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Students with Disabilities

EdInfo Number 99-11
November, 1999

In 1993, over 9 percent of freshman reported having some disability. However only 1-3 percent of all students with disabilities request accommodations. Therefore, it is important that institutions increase student awareness of the available support services that meet the specific needs of students with disabilities. The College Access, Retention and Employment (CARE) Model was developed for students with disabilities enrolled in community colleges. Strategies endorsed by the CARE model include:

• Support Services Establish a Disabled Student Services (DSS) Department, which offers services such as note takers and readers, access to technology, test-taking accommodations, and tutorial services offered to students.
• Recruitment Videos, recruitment mailings, and the Internet are tools that can be used to advertise services to assist student with disabilities. Other methods for recruitment are involving social and community service agencies and employing transition specialists in high schools.
• Mentorship Match a student with a peer mentor, who can often alleviate student concerns regarding participating in extracurricular activities, career exploration, and other college experiences a student with disabilities may face in college.
• Advisement/Counseling Provide practical information about current and future job markets, accurate course and major requirements, and strategies used by successful people with disabilities in various careers.
• Faculty and Staff Training Make faculty and staff aware of their responsibilities regarding students with disabilities through training that provides suggested accommodations for the blind or the visually impaired, the deaf or hearing impaired, the physically impaired, and learning disabled.

This information was reported in ED 418 751, titled "The College Access, Retention and Employment (CARE) Program Model" by Mara Cooper Smith. A full-text copy of this document may be obtained from the ERIC Document Reproduction Services , 7420 Fullerton Road, Suite 110, Springfield, VA 22153; or call (800) 443-ERIC.

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