Assessing Virtual College Tours for Students with Physical Disabilities & Health Conditions

In person college tours are on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that does not mean that students need to stop exploring colleges! Students and families can try out “virtual tours,” a number of which also include virtual reality options (get your VR headset ready!). Virtual tours for a number of colleges can be accessed through the host, YouVisit. Many colleges are also hosting virtual student panels and Q&A sessions. To register for these events, and see what virtual events are available at the schools your student is interested in, go to the admissions site of that specific school. Additionally, colleges may also have YouTube channels that have admissions videos, as well as videos that highlight student experience on campus. While these virtual platforms can work well for some students, students with health conditions and physical disabilities are often assessing different aspects of campus life than their non-disabled peers when they go on a college tour. They might be considering: 

• Is the campus accessible for me? 
• Can I navigate campus independently?
• Will I be able to receive accommodations that will allow me to be successful?
• Does the campus have a hospital or a medical center? If not, what options are in the surrounding area?

Finding the answers to these types of questions can be really tricky on virtual tours and platforms. Below I’ve outlined some information and tips to support students with health conditions and physical disabilities who are taking virtual tours.

Are virtual tours accessible? 

Students with visual impairments, hearing impairments, and health conditions may need to use screen readers or captions to access virtual tours, here is YouVisit’s Accessibility Policy. 

Will virtual tours give me a sense of the physical accessibility of a campus?

Maybe. The virtual tours are helpful in getting a sense of the topography, but usually depict one season (spring or summer). They also don’t highlight how students with physical disabilities would access a building, or what accessibility features are present (push buttons, tactile features, or signage). Virtual tour attendees see the front/interior of a building, but the accessible entrance might be on the side or back of the building, and not featured on the virtual tour. Although colleges are required to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities ADA (ADA), there are varying levels of compliance, with some schools even working to go beyond compliance. Unfortunately, the virtual tours are lacking when it comes to effectively communicating physical accessibility features on campus.  

How can I learn accessibility, accommodations, and support for students with disabilities?

Contact the university’s disability support office (DSO). Although the campus may be closed, the disability support office is still open. You can tell them that you are a prospective student and ask if they can connect you with current students with disabilities similar to yours. This is a great way to get a sense of the experience that students with disabilities have on campus.  Here are some articles with tips of how to prepare for the conversation with the DSO:

• How Students With Disabilities, and Their Parents, Need To Prepare for College
• College Transition for Students Who Use Mobility Devices
• When Students with Health Conditions Transition to College

You may also want to reach out to the student health center and the counseling center to ask questions about what services they provide, and get connected to local doctors if they don’t provide the services you need. Additionally, some colleges have a limit on the number of times that a student can see a mental health provider on campus before they refer the student out. Having this information may impact the students’ school choice. 

Will disclosing my disability impact my application?

The disability support office and the admissions office are separate and do not share information. Students with disabilities do not have to disclose their disability in their application or at any time during the admissions process. However, students should still research the types of supports and services that the college provides for students with disabilities and health conditions. It’s important to note that students with disabilities may not receive the same accommodations that they had in high school, and they may need to consider new accommodations for housing, transportation, and dining. For more about transitioning to college with a disability, check out this webinar.

COVID-19 has impacted our lives in many ways. Although the shift to virtual tours and online platforms to explore colleges, might seem strange for some people, for students making final decisions, or figuring out where to apply in the fall, this is the best option. It’s important for students to optimize the information that they can get to inform their decisions. 

Questions? Contact Accessible College