Accommodating Students with Disabilities

Goucher College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to all qualified students with documented disabilities through the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS). Email OAS with any questions: access@goucher.edu. 

What to expect

You may be concerned that your student will have a difficult time transitioning to college. Don't worry! Goucher College offers a variety of resources to promote success and independence for all students.

One of the main differences between high school and college is that, unlike high school, where academic adjustments are often routinely and automatically provided to students based on their Individualized Education Plans or Section 504 Plans, at Goucher College, as at other postsecondary institutions, students will be required to advocate for themselves, and to follow the policies and procedures that have been set in place by the institution to request appropriate accommodations. The entire OAS team is available to help students achieve academic success at Goucher College.

Tips for parents

• Self-advocacy is key. Encourage your student to communicate and advocate for him/herself (but don't be afraid to follow up with your student and find out if he/she has).

• Share with your student any concerns you have and issues you think need to be discussed with OAS and assist, as needed, the student in obtaining documentation from their providers. Remind them that such conversations are confidential and that they remain in the "driver's seat" with regards to their own disclosure and requests for accommodations.

• Review documentation with your student. Often, college students have developed 'learned helplessness' from years of others advocating for them and do not understand their diagnosis and/or needs.

• If you're making a campus visit with your student, your student may prefer that you not sit in on their meeting with an OAS staff member. Take no offense; some students may prefer that this meeting be a private one.

• If you do attend a meeting, give your student the opportunity to speak for themselves. Wait until after they have had an opportunity to ask all questions before asking your own or addressing any concerns that were not met. Remember, self-advocacy is key!

• Promote exploration of new opportunities and new relationships. Relationships, in particular, are a prerequisite for learning, the central motivators of the student experience, and often the most treasured results of college.

• Let your student know that you are there if they need it, but also help then to identify the many resources available on campus (OAS workshops, the Academic Center for Excellence, advisors, peer tutors, the Writing Center, the Quantitative Reasoning Center, and librarians).

• If you feel the need to communicate with OAS, parents must involve their student in the conversation.  OAS is limited in what information can be shared with parents due to FERPA confidentiality laws, but we understand that some students may appreciate having their parents involved in conversations in which they are seeking guidance.

• Finally, be prepared for bumps in the road. Remember that we often learn and grow the most when we are challenged and things don't come easy. Understanding how to learn best, seeing failure as an opportunity, and being self-aware of strengths and weaknesses are all predictors of academic and life success.