Legal Issues: The Transition from High School to College

The movement from secondary to post-secondary education for students with disabilities involves significant changes in applicable laws and legal rights and responsibilities.

In high school, most students with disabilities have been provided services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which is a funding statute requiring schools to identify students with special needs and to provide services (special education) for students with disabilities.  IDEA does not apply to post secondary education. 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to both secondary education and post-secondary education settings. These statutes are civil rights (non-discrimination) statutes and require the provision of reasonable accommodations for equal access to services and programs for qualified students.

The following pages provide a summary of the major legal differences between high school and college that students with disabilities need to understand. (Click on link to view each.)

The first is a summary of differences developed by the Office of Disability Services at Oklahoma City Community College.

The second is a tabular summary of differences developed by Kay McVey at Henderson State University.

For further information about services for students with disabilities at UMass Lowell, contact the Office of Student Disability Services.

You may also wish to consult the extensive legal information about disability and higher education available from the Council on Law in Higher Education.