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I

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Transitioning Student Handbook

For

Students with Special Needs

A National Indian Community College & Land Grant Institution

Since 1971

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Provided by the SIPI Vocational Rehabilitation Program

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Acknowledgements

The S,IPI Vocational Rehabilitation Program would like to gratefully acknowledge the following people for their contribution and time.

Without their efforts this handbook would not be possible.

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute President's Office Dr. Sherry Allison

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Admissions Office Mr. Joseph Carpio

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Faculty & Staff

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Facilities Ms. Karlissa Shomour & Facilities Employees

Special Acknowledgements

To the late Mrs. Martha Grosepe- without

her guidance, this handbook would not have been possible

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Students with Special Needs

University of Northern Colorado-Division of Exceptionality & Bilingual/ESL Education- Greeley, CO

Dr. Diane Bassett

University of New Mexico - Special Education DepartmentAlbuquerque, NM

Dr. Ginger Blalock

I I

WELCOME TO THE SOUTHWESTERN INDIAN POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE

The purpose of this handbook has been developed for students with special needs and is intended as a general information guide. Strategies for deciding on a program of study, selecting classes, and preparing for success are only a small part of this handbook. Some very important laws concerning the special needs student are included.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements......................................................................... 2

Purpose 3

Getting Started

Apply for Admission 5

Apply for Financial Aid 5

Review the SIPI Catalog 5

Take the ACT/TABE 6

Decide on Program of Study 6

Pick up a Trimester Schedule 6

Meet with Advisor / Academic Counselor 7

Transition Strategies for Students and Parents............................ 8

Helpful Hints

Getting off to a Good Start... 9

Preparing for Success............................................................ 11

General Tips... 12

Facts About Disabilities

Myths 14

Reasonable Accommodations ,......... 14

Instructors and Student Responsibilities 15

Laws........................................................................................... 15

Appendix........................................................................................ 17

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GETTING STARTED

AD,MISSION

Apply for Admission with the SIPI Admissions Office at least two months in advance before the trimester begins.

Send your high school or GED transcripts if you plan to work on a degree. This information must be on file to receive financial aid. Send your Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB) and your immunization record.

APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID

If interested in obtaining-financial aid, complete the FASFA (Pell Grant) application available online under FASFA or pick up an application at SIPI Financial Aid. Before submitting the application, check with the Financial Aids Office to make sure your application is complete. Remember you may need your parents income.

Allow 4-6 weeks processing time, and if you receive financial aid, you must be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program.

Check with the SIPI Financial Aid Office for additional sources of financial aid and scholarships.

REVIEW THE SIPI CATALOG & STUDENT HANDBOOK

The catalog and handbook are available in the SIPI Admissions Office & Records. Both will provide you with important information about campus policies, student responsibilities, a description of all the degrees offered, and a list of course descriptions. The catalog and handbook's table of contents will help you find information quickly.

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Before you decide on a program of study, you will need to take the ACT and/or TABE assessments to assist you in course placement. Both test will assess your Reading, Writing, and Math abilities.

f TAKE THE ACT/TABE TEST

Before taking these assessments, we recommend you review and study these areas before taking the assessments. If you have questions, please contact the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor or SIPI Advisors.

DECIDE ON A PROGRAM OF STUDY

If you are undecided about your educational career goals, have questions on course outlines, need information on job markets, and career requirements, this information can be found in the office of your academic counselor and/or student advisor.

After you decide on a program of study, make an appointment with your student advisor and academic counselor to file a degree plan. Your student advisor will advise you at the beginning and end of each trimester on which classes need to be taken for your course of study.

Your student advisor will always be your close mentor throughout your entire educational journey. When you graduate from SIPI and pursue higher levels of education, you will always have an advisor in the college and university levels.

PICK UP A TRIMESTER SCHEDULE

Review the dates of registration and the school calendar for the trimester. The school calendar will provide you with important

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deadlines such as withdrawal date, residential dates as to when the dorms open and close, mid-term and final exams, when tuition is due, and holidays (See Appendix).

Tuition and residential costs are listed in the SIPI catalog. Please remember there are no book cost. The books will be provided by your class instructor. It is always good, however, to invest in books and begin establishing your personal library as your travel through your educational journey. You never know when you will need to reference books, articles, and journals in your coursework.

Review the courses offered for each trimester. Some courses may not be offered during a particular trimester.

MEET WITH ADVISOR I ACADEMIC COUNSELOR

After you take the ACT and/or TABE test, you may be placed in developmental courses that do not count towards your graduation. However, these test can get you off to a good start in building a strong foundation towards your educational careers and goals.

With the help of your student advisor and/or academic counselor, decide on the number of classes to take. A three-credit hour class will usually require nearly three hours in class and six hours of homework time applied each week. If receiving financial aid, check with Financial Aid to see how many credits you are required to take for the FASFA and other scholarships.

Student Status

Credit Hours

Full-time Student

12 hou rs or more

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Three-Quarter

09 Hours

Part-Time Student

06 Hours or less

Please schedule an appointment with your student advisor and/or academic counselor in choosing classes. Courses numbered below the 100 level are developmental courses, above the 100 level are freshman courses, and 200 level are for second year students. Check the course descriptions in the catalog for information about any courses that you need before enrolling.

TRANSITION STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS

Review your Individual Four-Year Plan developed at age of fourteen.

Review your Individual Educational Plan developed prior to age 16, which includes community and school transitional teamwork.

Make a checklist for Transitioning to Post-Secondary Education

a. Identify and know your strengths and weaknesses.

b. Talk about your educational goals and aspirations with your parents and high school counselor.

c. Enroll in courses that will help you build a solid foundation towards reaching your goals.

d. Bring your Individual Educational Plan and other important documents to the college's disability coordinator, in this case, it would be the SIPI Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.

e. Bring the documentation on community services you are receiving.

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f. Ask the SIP;I Vocational Counselor about interest and aptitude test.

g. Mark arrangements to contact employment sites if you plan to work while going to school.

h. Arrange accommodations for the ACT and/or TABE assessments.

i. Notify the SIPI Vocational Rehabilitation Program on accommodations in the classroom and' residential housing.

j. Contact your local Indian Health Service-Contract Health by notifying them you are attending school away from home.

HELPFUL HINTS

Getting Off To A Good Start

The first rule of college success is the need for individual motivation and commitment to learning and personal development. It is this factor alone that enables many students to succeed and overcome many potential barriers that would otherwise defeat the goals or effects of the less dedicated.

As soon as possible, identify and communicate with the SIPI Vocational .Rehabilitation Counselor. Remember is it your responsibility to self-identify and provide the appropriate documentation required to support a disability claim or any request for extraordinary accommodations.

Play by the Rules. Demonstrate respect for the policies, people, and procedures that are already in place. Individual success both in school

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andin life often hinge upon one's ability and wiUingness to follow directions, maintain a cooperative attitude, and demonstrate personal flexibility as new challenges arise. Rules exist to promote fairness and assure equality of opportunity and access for all students. Please refer to the SIPI Student Handbook.

Plan Ahead. Unwanted surprises or crises can be avoided by obtaining information ahead of time before formal enrollment takes place. Some suggestions include obtaining a college brochure and schedule to learn about policies, processes, and programs associated with each department. Apply for financial aid early, attend orientation,

investigate what support services are offered, and make appointments with your advisor and academic counselor. Develop a list of questions that reflects your own needs and priorities, and be committed towards completing tasks daily, weekly, and plan months in advance. Remember to develop short and long term goals. It is good to think far in advance by asking yourself simple questions as "what willi be doing in the next five years" or "what can II accomplish within the next trimester or year while I am in college?"

Do First Things First. Once you know your Educational Goals and have decided on what you want to study, an orderly plan of action should be implemented. First, apply for admission. Second, complete entry or placement testing. Third, make your appointments with your student advisor and/or academic counselor to review your scores to identify specific courses to be taken. Finally, follow up on your financial aid, receive your textbooks, and check with SIPI Residential if you plan to stay in SIPI Residential. Good Luck!

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PREPARING FOR SUCCESS

The following strategies can help to assure your short and long-term success in college,

Master the Basic Skills Early. Knowing how to read, write, speak, and perform basic math functions are absolutely critical to college success. Any basic skills deficiency identified upon entry should be of primary concern for any new student. Use the Academic Support Center for tutoring, the Library, and any available tutor support to build or strengthen any basic skins, weaknesses as soon as possible. Do not delay because delay can result in future course failure,

Learn How to Study or Compete for Grades Effectively. Involve yourself in effective study habits and take advantage of study groups, workshops, and teacher availability. Teachers will tell you how to study, but only experience and knowledge can teach you how to study. Remember, college is not high school: the requirements and student expectations are quite different.

Limit Your Extracurricular lnvolvament during your First School Term. Success is your top priority. Both time and activity adjustments will be required by you to help you reach your goals through your first term.

Consider PartiCiipation in a Support Group. You can ease your period of adjustment in college by joining a student organization or by developing helpful relationships or linkages with your peers on campus. Faculty members can often assist you with such efforts once they are informed about your needs or educational/employment interests.

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Communicate with Faculty and Staff Member Regularly, These individuals are normalily "user-friendlv." Take advantage of faculty office hours and if you feel the need to ask for assistance, please do. Staff and Faculty are advocates for students in need on a college campus.

Do Your Part in Every Case. Personal responsibility always accompanies any freedoms or considerations given. lin college, "doing your part" can mean a number of things. This includes, but is not limited to: doing all the assignments given to the best of your ability; providing needed information; following established processes; obeying rules: being committed to your educational goals; staying focused; obtaining tutoring. tt is important to note here that in most cases-we always get in direct relation to what we give.

Never Give Up. If something is worth having or doing, it is worth the time, effort, or sacrifice required to accomplish this goal. Half of the challenge is knowing what you want and why you want it to begin with; the other half consists of doing what must be done to accomplish the required tasks. Remember the operative rule here is that life only rewards those who finish a race, completes a job, or accomplishes their educational endeavors.

GENERAL TIPS

As a student with a disability, the teaching or instructional environment may affect your ability to participate or keep up with coursework. At the higher educational level, remember it is your responsibility to notify the SIPI Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor of any special needs you might have before any academic course begins. You may disclose to the

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instructor if you so desire and the instructor will' direct you to the Vocational Rehabilltation office. It is suggested that you meet with the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor to discuss concerns you might have by the end of the first week of class if possible. Helpful guidelines that may be applicable when in a classroom setting are given below.

1. Onlv request attention or special accommodations that directly relate to your disabling condition. However, you should not hesitate to ask questions related to any needs you might have.

2. Expect to maintain the standards that apply to everyone in class.

Normally, you should not expect adjustments to be made in areas such as grading, attendance requirements, course content, or instructional' methodology.

3. Remember that adapting classroom activities is a shared responsibility between the institution, instructor, and student.

4. Any special testing arrangements needed require that both the teacher and the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor be notified in advance of the event-usually a one week advance notice is acceptable.

5. Remember that life at any college is usually onlly as difficult or as easy as people themselves cause it to be. Much depends on an individual's attitude, level of preparation, and expectations .. It is wise to prepare well in advance, take positive actions from day one, and remember, what happens to us in school and in life is our responsibility. You can change negative factors into positive events through experimentation, collaboration, flexibilitv, and demonstrated persistence.

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FACTS ABOUT DISABILITIES

>- Some are viable, some are not.

>- Specific adaptations are made according to the student and the disability.

>- Lack of knowledge about a disability causes prejudice and fear.

Myths

>- If you cannot see the disability, it does not exist. );;> Learning disability can be cured.

);;> Deaf people cannot speak.

>- All disabled people are mentally retarded.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

Below are a list of accommodations you can expect to receive from SIPI.

);;> Physical: Removal of architectural barriers

);;> Classroom arrangement: Special seating arrangements )0> Programmatic:

• Extended time on test/exam accommodations

• Tape recorded lectures

• Course requirement substitution

• Note Taking

• Oral Exams

• Outlines

• Study Guides

• Cue cards

• Use of dictionary, spell check, calculator

• Alternative test design

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• Collaborativelearning

• F.lexibility with assignment deadlines

• Alternative assignments

• Advance notification/accommodations for service trips

• Taking breaks

• Extra response time

)0> Medical & External Service Appointments )0> Residential Housing Arrangements

INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT RESPONSIBLITIES

Reasonable accommodation laws require instructors to adapt course presentations to meet the unique needs of the student's disabling condition.

It is the student's responsibility to make his or her limits or abilities known and meet the expectations set up with the instructor.

DISABILITY LA WS

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Standard for Compliance under 504 confidentiality:

Any information regarding disabilitv gained from a medical evaluation or appropriate post admission inquire shall be considered confidential,

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973:

No otherwise qualified handicapped individual ... shall, solelv by reason of his handicap be excluded from participation in, be denied the

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benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal assistance.

American Disabilities Act of 1990, states in part:

No qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of services, programs or activities of a public entity, or be subject to discrimination by any such entity.

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NOTES