Jori Pace
English 2010
Professor Reece
November 18, 2014
Research Paper Rough
Draft
Transitioning
Students with Learning Disabilities
The definition of Learning Disability: “A disorder found
in children of normal intelligence who have difficulties in learning specific
skills.” The topic I chose to research about is helping students with any kind
of learning disability, transition more easily when it comes to moving on to
higher education. I see this as something that should be majorly focused on. In
this world and in our economy, there is a high demand for an education and a
degree in something in order to get a job. School is not an easy thing and I
think everyone would agree with that. Now think of the people who have learning
disabilities such as A.D.D., A.D.H.D., Autism, and other types of Learning
Disabilities. For them Learning is even more difficult their attention span can
be very short, and no matter how hard they try to focus, things for them are
still difficult. My argument is that everyone deserves a fair chance at an
education, and all the resources should be available to all students, even the
ones who struggle learning. The question is what is being done to help these
students transition, and how can teacher administrators and counselors better
help them?
In my first article of research it talks about nine
different strategies to help students transition into a college setting. It
gives them step by step information on what they need to do right when they
apply to a university, so they can get some extra help. My question is: What do
Students with Learning Disabilities need to do in order to continue on with
their education.
In the article it list nine different steps that could
take place in a high school setting to help which are: 1. “Educate IEP Team
members and Special Education Faculty.” Teachers and other faculty members need
to be educated so they can know what to do and how to help the students prepare
for their upcoming college applications. 2. “Reach out to families.” Parents
too need to know what they should be doing to help prepare their child for
their college experience. Many parents make assumptions and may think that
there is no aid or help for their child but they need to be educated on what is
out there that can help their child. 3. “Encourage Students’ Future
Independence.” Colleges are not required to give students with learning
disabilities every accommodation that they have received in the past. It is
important to inform the students that things will be different and reassure
them that they can still succeed in their education. 4. “Teach Students to Use
Assistive Technology.” Coming into College myself I realized that most all my
homework for my classes involves a computer or going online. Teachers need to
make sure that they are teaching their students how to use a computer so they
can easily figure out how to do their homework and assignments online. 5. “Give
Students the Documentation They Need.” Students need to provide the correct
information when they are applying for college. It is helpful if the students
IEP team in high school is prepared and helps them get all the paperwork ready
to go. It is a good idea for them to be prepared with as much information they
can get, that way no matter what the College is requiring they have all the
paperwork they need. 6. “Educate Students About their Disabilities and
Strengths.” Colleges require the students themselves to apply for and ask for
assistance with their school work. They need to know what their strengths and
weaknesses are. Students with Learning Disabilities need to know about what
they struggle with in order to know what they need to focus most on to succeed
in their school work. 7. “Explicitly Teach Learning and Organizational
Strategies.” People who have a Learning Disability such as A.D.D. have trouble
focusing and organizing their thoughts. They need to be taught organizational
skills and other skills as well like; Note taking, test preparation, and time
management skills. Teaching them that will make their studies a lot easier. 8.
“Ensure That Students Are Prepared to Apply for Accommodations at College.” Students
are required to apply for help themselves, so they need to know what they need
to do. When applying for help the students need to explain their disability and
what they struggle with so they can ask for specific help and see if it is
available. 9. “Create a Districtwide Transition Program.” This is where schools
can help their students the most with their learning disability. If they have a
good program that is organized to help the students efficiently then they will
be prepared for their upcoming college experience and will have an easier time
transitioning.
Hamblet, Elizabeth C.
"Nine Strategies To Improve College Transition Planning For Students With
Disabilities." Teaching Exceptional Children 46.3 (2014): 53-59. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
This
entire article was very informative and I found it to be a very reliable source
and an excellent idea for schools to keep these steps in mind. If schools would
use these strategies for their students then they will most definitely be
prepared to further their education. People might think that if someone has a
hard time learning then they need to keep everything simple for them, but the
opposite needs to happen. They need to be challenged so that they can improve
and move on to higher education. These are all really good ideas that teachers
can apply in their classrooms to help the students out. Also if a person with a
learning disability uses these suggestions and tips, they can help learning
come more easily to them.
Like
anyone else learning something new, it is easier If they have an example to
follow. School counselors would be a good example of this. In the article
“Assisting Students with Learning Disabilities Transitioning to College: What
School Counselors Should Know” it says “School
counselors can play important roles as advocates, collaborators, and direct
service providers.” School counselors can play a huge part in influencing and
encouraging a good education. When I was in high school I really looked up to
my school counselors and hoped for positive information and encouragement to
move forward to better my education. They can be a huge help and influence on
someone with a Learning Disability who thinks they wouldn’t be able to make it
in college. The article also said, “that many students with learning
disabilities do not consider postsecondary education options (2- and 4-year
colleges and vocational schools) because they are not encouraged, assisted, or
prepared to do so" (1994, p. 1). Hitchings et al. (2001) interviewed 97
college students with learning disabilities and found 20 reported being
discouraged from pursuing college by teachers and/or school counselors.” That
can be really discouraging and if I was ever told not to continue on with my
education my confidence would go down and despite what I use to think about
myself, my opinion would change because someone I looked up to said not to do
it. People with Learning disabilities already struggle with self-confidence,
they need to know the can do it and they can progress and that is where the
encouragement of a school counselor comes in.
In order for anyone to help, they must first have
transition plan. In the article, Assisting Students with
Learning Disabilities Transitioning to College: What School Counselors Should
Know, it talks about a transition program that was put into place, which 55 students
participated in. the article states: “Aune (1991) described a program focusing
on individualized psychoeducational training for 55 students with learning
disabilities. Student needs were assessed based on a transition model, which
provided guidelines for content areas (e.g., using accommodations), desirable
timelines, and optional services (e.g., consultation with parents, individual
counseling). Through grant funding, a transition specialist was hired to serve
as a case manager, meeting bimonthly with students one-on-one and coordinating
the provision of additional services. Optional group sessions were provided
during the summer months, and students continued monthly communication (often
by phone) with the case manager during their first year of college. Aune
reported 71% of the students pursued postsecondary courses within a year of
graduating from high school and the majority were more aware of their
disabilities and able to self-advocate.” This transition program would be great
for all students with learning disabilities. It talked about having a timeline and
optional services like meeting with parents and having a case manager meet with
them on a regular basis. A transitioning program would benefit all students and
help them move forward in their education. Any student with a learning
disability is able to get a good college education if they have the right
support. That is why I feel so strongly about having a good support system in
high school for these students to be able to gain the confidence and feel like
they are equal and can get a college education.
Universities also need to have programs that are ready to
accept and help these students in any way possible. In the article, “Helping
Students with Disabilities Transition to College: 21 Tips for Students with LD
and/or ADD/ADHD” by: Connor, David J. he states: “Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (2006) ensured the civil rights of people with
disabilities. As part of that legislation, all colleges that receive any type
of federal funding are required by law to have disability services on campus
for students with disabilities (see Table 1). A student's request for
accommodations and support services is verified by this office, which then
approves relevant support from a range of possibilities (e.g., alternative
testing arrangements, priority registration, assistive technology services,
readers, note takers, sign language interpreters). The campus disability
services office also prepares a document notifying professors of accommodations
required by the student (without disclosing the specific disability)--although
it is often the student's responsibility to give the information to the
professor.” (quoted from) Connor, David J. "Helping
Students With Disabilities Transition To College: 21 Tips For Students With LD
And/Or ADD/ADHD." TEACHING Exceptional Children 44.5 (2012): 16-25. ERIC.
Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
If all Universities and even small Jr.
Colleges would make sure that they are doing this to accommodate those students
then it will make the beginning of starting their education a lot less
stressful. This article also talks about success stories and letting other
students hear them so that they know it is possible and they can graduate and
obtain a college degree of their choosing.
People with learning disabilities need to learn how to be
independent as well. All though there is help for them, it isn’t going to just
be handed to them. In the article it states: “With greater autonomy comes
increased self-responsibility. Individuals with LD and/or ADD/ADHD intending to
go to college should know about the federal regulations that affect them,
including what kind of assistance they personally require (the more specific,
the better)--and be able to provide documentation to substantiate their claim
(Beale, 2005). The burden of proof is on the student to have his or her
disability verified (Madaus & Shaw, 2006). Students should maintain information
throughout high school on their school-based assessments and be prepared to
share it with the campus disability services office. Once this information is
shared, students will be notified of their status (i.e. "officially"
recognized as having a disability), the accommodations they are entitled to,
and possible optional services that exist at the college, such as access to a
writing center, priority to quiet areas of the library, and so on.” (quoted from)
Connor, David J. "Helping Students
With Disabilities Transition To College: 21 Tips For Students With LD And/Or
ADD/ADHD." TEACHING Exceptional Children 44.5 (2012): 16-25. ERIC. Web. 9
Dec. 2014.
Students need a good support system but they
also need to be keeping track of their information and what kind of learning
disability they have so they can be prepared to apply and ask for they help
when they are ready for it. Something that can help them with this is being
educated early in life so they know what they need to work on to make learning
come easier for themselves.
I myself don’t have a learning disability but from my own
experience in high school, the biggest thing that helped me learn was by
example. When my teachers were more specific on what I needed to do to complete
an assignment it seemed like I would have an easier time accomplishing the
task. Obviously it is a lot easier to do something when you have a good example
to follow by instead of just given the basics and told to go do it. People who
have a learning disability aren’t too much different than the average student. They
just have more obstacles and challenges to overcome. If what is expected of
them is put plain and simple then of course they will be able to learn and accomplish
what is expected of them.
The overall thing that is going to help these students
the most is the involvement of their leaders. Parents, teachers, counselors,
and Principals will have the biggest influence on their education and whether
or not they think they can attended and succeed in college. A good
transitioning program should also be put into place at every high school so
that the students are prepared the best they can be when getting ready to apply
for college. There are a lot of hidden steps that they need to be aware of,
everyone needs to be doing their part to help get the information gathered.
In conclusion, my opinion is that all students deserve a
chance at an education. Everyone involved in the school setting needs to be
ready and able to provide help. I think there needs to be a detailed training
for all teachers so they can learn how to help their students the best they
can. Parents too need to be involved in their student’s education and they need
to be aware of their student’s learning disability so they can help them at
home. My goal would be to make sure everything possible is being done for a
good transitioning program to be placed in high schools to better prepare
students for their future and moving forward with their education.
Works Cited
Hamblet, Elizabeth C.
"Nine Strategies To Improve College Transition Planning For Students With
Disabilities." Teaching Exceptional Children 46.3 (2014): 53-59. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
Assisting Students with
Learning Disabilities Transitioning to College: What School Counselors Should
Know By: Milsom, Amy, Hartley, Michael T., Professional School Counseling,
10962409, 20050601, Vol. 8, Issue 5
Connor, David J.
"Helping Students With Disabilities Transition To College: 21 Tips For
Students With LD And/Or ADD/ADHD." TEACHING Exceptional Children 44.5
(2012): 16-25. ERIC. Web.
9 Dec. 2014.
this paper was a lot more difficult that i thought it was going to be. I wasn't aware when i chose this subject that we would be writing a 8-10 page paper on it. I had a really hard time finding articles that gave me enough information and I also had a hard time not repeating information. if i could do this assignment over again i would choose a new subject.
