The transition from high school to college brings important changes. The most significant differences involve legal protections, student and family roles, and academic expectations in a university environment.
Legal Protections: Success vs. Access
In high school, students are protected under IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. These laws require schools to provide a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment. Schools develop structured plans, such as IEPs and 504 plans, that support student success.
- Your education team includes you, your parents or caregivers, and school staff
- Plans may include accommodations and modifications, along with skill-building supports
- Schools are responsible for identifying needs and creating supports
In high school, disability laws are designed to promote student success through structured support systems.
In college, the legal framework changes.
The ADA (as amended) and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act are civil rights laws focused on access and non-discrimination. Their purpose is not to guarantee success, but to ensure equal access. They function as anti-discrimination laws with a focus on access.
- They ensure equal access, not guaranteed success
- They do not include modifications to essential course requirements
Your Role in College
In college, you, the student, are the decision-maker.
You take primary responsibility for
- Initiating services
- Requesting accommodations
- Communicating with faculty and campus partners
To receive accommodations, you must
- Self-disclose and identify with Disability, Access, and Inclusion
- Submit documentation to disclose your disability to our office
The DAI team is here to support and partner with you, but the process begins with you.
Because of federal privacy laws, communication happens directly with you, not your supporters (family, parents, or caregivers). Documents such as a power of attorney or a guardianship agreement do not override these protections in the college setting.
Understanding Reasonable Accommodations
A reasonable accommodation is not a change to what you are expected to learn, but a way to ensure you have equal access to a course, program, service, living environment/housing assignment, transportation, or activity.
Reasonable accommodations cannot fundamentally alter essential course or program requirements.
| DAI cannot |
|---|
| Modify admissions requirements |
| Shorten exams |
| Reduce the number of assignments |
| Provide blanket extensions |
| Convert in-person programs to remote formats |
| Alter essential course outcomes |
What Does “Otherwise Qualified” Mean?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (as amended) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, students who are “otherwise qualified” are entitled to equal access to programs, services, and opportunities at URI. As a college student, you are considered “otherwise qualified” if you meet the essential requirements of a course or program, WITH or WITHOUT accommodations.
This means:
- You review your program expectations
- You determine that you have the skills, preparation, and ability to participate
- Disability-related barriers are addressed through reasonable accommodations, not changes to core requirements
All students, regardless of disability, must demonstrate the same knowledge and mastery of content.
Your degree is equivalent and indistinguishable from that of every other URI graduate.
Key Differences at a Glance
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Success-focused | Access-focused |
| Parent involvement expected | Student-led communication |
| School identifies needs | Student self-identifies |
| Modifications possible | No fundamental alterations |
Your Responsibilities in College
Communicating in-person and in-writing to professors, DAI, campus resources, etc.
We won’t know unless YOU tell us.
Maintain your weekly schedule, and make appointments for tutoring, office hours, DAI, etc., as needed.
caretakerNutrition, movement, sleep schedule, resource use.
managerMaking good choices, asking for help if needed, holding yourself accountable to go to clas, complete work on time, setting your own reminders for deadlines like housing or registration, checking and reading pertinent emails.
At URI, we intentionally support you in taking a leadership role in your education. You are in the driver’s seat. This means you are expected to
- Initiate contact
- Schedule appointments with professors, tutors, DAI staff, and other campus resources
- Connect with DAI to discuss your access needs
- Lead communications about your needs in person, in writing, or other formats
- Navigate deadlines and coursework
- Attend class and engage with course expectations
- Build routines that support your well-being (sleep, nutrition, balance)
We recognize that these skills may be new, challenging, or impacted by disability. Developing them is part of the college learning experience.
Partnership and Support
The DAI team works collaboratively with you to:
- Troubleshoot challenges
- Explore options
- Identify practical solutions
The Role of Support Networks
Your support network of parents and caregivers remains important. However, since it is YOUR degree and YOUR college experience,
- the choices available are decided by your actions
- the decisions belong to you
Your Voice has the final say.
These expectations are not barriers, but foundations for success. By developing independence, accountability, and self-advocacy, you are building skills that will support you not only at URI, but also in your career, community, and future goals.