PLAN:
Post-secondary
Links to Academic
Navigation
Candice Kavanagh and
Amanda Bettencourt
Paul Menton Centre for
Students with Disabilties
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Presentation Outline
1. Getting you thinking…
2. Prescriptive requirements and
cognitive challenges
3. Transition programming
4. Make the CUT
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Learning Outcomes
1. Transition programming can address
specific needs of students with disabilities
2. Timelines for information dissemination
3. Building collaborative relationships
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Video #1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubNF9QNEQLA
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Video #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY
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Discussion
Compare your experiences:
• Watching video with no prior knowledge of
what to expect
• Watching video with prior knowledge and an
idea of what might happen
• What was it like?
• How did you feel about it?
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What’s the Point?
If you were given the opportunity to ask
questions about the first video before seeing
it, would you have known what questions to
ask?
Even with some guidance or idea, were there
still things you missed?
The point is:
You don’t know what you don’t know!
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Transition to Post-secondary
Specific skills and knowledge are necessary for
a successful transition.
What is particularly difficult for students with
disabilities?
• Prescriptive requirements
• Cognitive challenges
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Prescriptive Requirements
• Students with disabilities may have a more
difficult time navigating the prescriptive
requirements of post-secondary.
• In addition, to obtain appropriate academic
supports and accommodation, they need to
navigate more prescriptive requirements
than the average student.
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Cognitive Challenges
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Essential Skills
Metacognition
• Active control over cognitive processes and
awareness of navigation through steps of
learning
• Often referred to as, “thinking about thinking”
Self-determination
• Self-awareness major component of success
• Student involvement regarding abilities and
desired outcomes
• Self-advocacy
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Discussion
Thinking about transition programs already in
place at your institutions, how do you think
they may or may not meet the particular needs
of students with disabilities?
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The Transition Process
Wehman and Yasuda (2005) identified specific
challenges that students with disabilities face
during the transition process:
• Insufficient information about the transition
process
• Lack of knowledge on the part of
teachers/counsellors
• Absence of links between school systems and
services providers
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Transition Programs
• Get the FACTS
• Mentor Volunteer Program (MVP)
• PMC Intro
• Make the CUT
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SAIL
Summer Academic Institute for Learning (SAIL)
• Transition program for recent high school
graduates
• One week in July
• Collaboration between DSOs at Carleton
University and Algonquin College
• Opportunity to develop essential skills
• Differed from other summer institute
programs in Ontario
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Make the CUT
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Timing
• Prior to arrival at post-secondary institution
• May and November – Quieter times for postsecondary and critical times for secondary
• Grade 11 students attend in May and grade
12 students attend in November
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MTC for Students
Students
•
•
•
•
•
•
Welcoming address
Assistive technology
Plan your transition
Learning strategies
Mini-fair
Mentor Panel or Student Success Panel
“Make the CUT showed me that I am not alone
striving to perform with a Learning Disability
and that there are many resources available to
help me when I move on from high school.”
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MTC for Educators
Educators
• Separate sessions were created to encourage
them to buy into and promote the program
• Provide an opportunity for school boards to
address “hot topics”
• Ensure that the process of registration is
clarified to support students during the
transition period
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MTC for Educators
Educators
• Keynote speakers
• Gong sessions
• Optional sessions
“The enthusiasm of your Make the CUT team
inspired us at our high school to create our own
Special Education Transition Guide! The
educator sessions and resources covering
documentation requirements in one word –
invaluable!”
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MTC for Parents
Parents
• Foster independence in students
• Welcome to join Educator sessions
“This is an excellent program to familiarize
students and parents with the transition
process. It help remove ‘the fear barrier’.”
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Relationships
Partnership between Carleton University,
Algonquin College, and secondary school
boards allows for:
• Valuable feedback for program evaluation
and collaboration
• Targeted audience – Secondary schools
decide which students should attend, those
who would benefit most
• Transportation for students and educators
provided by secondary school boards
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Normalizing
The experience of attending MTC can help
destigmatize and normalize LD in post-secondary
• Surrounded by peers with LD also planning to
attend post-secondary
• Mentors
• Post-secondary community
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Activity #1
Brainstorm at your tables:
• What are the defining
characteristics of this
disability?
• What particular
prescriptive
requirements and/or
cognitive challenges
need to be addressed?
• How would you address
them?
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Activity #2
How can you take what we have told you about
today and use it to enhance upon the transition
program(s) you have at your institution or to
create a new one?
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MTC Contact Information
For further information regarding
MTC please contact:
Linda Stewart, Transitions Coordinator Make the CUT
by email at L1stewart@rogers.com
Additional information is also provided on the Make the
CUT websites at:
www. carleton.ca/pmc/transition-to-carleton/make-the-cut/
or
www.algonquincollege.com/csd/transition-planning/makethe-cut/
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Question Period
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Contact Information
Amanda Bettencourt, M.Ed.
amanda.bettencourt@carleton.ca
Candice Kavanagh, M.A., B.Ed.
candice.kavanagh@carleton.ca
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References
Brinckerhoff, L. C., McGuire, J. M., & Shaw, S. F. (2002). Postsecondary
Education and Transition for Students with Learning Disabilities. Austin,
Texas: pro-ed inc.
Nichols, E., Harrison, A. G., McCloskey, L., & Weintraub, L. (2002).
Learning opportunities task force 1997-2002: Final report. Richmond
Hill, Ontario, Canada: Learning Opportunities Task Force.
Tsagris, D., & Muirhead, B. (2012). Evaluating Postsecondary Supports
for Ontario Students With Learning Disabilities. Toronto: Higher
Education Quality Council of Ontario.
Getzel, E.E., & Wehman, P. (2005). Going to college: Expanding
opportunities for people with disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
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