Today, there are over 1,500 colleges and universiaes offering programs for LD and/or ADHD students.

Transcription

1 What IS a Learning Difference? HECA 2014 Presented by Bob Dannenhold, Collegeology & ApplicaAon NavigaAon Today, there are over 1,500 colleges and universiaes offering programs for LD and/or ADHD students. In 1981, there were just nine programs in the United States at the post- secondary level for students with learning disabiliaes. Twenty years later, more than 1,300 colleges and universiaes offer services for students with learning disabiliaes (LD) and/ or awenaon deficit/hyperacavity disorder (ADHD). 1

2 SecAon I GETTING READY: TRANSITIONING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE High School to College Checklist Take required high school courses for college admission Understand disability through discussion of psycho- educaaonal assessment with school psychologist, counselor, special educaaon teacher and parents. Know accommodaaons that will provide an equal opportunity to succeed in college. Meet with a high school special educaaon staff member to discuss preparaaon for college Ensure psycho- educaaonal assessment is less than 3 years old when applying for college. Take the SAT or ACT Reading & wriang skills at qualifying levels Study skills improvement Taking on more difficult tasks without help from parents or teachers 2

3 Research colleges with disability resource centers and programs for students with disabiliaes Talk to different disability resource offices about specific needs Do a campus visit to interesang colleges SecAon II COLLEGES WITH SUPPORT SERVICES Best of the Best Curry College, MA Hofstra University, NY Landmark College, VT Lynn University, FL Mitchell College, CT Regis University, CO University of Arizona, AZ University of Denver, CO 3

4 Next Best- West All California State Colleges, CA All University of California Schools, CA All Washington State Colleges & UniversiAes, WA Arizona State University, AZ Brigham Young University, UT Chapman University, CA Colorado State University, CO University of Idaho Pacific Lutheran University, WA University of Colorado at Boulder, CO University of Nevada at Las Vegas, NV University of Oregon, OR University of Redlands, CA University of San Francisco, CA University of the Pacific, CA Whifer College, CA Next Best- MidWest Cornell College, IA* DePaul University, IL Lake Forest College, IL Muskingum College, OH Oberlin College, OH Boston College, MA Brown University, RI Catholic University of America, DC College of William and Mary, VA University of ConnecAcut, CT Cornell University, NY Dickinson College, PA Next Best- East George Washington University, DC Georgetown University, DC Green Mountain College, VT Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY New York University, NY Old Dominion University, VA University of Vermont, VT Western Maryland College, MD 4

5 Great Junior Colleges & 5th Year Programs Santa Barbara City College, CA Marymount College, CA Lane Community College, OR Dixie College, UT Santa Monica Junior College, CA Grossmont Junior College, CA Northern Idaho CC, ID Colorado Mountain College, CO Bridgton Academy, Bridgton, ME (5th year program) SecAon III SPECTRUM DISORDER DIAGNOSIS Hans Asperger s Original DiagnosTc Categories Extracted from A Guide to Asperger Syndrome by Christopher Gillberg, copyright 2002, Cambridge University Press 1. Social impairment (extreme egocentricity) (at least two of the following): DifficulAes interacang with peers Indifference to peer contacts DifficulAes interpreang social clues Socially and emoaonally inappropriate behaviour. 2. Narrow interest (at least one of the following): Exclusion of other acaviaes RepeAAve adherence More rote than meaning. 3. Compulsive need for introducing rouanes and interests (at least one of the following): Which affect every aspect of the individual s everyday life Which affect others. 5

6 4. Speech and language peculiariaes (at least three of the following): Delayed speech development Superficially perfect expressive language Formal pedanac language Odd prosody, peculiar voice characterisacs Impairment of comprehension, including misinterpretaaon of literal/ implied meanings. 5. Nonverbal communicaaon problems (at least one of the following): Limited use of gestures Clumsy/gauche body language Limited facial expression Inappropriate facial expression Peculiar, saff gaze. 6. Motor clumsiness: Poor performance in neurodevelopmental test Cambridge University Press Programs for Students on the AuTsm Spectrum Who are High FuncToning City Year Dynamy Outward Bound Center for Interim Programs Global Quest Studies Abroad for Global EducaAon (SAGE) VIP Program at NY InsAtute of Technology College Internship Program - Melbourne, FL; Lee, MA; and Denver, CO The Brehm School College Living Experience Nova University Vista VocaAonal and Lifeskills Center - Westbook, CT Maplebrook School - offers associate s degree through local community college College Excel - Bend, OR Threshold Program at Lesley SecAon IV COLLEGES & RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM 6

7 Colleges for Students on the AuTsm Spectrum Georgia State University University of Hawaii at Hilo University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign Indiana Wesleyan University University of Indianapolis Ithaca College University of the Ozarks University of Idaho (Raven Program) Guilford College Albion College University of Montevallo - Alabama Moravian College Landmark College University of Arizona Auburn University Montgomery Thames Academy/ Mitchell College Marshall University University of Puget Sound, Tacoma University of Denver University of Rochester Earlham College Muskingum College Menlo College Harvey Mudd College Northeastern University Clark University University of Central Florida, Orlando Bard College Oregon InsAtute of Technology Academy of Art College CA Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Central Washington University University of Colorado at Boulder University of Maryland, College Park University of Missouri - Kansas City University of Montana - Missoula University of New Hampshire, Durham Reinhardt College Richard Stockton College of New Jersey University of Southern California Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Temple University Texas State University - San Marcos Washington State University University of Wisconsin, Whitewater University of MassachuseWs, Boston Worcester Polytechnic InsAtute 7

8 Summer Programs Talisail (Talisman Summer Camps) Sailing program for teens (13-17) with Asperger s, High- funcaoning AuAsm,or ADHD/ LD. Located in the San Juan Islands in WA 8 days, 4-6 students on each trip Resources ONLINE RESOURCES hwp:// uploads/ OAR_EducatorsGuide.pdf hwp:// asperger hwp:// hwp:// k/marc2.en.html BOOKS How to Find Work That Works for People with Asperger Syndrome, Gail Hawkins, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2004 Build Your Own Life: A Self- Help Guide for individuals with Asperger s Syndrome, Wendy Lawson, 2003 TransiAonal Skills for Port Secondary Success... ReflecAons for Students with Learning DisabiliAes, Teresa Allissa Citro, ed, 2001 Succeeding in College with Asperger Syndrome: A Student Guide, Harpur, Lawlor and Fitzgerald, 2004 Survival Strategies for People on the AuAsm Spectrum, Marc Fleisher, 2006 SecAon V SELECTING THE BEST COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES/SPECTRUM DISORDERS 8

9 "Students and their families must carefully examine such factors as intellectual potenaal, skill level, and moavaaon and make their best determinaaon of the appropriate program level, the one where success would be most within reach." Arlyn Roffman, Ph.D. "To awract students, some programs offer the sun and the moon, promising the faculty's full sensiavity and support, but delivering neither. Thus it is criacal that applicants conduct their own personal research on any program whose catalogue sounds promising and interview students currently enrolled to confirm that the support systems described by the administraaon are actually in place. In addiaon, they should ask the school's admissions counselor about awriaon levels, and candidly discussing their learning disabiliaes, inquire about how the school would individualize the curriculum to fit their learning styles." Arlyn Roffman, Ph.D. Types of College Programs Structured programs Coordinated Programs Services 9

10 Things to Consider DocumentaAon of the learning disability Previous accommodaaons AccommodaAons for standardized tests Previous support needed outside of school Student understanding of the disability Student success in school thus far Issues to Consider Culture of the college Professors aftude toward learning disabiliaes Procedures for extra Ame Learning center Tutors Study skills courses WriAng center Accessibility to books/tests on tape Course subsatuaons or waivers School requirements for course loads or graduaaon Ame Beyond the LD services, is the school a fit in other ways? AddiTonal Resources ADD and the College Student, edited by Patricia Quinn Colleges with Programs for Students with Learning Disabili?es or A@en?on Deficit Disorders, by Peterson's The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabili?es or A@en?on Deficit Disorders, by Kravets and Wax The College Sourcebook for Students with Learning & Developmental Differences, by Midge Lipkin, PhD (Wintergreen Orchard House) Learning Disabili?es: Informa?on and Resources, published by Landmark FoundaAon Survival Guide for College Students with ADD or LD, by Kathleen Nadeau Unlocking Poten?al: College and Other Choices for Learning Disabled People, A Step- by- Step Guide, by Barbara Scheiber and Jeanne Talpers 10

11 QuesTons to Ask When VisiTng a College Talk to current users of support services and/ or their parents Ask if they track their LD/SD graduates- where did they go? What s the retenaon rate of LD/SD students? What types of in service or support does the school offer faculty for accommodaang students with special needs Is support, tutorial, instrucaon in the program offered by interns, graduate students, peer tutors or trained professionals? Ask how accommodaaons are determined and granted at the college and who grants them. Are they based on the high school IEP? Possible Available Services/ AccommodaTons PreferenAal or early registraaon Counsel on which courses to take given an instructor s style and sensiavity to learning disabiliaes Reduced or redistributed course load Skills development and remediaaon Modified exam arrangements Assistance with note- taking Course waivers and subsatuaons Assistance with proofreading 11

12 Use of calculators, spelling aces, lap computers in classes Taped textbooks, readers, electronic text readers Assistance with developing oral expression Speech and language specialists Assistance with personal organizaaon Assistance with Ame management WriAng, reading, math, study skills centers Support for students on medicaaon Social/emoAonal skills training Training and support in developing and maintaining moavaaon and awenaon SecAon VI DOCUMENTING A SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY: GENERAL POLICY Informa?on in this sec?on is provided by the University of Puget Sound and is consistent with general guidelines regarding the documenta?on of a specific learning disability for the college bound student Required Documents The following must be submi@ed to the Coordinator of Disability Services in order to verify eligibility Provision of professional tesang WriWen report of the tesang, which reflects the individual s present level of informaaon processing as well as his/her achievement level and any and all relevant history. The cost and responsibility for providing this professional evalua?on shall be borne by the student. 12

13 Minimum Standards The documentaaon must be prepared by a professional qualified by educaaon and experience to diagnose learning disabiliaes. A licensed neuro- psychologist or psychologist, learning disability specialist or other appropriate professional cerafied to administer such tests. Experience in evaluaaon of young adults with learning disabiliaes is essenaal. The evaluaave measures used must be comprehensive and staasacally valid and reliable. One test is not acceptable for the purposes of diagnosis. All tests administered much be age appropriate, naaonally normed, and individually administered. Approved Tests APTITUDE The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS- III) with all subtest scores is preferable. The Woodcock- Johnson Psycho- EducaAonal BaWery Revised: Test of CogniAve Ability is acceptable. Approved Tests ACHIEVEMENT Current levels of funcaoning in all areas in which accommodaaons are requested and required. Woodcock- Johnson Psych- EducaAonal BaWery Revised: Tests of Achievement Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK) Specific achievement tests such as the Tests of WriWen language- 3 (TOWL- 3), Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests Revised, or the Stanford DiagnosAc MathemaAcs Test. Neither the Wide Range Achievement Test Revised nor the Slingerland High School Screening Test is acceptable. 13

14 Approved Tests INFORMATION PROCESSING Current levels of funcaoning in all areas in which accommodaaons are requested and required. Woodcock- Johnson Psych- EducaAonal BaWery Revised: Tests of Achievement Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK) Specific achievement tests such as the Tests of WriWen language- 3 (TOWL- 3), Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests Revised, or the Stanford DiagnosAc MathemaAcs Test. Neither the Wide Range Achievement Test Revised nor the Slingerland High School Screening Test is acceptable. Required Criteria for Test Results TesAng must be current Results & interpretaaon must present clear and specific evidence which idenafies and states specific learning disabiliaes Statement of assessment instruments used, test score data in percenales or standard scores, and discussion of any excepaons to standardized procedures Individual wriwen interpretaaon of results by the professional evaluator List of academic accommodaaons based on tesang Possible Support Services & AccommodaTons AddiAonal academic advising to maximize program and course selecaon InstrucAon in reading and study strategies including goal sefng and Ame management Taped textbooks as available and use of cassewe players Free tutors in many subject areas Extended Ame on tests TesAng in alternaave format or sefng Assistance with note- taking Assistance in developing, organizing, wriang, and ediang wriwen assignments Coaching in self- advocacy strategies IntervenAon with faculty on a student's behalf as needed 14

15 SecAon VII THE STUDENT WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES CharacterisTcs READING Confusion of similar words, difficulty using phonics, problems reading mula- syllable words Slow reading rate and/or difficulty adjusang speed to the nature of the reading task Difficulty with comprehension and retenaon of material that is read, but not with material presented orally CharacterisTcs WRITING Difficulty with sentence structure, poor grammar, omiwed words Frequent spelling errors, inconsistent spelling, lewer reversals Difficulty copying from board or overhead Poorly formed lewers, difficulty with spacing, capitals, and punctuaaon 15

16 CharacterisTcs ORAL LANGUAGE Difficulty awending to spoken language, inconsistent concentraaon Difficulty expressing ideas orally which the student seems to understand Problems describing events or stories in proper sequence Residual problems with grammar, difficulty with inflecaonal or derivaaonal endings CharacterisTcs MATH Difficulty memorizing basic facts Confusion or reversal of numbers, number sequence, or operaaonal methods Difficulty copying problems, aligning columns Difficulty reading or comprehending word problems Problems with reasoning and abstract concepts CharacterisTcs STUDY SKILLS Poor organizaaon and Ame management Difficulty following direcaons Poor organizaaon of notes and other wriwen materials Need more Ame to complete assignments 16

17 CharacterisTcs SOCIAL SKILLS Difficulty "reading" facial expressions, body language Problems interpreang subtle messages such as sarcasm Confusion in spaaal orientaaon, gefng lost easily, difficulty following direcaons, disorientaaon in Ame, difficulty telling Ame What You Should Know About the Learning Disabled College Student Over 10% of college freshman have idenafied learning disabiliaes Most students who are successful in college have had above a 2.0 GPA in high school and took primarily college- prep courses Keep in mind that true accommodaaons are skills which students can take into their job field educaaon should always be about their future job Most colleges would prefer you try a foreign language in high school and not be successful, then not try at all- most schools sall require it in the college itself If seeking waivers or deficient in credits for admission, most schools will accept one deficiency- owen these low areas can be made up on higher SAT, ACT, or SAT II scores While SAT test scores are sall required for most all schools, these are generally not a strong predictor of a LD student's success in college College's who accept students with learning disabiliaes seek students who can: Clearly and comfortably idenafy his/her disability Understand how it impacts their learning Is knowledgeable in which accommodaaons are necessary for his/her success Has the self- advocacy skills to seek these out! A student who is unable to reach these goals would be unready for the rigors of college just yet Aftude and the need for teacher approval are posiavely correlated with college success 17

18 The Successful College- Bound Student with Learning Differences Average to above average or higher scores on individualized intelligence tests Success in compleang college prep classes MoAvaAon to succeed with a desire to awend college Awareness of strengths and weaknesses with a good understanding of self Ability to self- correct Successful in developing compensaaons for problem areas and ability to work independently Developed successful study habits Shows resourcefulness in seeking out help and advice when difficulaes arise Significantly closed the gap between potenaal and success Developed frustraaon tolerance and flexibility in social situaaons Not overly influenced by others Good social skills and liwle or no ana- social behavior Contributor to extra- curricular school programs Has a family or similar support system willing to provide emoaonal and financial aid advice SecAon VIII SELF- ADVOCACY 18

19 Why is Self- Advocacy Important? Success at all stages of life Not just for adults Focus must be placed on teaching this skill to preteens and teenagers What is Self- Advocacy? Understanding your strengths and needs IdenAfying your personal goals Knowing your legal rights and responsibiliaes CommunicaAng these to others General Advocacy Tips Understand the learning problem PracAce communicaaon IdenAfy supporters Meet with teachers Know your rights ParAcipate acavely Prepare for the Future Educate others Ongoing evaluaaon 19

20 Advocacy Tips for College Phone numbers Look at textbooks before taking the class Meet with new teachers at the beginning of each semester Ask about what kind of tests will be given Ask about recording lectures Ask about class objecaves and evaluaaon procedures Let teachers know about any concerns about the class and/or yourself Sit in the front row and toward the middle of the classroom Buy and use index cards to make study flash cards Read your text out loud onto cassewes and play them back Arrange study sessions with other students & use professor s office hours Stay moavated! Find a good Ame and place to study Organize Ame Stay focused Special Needs Students (What You Need to Know) This can be a challenging, but very rewarding popula?on of students to work with. There are a couple of things every person who works with these students should know... How to read & understand educaaonal tesang Adapt to their needs when working with them Help them with advocaang for him/herself & recognizing their strengths Understand the services available in colleges Have a general understanding of accommodaaons on standardized tests 20