Colleges and universities spend significant amounts of money on state of the art recreation facilities to attract students and to promote their health and wellness while on campus. But do these facilities serve ALL students, particularly those with physical disabilities and/or health conditions? We know that wellness and fitness activities can be a key element […]
Category: Physical Disabilities
Interview with Dana Jones, Founder & Director of Accessadoor
Just over a month ago, I received a text message from a former student of mine who I met during my days as the Associate Director of the Academic Resource Center at Georgetown University (GU’s disability support office). She shared the website for Accessadoor, a product that can be attached to automatic push button doors, […]
Addressing Health Conditions and Physical Disabilities
This article was first published in the October-November 2019 edition of Insights, the newsletter of the Independent Educational Consultants Association. Transitioning to college can present challenges for all students: living away from home for the first time and with roommates, finding their way around a largely unfamiliar campus, and navigating new social and academic interactions. […]
Tips for Transitioning to College with a Mobility Impairment
When students with mobility impairments transition to college, there is a lot to consider beyond academic accommodations and campus accessibility. Through my work providing college transition support for students with physical disabilities and health conditions and my experience as a university administrator, I have learned to initiate conversations about the following areas: housing accommodations, Personal […]
Interview with Cindy Kolbe, Author of “Struggling with Serendipity”
I met Cindy Kolbe, author of the book and blog Struggling with Serendipity a few months ago at a United Spinal DC chapter meeting. Cindy shared her story of being the driver in a car that was in a serious accident that led to her daughter Beth’s spinal cord injury and her own struggle with […]
Requesting Accommodations in College
For most students, the process of transitioning to college is straightforward. However, students with disabilities – including physical disabilities, chronic health conditions, mental health conditions, learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD – have additional considerations leading up to move-in day. In the K-12 setting, students with disabilities are provided with accommodations by the school under the Individuals […]
College Transition for Students Who Use Mobility Devices
I was excited for the opportunity to share my work on the National Disability Institute’s blog. The National Disability Institute collaborates and innovates to build a better financial future for people with disabilities and their families. The piece looks at considerations for students who use mobility devices as they approach the transition to college. The […]
How Students With Disabilities, and Their Parents, Need To Prepare for College
I was excited for the opportunity to share my work with the Grown and Flown audience. Grown and Flown provides a wealth of information related to parenting high schoolers and college aged students. The piece addresses steps that parents and students with disabilities can take to ensure a successful transition to college. The piece was originally […]
Campus Housing for Students with Health Conditions and Physical Disabilities
Students with physical disabilities and health conditions may require housing accommodations in order to be able to live on campus. Most universities have a separate processing for requesting housing based on a disability or medical need. This process typically takes place before the housing selection process. You should contact the Disability Support Office and Housing […]
Planning for College Tours-Tips for Students with Health Conditions and Physical Disabilities
For many students the process of planning for a college tour is as simple as selecting the college and signing up for the tour. However, for students with physical disabilities and health conditions there may be a few more steps. Below I’ve outlined a few considerations for students with physical disabilities and students with health […]