Disability Issues in the
Postsecondary Education Setting

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The types of disabilities represented on a given campus typically vary slightly depending on the surrounding community and the services available both on campus and in the community. It is important that colleges and universities have services in place for students with all disabilities. The following categories have been developed to be as inclusive as possible of the students you might have on your campus. We offer this list as a suggested model of "people first" language and of the most widely accepted terminology.

• Students with Learning Disabilities
• Students with Attention Deficit Disorder
• Students who are Blind or Have Low Vision
• Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
• Students with Psychiatric Disabilities
• Students with Medical Disabilities
• Students Who Use Wheel Chairs or Have Disabilities that Limit Mobility
• Students with Speech-Related Disabilities
• Students with Dual Sensory Disabilities (Students Who are Deaf-Blind)

It is important to remember that not all students will have only one disability and some disabilities do not fit neatly into a single category. For example, people with "head injuries" might be considered to have a medical disability, but may have limitations similar to students with learning disabilities and students with psychiatric disabilities. Students who use wheelchairs may take medication for pain or other symptoms, which would result in the need for accommodations more similar to those given to students with medical disabilities. A student with rheumatoid arthritis might be categorized as having a medical disability but may have severe enough symptoms to limit mobility.