Students with Learning Disabilities

The term Learning Disability (LD) generally refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction, and may occur across the life span. Problems in self-regulatory behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may exist with learning disabilities, but do not by themselves constitute a learning disability (National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, 1988).

A student who has a learning disability may have intellectual ability in the average to superior range and adequate sensory motor systems, but may be achieving significantly below expected ability in one or more areas. Documentation of a learning disability is required not only to establish the need for individual services, but also to determine the individual nature of necessary services. While learning disabilities cannot be "cured," their impact can be ameliorated by academic accommodations and by learning compensatory strategies. In general, faculty members who use a variety of instructional modes will enhance the success of students with learning disabilities.

Since each student with a learning disability is unique in learning needs, the student can provide valuable information regarding the type of academic adaptations that work best for them.
 

Typical accommodations for a student with a learning disability may include:

• Seat location.

• Note taker or tape recorder.

• Extended test time (Time and a half).

• Alternative location for a test.

• Memory aids such as a calculator, thesaurus, spell checker, or formula cards.

• Directions and deadlines given both orally and in writing.

• Visual aids when possible.

• Provision of written lecture outlines or notes on the board.

• Use of a word processor to take a test.
   

Suggestions for working with types of learning disabilities:

Auditory | Visual | Memory| Testing
 

Auditory Difficulties

Some students may experience difficulty integrating information presented orally and may not be able to follow the logic and organization of a lecture. Faculty can help by doing the following:

1. Providing students with a course syllabus at the beginning of the semester.

2. Permitting a student to tape record the class so they are able to listen to the class discussion more than once.

3. Outlining class presentations and legibly writing new terms and key points on the chalkboard or overhead transparencies.

4. Providing students with a written copy of major points, models, outlines, etc.

5. Paraphrasing abstract concepts in specific terms, illustrating them with examples, personal experiences, hands-on models or visual tools such as charts and graphs.

   
   

Visual Difficulties

Reading may be slow and deliberate, and comprehension may be impaired for a student with learning disabilities, particularly when dealing with large quantities of material. For such a student, comprehension and speed are expedited dramatically with auditory input. Faculty can help by:

1. Making lists of required readings available well before the first day of classes to allow students to begin their reading early (many students with visual difficulties obtain texts on tape from Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic or from local volunteer readers).

2. Providing students with chapter outlines or study guides that cue them to key points in their readings.

3. Reading aloud material that is written on the chalkboard or overhead transparencies.

   
   

Memory Processing

Memory sequencing difficulties may interfere with a student's execution of complicated directions. Faculty can help by:

1. Keeping oral instructions logical and concise.

2. Repeating or re-wording complicated directions.

   
    

Testing Accommodations

A learning disability may affect the way a student should be evaluated. If so, special arrangements may be necessary.

1. Allow the student to take tests in a separate, quiet room with a proctor. Students with learning disabilities may be sensitive to distractions.

2. Grant time extensions on exams and written assignments when there are significant demands for reading and writing skills.

3. Permit the use of assistive tools such as calculators, spell checkers or other materials that will assist the students.

4. Allow students to use a reader, word processor, or tape recorder.

5. Consider alternate test designs. For example, some students with learning disabilities may find essay formats difficult. A student with a visual perceptual problem may have trouble with tests requiring them to visually match different items.

6. Consider alternate or supplementary assignments to evaluate a student's mastery of the course material. Taped interviews, slide presentations, photographic essays or handmade models may lead to more accurate measures of a student's knowledge.

   
    

Possible accommodations by area of disability for students who have a learning disability:

Blue Ridge Community College Disability Services Office
Flat Rock Campus, Room 127 - David W. Sink Jr. Building
828-694-1813 (voice) 800-735-2962 (tty relay)

Handbook developed with funding from:
DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center (Southeast DBTAC)
Information Technology in Education Accessibility Initiative (2001-2006)
Under Grant #H133D010207 from NIDRR of the U.S. Department of Education.
© 2004-2006 All Rights Reserved.

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