documentation from the school such as the IEP, evaluations, Summary of

Performance, and any other pertinent information. This should be done before the students'

apply and are accepted by the college (Nadeau, 2006). At that time, the specialist can go over

what changes will occur regarding the laws, rights and responsibilities, access to services,

accommodations, and other concerns that arise, as well as make suggestions for goals and

objectives for the students' IEP. The sooner the specialist gets involved the more beneficial it

will be for the student.

It is necessary to continue to build a bridge between PreK-12 and post secondary

education to alleviate the frustrations of moving from a system of entitlement to a system of

eligibility. As result, high school instructors, support staff, and parents may not be aware of nor

understand the needs of students with disabilities at the post secondary level so additional

28

training is required (Janiga & Costenbader, 2002). Request the disability support specialist from

a local college to visit the school and conduct a workshop. Parent-teacher conferences are

usually a great time to meet with parents and students.

More research is recommended on this topic of challenges for students with disabilities

transitioning from PreK-12 to post secondary education. More questions are left answered.

Ankeny and Lehmann (2010) questioned what the outcomes of students with disabilities would

be if they were allowed to remain under their IEPs as they transitioned to post secondary

education so that they could continue to receive the support from the high schools.

Because IDEA (2004) requires measurable post secondary goals, the burden is on the IEP

team to write the IEP appropriately to achieve those goals. A standard transition curriculum to

promote self-determination and self-advocacy skills should be implemented (DaDeppo, 2009).

The researcher noted that she worked with students with disabilities who are effectively prepared

to transition to post secondary while other students are not. Research would be beneficial to

study the differences in how the transition plans were carried out.

The needs of students with disabilities are complex and will be ever-changing as will the

laws that affect them. As a result, there will continually be the potential for further research to

develop strategies to assist students with disabilities, their teachers and parents as students

transition from PreK-12 to post secondary education.

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