Disability Services: College Students with Physical and/or Mental Disabilities - A Brief History

An increasing amount of high school students with physical and mental disabilities are entering America's colleges and universities (U.S. Department of Education, 2007). This increase is partly due to changes in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which include accessibility, the work of disability groups, increased media coverage, and political support (Hirschhorn, 1992). Unfortunately, These college students encounter physical and attitiudinal barriers in the higher education environment (Paul, 2000). Student affairs administrators have a wonderful opportunity to help these students make a successful transition from high school to college.

Almost as meaningful as the transition into to the college environment is the transition out of the college environment to the workplace. During the past few years, college and career services centers worked together to create opportunities for college seniors with disabilities to seek employment. Last February, the NEC Foundation sponsored the first virtual job fair for Texas college students with disabilities - http://www.necfoundation.org/news/news_show.htm?doc_id=838808.

QUESTION - It seems that most campuses have an disability services office that is either housed in student affairs or academic affairs. Should all campus offices become focused on students with disabilties to make this a campus-wide effort? Why or why not?

References

Hirschhorn, B. E. (1992). The relationship among school accessibility, student locus of control and the satisfaction of New York City high school wheelchair users. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, New York University.

Paul, S. (2000, June). Students with disabilities in higher education: A review of the literature. College Student Journal, 34(2), 200. Retrieved May 9, 2009, from Academic Search Complete database.

U.S. Department of Education. (2007). Students with disabilities preparing for postsecondary education: Know your rights and responsibilities. Washington, DC: Office for Civil Rights. Retrieved May 9, 2009, from http://www.ed.gov/ocr/transition.html