Overview Masthead Image

Overview

College students with disabilities, including students with cochlear implants, have a right to equal access to education under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). Unlike high school:

  • Colleges are not required to identify students with disabilities in need of accommodations or provide educational plans to meet that need.
  • Parents’ rights to access their student’s educational records transfer to the student.
  • Students are responsible for disclosing their disability and providing supporting documentation to obtain accommodations.

However, parents can still play an important role supporting their students in the process of securing accommodations by ensuring their students understand legal rights to accommodations in college and have the self-advocacy skills to obtain the accommodations.