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Disability Disclosure in College
Learning Target
At the end of this activity you will understand the disability disclosure process in college and determine if you would need to disclose your disability given sample situationsPre-ETS Connection: Self Advocacy and Postsecondary Education Counseling
Instructor Resources
Review the Disability Disclosure in College Fact Sheet along with any other resources and complete the activity below.
Think about...
- What are your strengths and abilities that will help you be successful in college?
- Do you understand your disability and what supports are helpful to you?
- What are some examples of accommodations you have used in high school and do you think you will need them in college?
- Do you feel like you would need to disclose your disability when you get to college?
- What documentation should you have prepared if you decide to disclose your disability in college?
Activity Downloads
Lesson Downloads
Instructions
Making a decision about disclosing your disability is personal and can change depending on your situation. During this activity, you will experience how the combination of your strengths and needs, the type of college or vocational classes you attend, and the class requirements can impact your decision of whether or not to disclose your disability.
- Select a game card
- Locate the college or vocational class category on the game card and roll the die
- Match the number you roll to the college or vocational class with the same number
- (Ex : You roll a 4, so use the college or vocational class next to number 4)
- Roll again to get a class requirement
- Picture the student on your game card during their first day of class. Would they need accommodations for this scenario? Do you think they would need to disclose their disability?
- Create a game card using your preferences, interests, needs, and strengths
- Play again as if you are the college student and are thinking about accommodations you might need
Review the Disability Disclosure in College Fact Sheet along with any other resources and complete the activity below.
Instructions
Complete an informational interview. Review the responses from the interview and think about if you would need to disclose your disability so that you could have access to accommodations as a college student.
- Set up an informational interview in person, on the phone, or virtually with an employee in the Office of Disability Services or Office of Admissions at a college
- Download the Interview Recording Sheet
- Ask the person you are interviewing the questions about the disability disclosure process and record their responses
- Answer the reflection questions as you think about if you would need or want to disclose your disability in that type of college setting
Reflect
- What are some of your strengths you can share when disclosing your disability?
- What accommodations or academic adjustments do you think you may need in a college environment?
- Are the accommodations you would request in college the same or different than what you received in high school?
- Do you think you would need to disclose your disability if you were to attend this program? Why or why not?
