Back to School with A Disability

The New School Year Brings Challenges for Disabled Students

Sep 7, 2008

Starting a new school can be scary for anyone - new classmates, new teachers, new building. Add a disability to that equation and the fear can be overwhelming.

Moving to a new school, whether the move is from elementary school to junior high or junior high to high school, can be a difficult and frightening undertaking. If you or your child are facing this daunting experience, there are some steps you can take and some things you can do to lessen the anxiety and make the transition smoother.

Assess the Building

The first thing you should do when you find out that a new school is on the horizon is to check out the building. Some schools offer what they call a “transition day” near the end of the school year to allow students the opportunity to tour the new school they will be attending. If the school you are currently attending does not offer a transition day, arrange to go on your own to tour the school. Do this as soon after the end of the school year as you can. This is especially important for students in wheelchairs so that they can locate classrooms, elevators and accessible restrooms before the first day of school and the crush of students filling the hallways, making it difficult to navigate the corridors.

This will also give you and/or you parents a chance to see what accommodations need to be made in order for you to get the most out of your school experience. For example, if the school you will be attending is more than one floor and does not have an elevator, an early summer visit will give the school ample opportunity to put one in.

Talk to someone who has faced the same situation. Perhaps you have an older sibling or friend who has previously attended the school you are going to. If this is the case, have a talk with them. Chances are, they will have some insider information that they can give you on good and bad teachers, how to get along with said teachers and more. Some schools offer mentoring programs between older students and incoming students. You can also find students from your new school on social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook.

Know Your Rights

Familiarize yourself with the laws governing disabilities and education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act all regulate how children with disabilities are treated in public schools, whether or not they are mainstreamed and what services they are entitled to receive. The ADA also deals with the architectural barriers that are still in place in some schools.

If you take these steps, or even come up with some of your own ideas, the transition to a new school can be a fun and enjoyable experience.

The copyright of the article Back to School with A Disability in Disabilities is owned by Megan Drummond. Permission to republish Back to School with A Disability in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.