Disability Resource Center

Parent Tips

• Help your student understand his or her disability and how it impacts him/her. 

• Involve your student early and often in conversations about accommodations and the accommodation process. 

• Allow your student to develop his/her own voice.  Developing self-advocacy skills and a sense of personal responsibility early will benefit your student throughout their lifetime.

• Encourage your student to take challenging courses while in high school. 

• Foster independence – encourage your student to seek academic help independently while in high school.

• Encourage your high school student to develop an understanding of their disability and appropriate memorization strategies, study strategies, and test taking strategies necessitated by his or her disability and learning style.

• Support good time management strategies (i.e., smart phone calendar, planners, white board, wall calendar, electronic reminders and timers)

• Encourage self-regulation and teach them to independently wake up in the morning for school.

• Request updated documentation during your student’s Junior or Senior high school year.

• Understand that you are an important part of your student’s growth and development but your student is responsible for communicating directly to the University faculty and staff. The University will be directly communicating with your student. Assist your student in becoming aware of the differences between high school and college expectations. (Please refer to – Ways In Which College and High School Differ). 

• Encourage your student to take ownership of their college experience by making his/her own well informed decisions.