Disabilities Beat: How can colleges do better for disabled students?

This year, as students return to college, many will begin the process of seeking accommodations or using support services at their college. However, while laws exist to protect students with disabilities, they still face many challenges in receiving services or knowing what they are entitled to access.

This week, Mason Ald, freelance reporter for WBFO’s Disabilities Beat, explores what students’ rights are in higher education.

PLAIN LANGUAGE DESCRIPTION: WBFO freelance reporter Mason Ald speaks with students and Claudia Center, legal director of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, about accessibility to accommodations in college. They explain that while colleges are increasingly offering support to students with disabilities, many of them are still unaware of these resources. Students share their positive and challenging experiences with academic accommodations, while the Center discusses the importance of making sure students are aware of the help available to them.

TRANSCRIPTION:

This is a rush transcript provided by a contractor and may be updated over time for accuracy.

Emyle WatkinsHi, I’m Emyle Watkins and this is the WBFO Disabilities Beat. Recently, colleges across New York began their fall semesters. From exploring a new campus to registering for classes, the transition to college can be challenging. But what is this transition like for students with disabilities? Mason Ald, WBFO’s freelance disability reporter, explores the barriers faced by students with disabilities and what their rights are in higher education.

Ald MasonNavarrete, a student at the University of Buffalo, says the problem isn’t that there isn’t housing available, but that people don’t know it’s available.

In Navarrete:As far as the initial challenge, it’s convincing students to make that first appointment, especially if they don’t have an official diagnosis for anything. When you’re struggling and you’re having a hard time, they can help you with that, but it’s not how they advertise it, I guess.

Ald MasonThere are two key laws that protect students from discrimination based on their disability: the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504, which prohibits discrimination in schools that receive federal funding, was the first law to provide protections for students. Then, in 1990, the ADA was expanded to protect students in all educational institutions.

And while these laws have been in place for decades, many students are not provided with information about or aware of their rights. Claudia Center is the legal director of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities. She explains that while these laws exist, the way universities approach providing resources and accommodations can vary significantly.

Claudia CenterThat leader has to model a particular attitude about whether they’re going to accept someone’s IEP or their 504 Plan or their doctor’s note, or whether they’re going to make them jump through a lot of hoops before they get some pretty basic accommodations.

Ald Mason:Platforms that host university websites are not always accessible, which can add another barrier to information.

Claudia Center:One of the obstacles is whether the platforms themselves are accessible. There has been a lot of advocacy to ensure that those platforms are accessible. There is still a long way to go. There has been some progress. So it is a very important topic. And one of the challenges with that topic is that often the university simply buys the platforms from third-party vendors.

Ald Mason:Navarrete, who has ADHD, anxiety and depression, struggled before learning what accommodations he could receive. Rigorous programs, like the engineering program Navarrete enrolled in, can often have tight deadlines, frequent exams and accelerated-paced work. Students with disabilities like Navarrete may be entitled to alternative testing spaces, more time for exams or tight deadlines. Navarrete, for example, can make up assignments or tests if he experiences an episode related to his disability. But not everyone is informed about this.

In NavarreteThere are students who can complete all their work, turn it in on time, and do it very successfully, but there are also students with disabilities like myself who struggle. And other students, I guess, have said to me, “Why don’t you do your work? Why don’t you just sit down and do it?” And the answer is not that simple.

Ald MasonThe Centre says that despite improvements in universities, there is still a stigma that disabled students exaggerate their needs to receive unfair advantages rather than equal opportunities.

Claudia Center:I think some schools are better than others, but there is a lot of resistance to the idea that people are getting an unfair advantage or that they are exaggerating their disability needs in terms of time or reduced workload or breaks and that sort of thing. For that category, it’s not so much a question of money or even administration, but it’s a question of attitude. There really is resistance in that sense.

Ald Mason:High school senior River Braverman is applying to colleges across the country. As an autistic student, his experience highlights both the improvements and gaps in college accommodations.

Braverman River:I’m applying to 20 schools. I’ve researched each one of them extensively, especially when it comes to disability and LGBTQ inclusion. And honestly, for me it’s really a make or break decision. If I don’t see a school that has a thriving disability community or has a disability support office that’s receptive and helpful, then I might not apply. And it’s given me a lot of hope because almost all of the schools I’ve been considering have that.

Ald MasonAt the University at Buffalo’s Navarrete School, support services for neurodivergent students are emerging, which are important not only for providing support but also for raising awareness and understanding. In addition, the UB Accessibility Resources Office acts as a mediator between students and faculty.

In Navarrete:I think it’s definitely getting better. I know they’re starting a peer support program specifically for neurodiverse students, and that wasn’t available any year before. I think they also have a new counselor who also specializes in neurodiverse students, and that’s something that I’m personally looking into right now as well. So those are resources that, again, weren’t available the last couple of years, and now they’re available.

Ald Mason:But the accessibility resources offered and how they are communicated not only affect current students, but also students deciding which college to choose. During Braverman’s application process, she found that schools were vague on their websites. One school might offer all of the accommodations she requests, while others might not offer any, but she would never know by looking at the website alone.

Braverman RiverI will say that it is difficult to put the accommodation options offered on a website because there are so many different types of accommodation that different students may need. But I think putting examples of physical, educational or housing accommodations would make it easier for me, as a prospective student, to see how responsive they are and in what way.

Ald MasonThe Center also suggests that instructors should consider making their classes accessible from the start. For example, posting PowerPoint presentations ahead of time, turning on subtitles, or giving clear instructions about expectations. The more these resources become standardized, the more likely they will transfer to employment, or at least that students will be able to request these resources after college.

Claudia Center:In the workplace, it’s a similar thing. Employees with neurodiversity or other disabilities are very dependent on good management. So, to the extent that you can get people to be good managers with clear instructions, supervision and deadlines, that can help.

Ald Mason:Ultimately, students with disabilities will one day become employees with disabilities. And in both arenas, they have rights under the law. But for anyone to exercise their right, they must first know that it exists. More and more students are educating themselves about their rights. And some, like Braverman, say a school’s support of their rights will also determine who they decide to pay tuition for.

Braverman River:Overall, I’m hopeful and excited. And I think that wherever I go, they’ll find a way to make me feel comfortable and safe, because I won’t go there if they don’t.

Ald Mason:I’m Mason Ald for WBFO Disabilities Beat.

Emyle WatkinsYou can listen to the Disabilities Beat segment on demand and view a plain-language transcript of each episode on our website at WBFO.org. I’m Emyle Watkins. Thanks for listening.