Everyone has different strengths.
If you have a documented disability or disorder that affects your ability to succeed in a college setting, you may be eligible for Disability Services.
If you will be a new student in the fall, we are able to accept disability documentation by e-mail, post, or fax. Please direct all inquiries and documentation to the Coordinator of Disability Services, Gerry Volpe.
Gerry Volpe
Coordinator of Disability Services
Castleton University
87 University Drive
Castleton, VT 05735
Phone: 802-468-1428
Fax: 802-468-1205
Sometimes, a little adjustment can make a test or assignment less daunting. If you have appropriate documentation, Gerry Volpe, Coordinator of Disability Services, can find ways to make learning and living at college easier for you.
More information is available on:
Nervous about taking the big plunge into college? We offer a five-day program right before first-year orientation. You’ll have fun, make new friends, and start your first semester with confidence.
Assignments, essays, presentations, tests, exams, deadlines – making the transition from high school to college can be tough. In one-on-one and small group sessions, our counselors will discuss how you can manage your time and meet your goals.
The transition from high school to college presents many challenges for all students and their families. It can be exciting and confusing, happy and stressful, fun and fearful. Those feelings are normal and are all part of the process of growth and change.
For students with disabilities there is the added challenge of figuring out the differences between the services they received in high school and the rights and responsibilities they will have as college students. There are some significant differences between high school and college.
The responsibilities of the University differ significantly from those of school districts. No "special education" system exists at the college level, but colleges do provide services to students with disabilities.
You will have responsibilities as a college student that you did not have as a high school student. In college, the student is responsible for initiating a request for accommodation. To do so, the student must declare that he/she has a disability and must provide current documentation.
Colleges are not governed by the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act); however, colleges are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability and are required to ensure equal access for otherwise qualified students with disabilities. "Equal access" includes providing students with reasonable accommodations.
All students, including those with disabilities, must meet the same academic standards. Accommodations are meant to "level the playing field," not lower standards.
For an overview of tips that can help prepare you for college, please read our Tips for Students with Disabilities Planning to Attend College.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the law that covers students ages two to 21 who need special education in public schools. This law has no authority after a student graduates from high school. From then on, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) become the guiding laws. The biggest differences between IDEA and ADA & 504 are as follows:
Colleges are not required to modify admission requirements or academic requirements for a student with a disability. In fact, a student with a disability must participate in the university's standard admission process and must be otherwise qualified for admission. Otherwise qualified means that the student with a disability must meet the same admissions standards and have academic credentials equivalent to their peers without disabilities.
The University is not required to lower or substantially modify essential academic requirements. For example, the University may provide extra time to complete a test, but it is not required to change the substantive content of the test.
Section 504 and the ADA are considered outcome neutral, that is, they ensure that a student with a disability has an equal opportunity for access but they do not require the university guarantee success.
If a student with a disability wants to request an accommodation, that individual must disclose his/her disability to the appropriate university official and must provide appropriate documentation. Documentation may include educational or medical records, reports and assessments created by health care providers, school psychologists, teachers, or the educational system. This information is inclusive of documents that reflect education and accommodation history, such as an IEP, Summary Of Performance (SOP), and teacher observations. IEP’s and 504 Plans may be irrelevant in the postsecondary context, but if provided, they must show the current impact of the condition and identify a connection between the disability and any accommodation request. Documentation will vary in its relevance and value depending on the original context, credentials of the evaluator, the level of detail provided, and the comprehensiveness of the narrative. (Additional documentation may be requested.)
At Castleton this disclosure and documentation are provided to Gerry Volpe, Coordinator of Disability Services, in the Academic Support Center at (802) 468-1428.
Appropriate academic accommodations are determined by the designated university official based on the specific disability and the individual needs of the student, as well as on the essential requirements of the specific course.
The university is not required to make modifications that would fundamentally alter the nature of the course, or would result in an undue financial or administrative burden.
The Disabilities Access Committee (DAC) exists to address issues for all Castleton students and employees. The DAC provides a forum for addressing the needs of Castleton's students and employees in a consistent, comprehensive way.
In many cases, a person with a disability will have contact with several campus departments in an attempt to resolve a variety of issues. The membership of the committee includes representatives from those departments which have responsibility for some area of disability services.
The goals of the Disabilities Access Committee
Members of DAC are available to facilitate class discussions, make classroom presentations, and present workshops on a variety of topics including the Americans with Disabilities Act, universal design, learning disabilities, communicating with the differently-abled, and adaptive and assistive technologies. In addition, DAC members are available for individual consultation, assistance, and support.