Yes! Students with learning disabilities can earn college credit and get accommodations. The process looks slightly different in different states, and especially different if you start using dual enrollment.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
As a homeschool administrator, you should understand your place in the process so you can be sure your student receives the accommodations they are entitled to.
High School vs. College
In a public high school, the school takes the lead on how students are served. In a school setting, an IEP or 504 is the typical documentation provided by the school and outlines the services and accommodations the school will provide to serve the student. This is a “top-down” approach. They provide the services to your student.
In college enrollment, which includes high school students taking classes in college during high school, the student must seek services, so this could be viewed as a “bottom-up” approach. It is up to your student to make sure any accommodations they desire are being provided. This is also called “student-led” or “self-identification.” In short, if the student does not identify themselves as needing accommodations, the college doesn’t have to provide any.
This switch of ownership is the biggest change, but once you understand the dynamic, your student can pursue all accommodations easily.
Arizona State University (Universal Learner)
Many of you use our program through Arizona State University called Universal Learner. If your student is using ASU, be sure to directly contact their S.A.I.L.S. team as early in the process as possible. ASU has an incredible team that works with students, and the feedback from our community is that they are excellent to work with.
Credit by Exam (CLEP & AP)
CLEP, AP, and all College Board products have a simple accommodations process by filling out a form. I encourage you to visit their page and review the details, but the high-level overview is that your student can get accommodations for all exam products. College Board Accommodations page
