Overview
The Smooth Transitions program was launched at Colorado State University (CSU) in August 2017. The program was put on by Resources for Disabled Students (RDS). The purpose of this program is to support new students with disabilities as they transition into CSU. These workshops are designed to support students by explaining the process and procedures of requesting and receiving accommodations, teaching self-advocacy, introducing them to campus and community resources, and helping them build connections with their fellow disabled students.
These workshops are designed to allow students to gain the knowledge they desire. Students are not required to attend all workshops. Students can pick and choose which workshops they attend bases off their individual needs.
Background and Rationale
For students with disabilities, transitioning from high school to college can be a difficult experience due to several factors. In high school students with disabilities are given accommodations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), under which the institution is responsible for identifying students and implementing accommodations for them. The goal in this situation is to help the student graduate and achieve academic success. Whereas in postsecondary education students are given accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, where the student is responsible for self-identifying themselves as having a disability and requesting accommodations themselves. The goal in this situation is to provide equal access to the learning environment, and success is not guaranteed.
In addition to the legal changes in responsibility, for many students being in college is the first time they have been away from their families, this can add to the stress of the transition. In addition to this, some students may have trouble making friends or feeling like they are part of a community.
RDS provides accommodations and support to students with disabilities at CSU. While RDS focuses primarily on providing academic accommodations and support for students, due to lack of staff and resources they are not able to provide a more specialized type of support for new students.
To help fill this gap in supporting students I developed this program for RDS which will help provide additional support to new students. This program consists of a series of workshops each designed to support students in their transition to college by teaching them about the accommodations process, their rights, and responsibilities, introducing them to resources available to them, and by helping them make connections with other students and campus staff.
Joe Tiner 