Your Student, Your Advocate
Supporting students with disabilities in college
The rules change when your student turns 18.
Everything you fought for in high school — the IEP meetings, the 504 plans, the accommodations, the therapists, the advocates — that system ends at graduation. College operates under a completely different legal framework, and most families don’t find out until they need it.
This page won’t cover everything. But it will give you a foundation — what changes, what to do before move-in day, and how to advocate effectively for your student in a system that requires them to speak for themselves.
A note on this page: our founder is a board-certified clinical specialist in pediatric physical therapy with experience supporting students with disabilities transitioning to college. The guidance here reflects that background. It is not legal advice. For complex situations, consult a disability rights attorney or specialist.
First — Understand What Changes
In high school your student had an IEP or 504 plan. The school was legally required to identify needs, provide services, and ensure your student received a free and appropriate public education.
College is different. Here’s what changes:
- No more IEPs. Individualized Education Programs are a K-12 document. They do not transfer to college.
- The burden shifts to your student. In college your student must self-identify to the disability services office, provide their own documentation, and request accommodations themselves. The college will not seek them out.
- The standard changes. Colleges are required to provide reasonable accommodations under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act — but they are not required to provide the same level of support as K-12.
- You lose access. Once your student turns 18 FERPA protects their academic records. Unless they grant you access you will not be able to speak to disability services on their behalf.
Types of Disabilities — Every Student is Different
Disabilities affecting college students span a wide spectrum. Some are visible. Many are not.
Physical disabilities — mobility impairments, neuromuscular conditions, chronic illness, post-surgical limitations, and energy-limiting conditions. A student who walked independently in high school may benefit from mobility aids in college — not because their condition worsened but because a college campus is a very different physical environment.
Learning disabilities — dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and processing disorders. Students who managed in high school with support may find college’s faster pace and higher volume more challenging.
ADHD — one of the most common disabilities in college students and frequently underdiagnosed or unaccommodated. Executive function challenges affect everything from time management to test performance.
Mental health conditions — anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, and others. These are sometimes called invisible disabilities because there is no visible sign. They are no less real and no less deserving of accommodation.
Autism spectrum — students may need support with social navigation, sensory environments, and executive function alongside academic accommodations.
Chronic illness — conditions like Crohn’s disease, lupus, diabetes, epilepsy, and others that may affect attendance, energy, or the ability to complete assignments on a standard timeline.
Traumatic brain injury — including concussion history that may affect memory, processing speed, and concentration.
A Note on Invisible Disabilities
Many of the students who need accommodations most are the ones least likely to ask for them. Anxiety, depression, ADHD, learning disabilities, and chronic illness are often invisible to everyone including the student themselves — especially students who have spent years masking or compensating.
Before your student leaves for college have an honest conversation. Ask if anything has ever felt harder for them than it seemed to for their peers. Many students arrive at college without ever having been evaluated simply because they were managing — until they weren’t.
Physical Access — Think Beyond the Classroom
This section draws on clinical experience supporting students with physical disabilities transitioning from high school to college and adult life.
When families think about physical access they usually think about classrooms. But college life happens everywhere — and access needs to be considered across every environment your student will use.
Think about access in these areas:
- Getting around campus — distances between buildings, hills, uneven terrain, weather
- Classrooms and lecture halls — seating, aisle width, proximity to exits, sightlines, acoustics
- Residence halls and dorm rooms — bathroom configuration, bed height, storage, door width, shared spaces
- Dining halls — tray carrying, line navigation, seating options
- Libraries and study spaces — accessible workstations, quiet rooms, elevator access
- Restrooms — location, configuration, availability between classes
- Recreation and fitness facilities — adaptive equipment, accessible entrances
- Outdoor spaces — pathways, seating, event venues
- Transportation — campus shuttles, paratransit options, parking
Energy Conservation — An Often Overlooked Consideration
One of the most important and least discussed aspects of physical disability in college is energy management.
A student who walks independently may still benefit from a wheeled mobility device — not because they cannot walk but because conserving energy for academic work, social engagement, and managing daily life is a legitimate clinical priority.
If your student uses a manual wheelchair independently, powered mobility may be worth considering for a college campus. The distances are longer, the terrain is more variable, and the cognitive and physical demands of college life are higher than high school. Energy spent pushing across campus is energy not available for everything else.
This is a clinical decision best made with your student’s physical therapist or physiatrist — but it is worth raising before move-in day, not after your student arrives exhausted.
Request a Site Visit if Possible
Before your student arrives — ideally before they commit to a school — consider requesting a site visit with a physical or occupational therapist who specializes in accessibility.
Many campuses will accommodate this through disability services. Some therapists offer remote consultations using campus maps, photos, and virtual tours when an in-person visit isn’t possible.
A site visit can identify access barriers before they become crises — a restroom that requires a detour, a classroom that can’t accommodate a wheelchair, a dorm room that needs modifications before move-in.
Working with the Disability Services Office
Every college and university has a disability services office. It may be called:
- Office of Disability Services
- Student Accessibility Services
- Office of Accessible Education
- Center for Students with Disabilities
Whatever it’s called, this office is your student’s primary point of contact for accommodations. Here’s how to work with it effectively:
Before arriving on campus:
- Contact the office early — ideally before the school year starts
- Gather current documentation — evaluations, medical records, previous accommodation plans
- Understand what documentation the school requires — requirements vary by institution
- Request a meeting to discuss your student’s specific needs
What accommodations might include:
- Extended time on tests and assignments
- Preferred seating in classrooms
- Note-taking support
- Alternative testing environments
- Accessible housing assignments
- Reduced course load without academic penalty
- Flexibility on attendance policies
Important: Accommodations are not retroactive. Your student cannot request them after a failed exam and expect it to be applied retroactively. Encourage them to register with disability services before classes begin.
Have the Conversation Before They Leave
Many students — especially those with invisible disabilities — resist identifying themselves as having a disability. They don’t want to be seen differently. They want to prove they can do it on their own.
This is understandable. And it can have serious consequences.
Before move-in day talk to your student about:
- What accommodations they had in high school and whether they helped
- Whether they want to register with disability services — and that it’s their choice
- That asking for help is not weakness — it’s strategy
- That you support them regardless of what they decide
Resources
- Your college’s disability services office — search your school name + “disability services”
- ADA National Network — adata.org — information on rights and accommodations
- AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) — ahead.org — resources for students and families
- Understood.org — resources specifically for learning and thinking differences
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 — available 24/7 for students in crisis
This page was written with by a board-certified physical therapist. It is intended as general guidance only and does not constitute medical, legal, or therapeutic advice. Every student’s situation is unique — consult qualified professionals for individualized support.