Transition: The Facts, Just the Facts!

1. Transition: The Facts, Just the Facts! disAbility Services Bucks County Community College 215-968-8182 Marie Cooper, Director Marge Zipin, LD Spec Penny Gray Adaptive Tech Spec. Miranda Leiggi, Admin. Asst.

2. Student Populations • LD • ADHD • SENSORY & MOBILITY • AUTISM • PSYCHOLOGICAL/MENTAL HEATH • CHRONIC HEALTH IMPAIRMENTS • OTHER NEUROLOGICAL Central Auditory Processing TBI/concussion/other No “IEP students” allowed!

3. How are students presenting? • Still, “I’m an IEP student” • Too many have weak academic preparation – math, writing, critical thinking • Parent role – more cheerleaders, less speaking/doing for the student *Example* • Greater student awareness of needs/accommodations

4. What are students doing? • Attempting college classes PT vs FT • Learning about themselves – becoming better self advocates • Getting involved with activities • Exploring careers & changing goals • Transferring to other schools • Completing degrees and Certificates http://www.bucks.edu/academics/courses/

5. So What’s the Big Deal? High School • IEP/504 • IDEA; success • Needs are known by others • Accommodations managed by others • Study & homework? • Schedule & absences College • No IEP/504; why? • ADA: access • Students must self identify • Students work with dS and instructor • STUDY & HOMEWORK • Can create schedule; absences carry responsibilities More Go to

6. Starting Points: From IEP Student to College Learner • Students are aspirational and motivated to succeed; • Adequate academic preparation is essential; • Understanding one’s learning strengths and learning strategies to work with academic or social issues that get in the way is critical.

7. More Starting Points • Challenging academic dependencies and perceived deficiencies (e.g., “I can’t…” is not useful); • Academic vulnerabilities and possible social disconnectedness will occur; • These are starting points for building capacities, not end points. • Students will discover new balance points if they persevere and use some kind of support system. • Working hard is more important than being the smartest person in the class and not working hard.

8. Changing Student Roles Mirror Adult Self-sufficiencies • One standard for all in the meritocracy; • Access a right; success a responsibility; • Students need to talk with others about how to become a help-seeker rather than a help-receiver. “It’s kind of a dilemma just due to the fact that I do need help and more guidance, but at the same time I want the guidance to rely on myself.”

9. Dynamic Process of Change for Beginning College Students Ongoing and progressive development towards: • Ownership: “I own my education now.” • Agency: • Responsibility for one’s successes and challenges; • Locus of control for decision-making and learning from experience; • Commitment to working through problems to progress towards goals. • Learning to mitigate vulnerabilities with resilience: • “I just kind of want to look back, see what I did wrong…just kind of shake it off. It’s why I get up as quick as possible, let it go and try to make something of it (for) the good.”

10. Resources • http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html • http://www.heath.gwu.edu