There are several important distinctions between the level of disability services required by law in high school and college:
| K-12 (IDEA) | College (ADA) |
| Education is a RIGHT and must be provided in an appropriate environment to ALL individuals. | Education is NOT A RIGHT. Students must meet certain admissions criteria defined under ADA as "otherwise qualified." |
| School district is responsible to identify student's disability. | Students must SELF-IDENTIFY to Disability Services. |
| School districts must provide free testing, evaluation, and transportation to programs. | Students must provide transportation as well as current and appropriate documentation. If the documentation is insufficient, students may obtain evaluations at their own cost. |
| School districts develop Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). | No IEPs are developed in college, as there is no special education. IEPs from high school do not apply in college and need not be submitted for services. |
| School districts are responsible for providing all IEP supports and services. | Students are responsible for activating and using approved services every semester. |
| Fundamental alteration of programs and curricula are required. | No fundamental alterations are required. |
| Personal services for medical/physical disability are required. | No personal services are required. |
North Shore Community College