Students with Disabilities

Advisors from time to time may advise a student with a disability–physical, psychiatric or learning disability. Advisors may or may not be aware of a student’s disability. Stigmas often attached to disabilities may hinder a student’s desire to disclose such information. However, advisors are appropriate sources for a student to turn for information. Lack of information or wrong information can account for some of the mishaps students with disabilities face in advising situations.

Advisees may find that secondary and postsecondary settings are quite different. The unstructured environment of higher education offers less stability to students who depend upon special services. While advisors may be used to offering students a new level of freedom, students with disabilities may require more guidance. Advisors should not assume the student is registered with ASU-Beebe Disability Services. Some students are unaware of this department and others may be reluctant to seek it out.

Advisors should also be aware that each student with a disability is unique. Advisors should not shy aware from inquiring about a student’s academic needs while in college. Students may need to take a reduced course load, a balance between the level of difficulty among classes, or a combination of class length and frequencies. Advisors should be aware of the services available to students. ASU-Beebe Disability Services located in the Guidance Center offers students with disabilities many services based upon the students’ needs.

Link to: ASU-Beebe Disability Services