Helping Students with LD and AD/HD through the College Selection Process Julia Frost, M.S., NCSP, Director Jones Learning Center University of the Ozarks

Some students with learning disabilities and AD/HD have struggled so hard to get through high school that they can't imagine that attending college would even be a possibility.

Compare Two Colleges I can get into  Large public or community college  Parents’ alma mater  Sports teams I love  Great party scene I can graduate from  Smaller  No one I know ever went here  Sports teams I never heard of  Not sure if there are parties??  Has the support I need

Focus of the Presentation  Difference between laws that cover students with disabilities in K-12 and those that cover them in college  Which students should be encouraged to apply to college  The various types of support programs that are available  What personal student characteristics should be considered in order to make the best choice between support programs/colleges

The Law – IDEA vs. ADAAA  IDEA  Free & appropriate mandatory education  Entitlement Law  Remedial Learning Tools, Modifications  Outcome Oriented: Successful Learning  School’s responsibility  ADAAA  Optional Education  Civil Rights Law  Aids and Accommodations  Equal Access, Not Equal Outcome  Student’s responsibility

Definition of Disability under the ADAAA  A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (e.g., learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating)  A record of such an impairment; or  Being regarded as having such an impairment

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act  “No otherwise qualified person with a disability” shall be “denied access to” any “program or activity provided by any institution receiving federal financial assistance.”

Which Students Should be Encouraged to Apply?  At least average Verbal IQ  Strengths in language and reasoning  Strength in at least one academic area  Few modifications in high school

MOTIVATION THE STUDENT MUST HAVE A GOAL AND THE DETERMINATION TO REACH FOR IT!

BASIC No Fee Available to All No Documentation S requests or college requires services Services: Learning Centers Dept. Tutoring Peer Tutoring Study Skills Workshops Mentoring Remediation DISABILITY No Fee Federal Mandate Documentation to qualify S requests service Services: Reasonable Accommodations COMPREHENSIVE Fee-based Limited Availability Documentation required S and specialized staff partner Services: Credentialed Staff Instructional Models Private Tutorials Levels of Support Personalized Structures Continuum of Services Categories of Services

Differences Between Comprehensive Programs  Serve a specific population, such as those with learning disabilities but not autism spectrum  The structure provided by the programs will vary  Support provided by peers, grad students, or adult professionals  Fees are based on services or are set

Most Important: Staffing  Ratio of staff to students in the program

Student Characteristics to Consider when Choosing a College Program  Intellectual ability  Reading/Writing skills  Math skills  Self-confidence  Self-advocacy skills  Ability to handle independence  Ability to balance work and play  Emotional stability  Willingness to accept help  Type of high school attended

Think of Each Item on a Continuum  In general, the higher the skills, the less comprehensive services are needed.  These must be looked at as a whole for each student.

Intellectual Ability  Must have at least average Verbal IQ to attempt college  Strengths in language and reasoning  Lower IQ, more likely to need help with college level tasks  Sometimes those with much higher IQ need more help with understanding and managing social situations.

Reading/Writing Skills  In general, the lower the skills, the more necessary it will be for the student to utilize comprehensive support.  Is the deficit area in basic skills or in reading comprehension/written expression?  Does the student utilize technology to meet his reading/writing needs?

Math Skills  Comprehensive services may just be needed until the required math is completed.  The level of services needed depends on the college math policy  What level of math is required?  Is there a course substitution or waiver for math?

Self-Confidence  Sometimes a high level that is unrealistic can be as bad as low self-confidence because the student doesn’t think he needs help when he does.  Determine if the level of self-confidence is realistic.

Self-Advocacy Skills  Does the student know himself?  Is he able to verbalize his strengths and weaknesses?  Does he understand what types of accommodations he can ask for on a college campus?  Does he know where to access the support that he needs?

Ability to Handle Independence  What are personal independent living skills like?  Can the student make decisions on his own or does he consistently go along with the crowd?  Will he take medications consistently?

Ability to Balance Work and Play  Some students need to be encouraged to study more.  Some students need to be encouraged to play more!  What has the history been of managing large amounts of academic work?  What has happened in the past when extracurricular activities have become extensive?

Emotional Stability  Those with stronger emotional stability are less likely to need comprehensive support.  Comprehensive support programs can provide the encouragement and “cheerleading” that some students need as well as the time to listen to personal issues.

Willingness to Accept Help  All college students with disabilities need to be willing to ask for and accept help.  If it is hard for them to do this, a comprehensive program will be better able to keep tabs on them and encourage them to utilize available support.

Type of High School Attended  Consider the difference between the high school setting and the college.  Large public high school can more easily transition to large public university  Small LD high school to large public university with minimal support is a huge step.  What type of support was being given in high school?

Know Student Needs and Programs/Services  Basic Services  Disability Services  Comprehensive Services Also Consider:  Colleges only for students with learning differences  Gap Programs and Transition Programs Not all programs and services are the same…Match student learning needs to program services!

Contact Information Julia Frost, Director Jones Learning Center University of the Ozarks 415 N. College Ave. Clarksville, AR