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Success for College Students with Learning Disabilities PDF

368 Pages·1993·5.69 MB·English
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Success for College Students with Learning Disabilities Susan A. Vogel Pamela B. Adelman Editors Success for College Students with Learning Disabilities With a Foreword by Janet W. Lerner With 21 Illustrations Springer-Verlag New York Berlin Heidelberg London Paris Tokyo Hong Kong Barcelona Budapest Susan A. Vogel, Ph.D. Northern lllinois University Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling and Special Education DeKalb, IL 60015-2854 USA Pamela B. Adelman, Ph.D. Department of Education Barat College Lake Forest, IL 60045 USA ISBN-13: 978-1-4684-6418-4 e-ISBN-\3: 978-1-4684-6416-0 001: 10. \007/978-1-4684-6416-0 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Success for college students with learning disabilities/Susan A. Vogel, Pamela Adelman, eds. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Learning disabled-Education (Higher)-United States. 2. Learning disabled-Services for-United States. I. Vogel, Susan Ann. II. Adelman, Pamela. LC4704.75.S83 1992 371.9'0474-dc20 91-41399 Printed on acid-free paper. © 1993 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc. Softcover reprint of the hardcover I st edition 1993 All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher (Springer-Verlag New York, Inc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA), except for brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is forbidden. The use of general descriptive names, trade names, trademarks, etc., in this publication, even if the former are not especially identified, is not to be taken as a sign that such names, as understood by the Trade Marks and Merchandise Marks Act, may accordingly be used freely by anyone. Production managed by Natalie Johnson; manufacturing supervised by Jacqui Ashri. Typeset by Best-set Typesetter Ltd., Hong Kong. 9 8 7 6 5 432 This book is dedicated to our husbands, Manfred and Steven. and sons, Evan, Henry, David, and Robert. No matter how busy and immersed in our work we became, we could always count on their love and understanding. Foreword JANET W. LERNER This timely volume explores issues pertinent to the emerging subject of college education for adults with learning disabilities. The inspiration for the book was a conference held at Barat College in Lake Forest Illinois on April 7, 1990, entitled College Students with Learning Disabilities: Reviewing the '80s and Planning for the '90s. The occasion was the celebration of the tenth anniversary of Barat College's program for college students with learning disabilities. Papers presented at this con- ference, plus several additional invited chapters, and those of the co- editors are included in this much needed publication. Only a few years ago, college was out of the question for most adults with learning disabilities. It is heartening to note that this situation has changed substantially over the last 15 or so years, with great strides in opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to acquire a college level education. From a slow beginning with programs such as the one at Barat College, there are today programs and support services in a variety of settings at a growing number of colleges and universities. Many indi- viduals with learning disabilities can look forward to experiencing college and better preparing themselves for the future. The collection of papers in this book offers a comprehensive review of this exciting and challenging field. The 13 chapters in this publication are divided into four parts: Part I, Introduction; Part II, Making the Transition to College; Part III, Meeting the Needs of College Students with Learning Disabilities; and Part IV, Research on the Cutting Edge. Selected chapters include a case study on a specific student that exemplifies the program, setting, policies, inter- vention approach, and/or accommodations. Part I, Introduction, consists of two chapters. In Chapter I, Susan A. Vogel, who originated the Barat College program, reviews the historical development of college programs during the 1980s. Vogel analyzes the nature of learning disabilities in adults and identifies the major concerns of college and university faculty, staff, and administrators. Suggested teaching and evaluation modifications and accommodations are described vii viii Foreword as well as a proposed support services and research agenda for the decade of the 1990s. In Chapter II, Laura F. Rothstein explores the legal requirements and interpretation of the law as they relate to students with learning dis- abilities. Rothstein examines the implications of the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes (especially Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act), regulations of the law, and judicial interpretation. Important precedent cases of the law are dis- cussed relative to higher education's requirements for individuals with disabilities. Part II, Making the Transition to College, also has two chapters. In Chapter III, Sara Cowen considers the importance of the high school years in making the transition to college. During the high school years, students with learning disabilities should (1) understand the nature of their problem, (2) get appropriate counseling, (3) give thought to career options, (4) develop independence, and (5) select the college or uni- versity setting that will best serve their needs. The transition process requires a team consisting of the student, parents, and secondary school personnel. Cowen also outlines transition activities for the four years of high school. It is important for the student and parents, if appropriate, to visit the campus of the selected colleges prior to applying. An extremely valuable part of this chapter is a listing and description of college guides for students with learning disabilities. Chapter IV, by Connie Dalke, expands the discussion of transition by describing the high school to college transition program at the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. Entering college students with learning dis- abilities need an orientation to become aware of new behaviors that are needed in college. Major differences between high school and college are: (1) less student-teacher contact, (2) long range assignments and infre- quent evaluation rather than day-to-day monitoring that occurs in high school, (3) lack of the support network of family and friends that was available during high school, (4) more unstructured time to manage, (5) the need for self-advocacy, (6) an expansive physical environment with classes in different buildings, and (7) adjustment to roommates and to the eating and sleeping patterns of life in the dormitories. This chapter offers a detailed account of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's summer program, which is designed to provide transition activities before the student enrolls in the university. The five components of this summer transition program cover college study skills, campus and community awareness, psychosocial skills enhancement, fall course advisement and registration, and career awareness exploration. Students who participated in this transition program made better grades, they stayed in the college program longer, and they judged the program to be beneficial. Part III, Meeting the Needs of LD College Students, is the most ex- tensive section of the book, consisting of seven chapters. In Chapter V, Foreword ix Susan A. Vogel examines the diverse array of responses of colleges and universities to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act for students with learning disabilities. Although the federal law mandates accessibility to postsecondary education for students with disabilities, colleges and uni- versities differ in their responses to the requirements of this law. Vogel conceptualizes the wide spectrum of responses of institutions in terms of a continuum, from a minimum level of response to a maximum level. The colleges are judged on compliance with Section 504 in terms of several factors: availability of information about services, the petition process, faculty and staff awareness, the application and admission process, eligibility for services, support services available, staff training, the student-staff ratio, the availability of diagnostic services, and curriculum modification. To illustrate, a college that provides a maximum response would have a student-staff ratio of 12 or 15: 1, while a college with a minimum response would have a student-staff ratio of 100 or more to one. In Chapter VI, Doris J. Johnson discusses the professional preparation of specialists to work in postsecondary LD programs. Competencies recommended for personnel include a Master's Degree in Learning Dis- abilities with certification at the secondary level, an understanding of the characteristics of adolescents and adults with learning disabilities, proficiency with the diagnostic/assessment procedures for this population, understanding the principles of remediation and teaching needs of college students, competencies in counseling, advising, and guidance, knowledge of the college rules and regulations, and skills in helping students make the transition to the world of work. In Chapter VII, Ernest Rose highlights the need to educate faculty. One of the greatest challenges faced by college students is gaining and maintaining the acceptance and cooperation of the academic faculty. The research shows that faculty members are often not supportive of the concept of providing accommodations for students with learning dis- abilities. In-service programs are needed to help faculty understand the needs of students with learning disabilities and to become familiar with accommodations that can be made. Rose discusses questions that are typically asked by faculty such as: the nature of learning disabilities, the college's responsibilities under the law, and methods of providing reasonable accommodations. Several instruments to survey and evaluate the faculty attitude, knowledge, and needs are included in this chapter. In Chapter VIII, Margaret M. Policastro discusses assessing and devel- oping metacognitive attitudes in college students with learning disabilities. Her concern is helping students develop a strong metacognitive awareness base and become responsible for their own learning. Policastro first describes the Learning and Support Services Program at Roosevelt Uni- versity (located in a large urban center), then she discusses metacognition in individuals with learning disabilities in terms of history, reading, x Foreword writing, social/emotional functioning, and assessment. Finally, she links the two by discussing the procedures used at Roosevelt University to teach metacognitive skills to college students with learning disabilities. Chapter IX, by William D. Bursuck and Madhavi Jayanthi, analyzes programming for independent study skills usage. The purpose of this chapter is to present a technology for teaching study skills that draws from the learning strategies literature. The goal is to maximize independence in study skills. Training for independence is discussed within the context of four major aspects of the instructional process: assessment, curriculum design, skill acquisition and fluency, and skill generalization. Chapter X, by Pamela B. Adelman, Jody O'Connell, Dee Konrad, and Susan A. Vogel, discusses methods of integrating remediation and subject-matter tutoring. The goal is to use students' course work to help them acquire skills that help them succeed in current situations and generalize to new learning situations. The authors note that for some individuals, college is the most appropriate time in their education to receive remediation. The impact of the challenge of college courses and motivation to succeed, combined with the increased emotional, social, and cognitive growth often leads to a more receptive attitude. This chapter focuses on the integration of remediation and subject-matter tutoring as the primary type of support. It contains several sections: a review of research on cognitive abilities and achievement levels of college students with learning disabilities; key components for developing an individualized education plan for the student; and instructional approaches that integrate remediation and subject-matter tutoring. Chapter XI, by Marshall H. Raskind and Neil G. Scott, reports on the use of technology for college students with learning disabilities. The authors (1) examine technologies available to help college students with learning disabilities achieve academic success, (2) provide criteria for selecting and evaluating technology, and (3) offer guidelines for instruct- ing with technology. The Learning Disability Program and Computer Access Lab of the Office of Disabled Student Services at California State University at Northridge have been using technology with college students with LDs for the past four years. The technologies (and the skills area) which are described in this chapter include word processing (written language); spell-checkers (written language); proofreading programs (written language); outlining/"brainstorming" (written language); ab- breviation expanders (written language); speech recognition (written language); speech synthesis/screen review (written language/reading); optical character recognition systems/speech synthesis (reading); personal data managers (organization, memory); free-form databases (organ- ization, memory); variable speech control tape recorders (listening, memory, reading); listening aids (listening); and talking calculators Foreword xi (math). A valuable resource is a Technology Product Resource List, which shows products that have been successfully used with college students with LDs. Part IV, Research on the Cutting Edge, consists of 2 chapters. Chapter XII, by Leonore Ganschow and Richard Sparks, deals with the topic of "foreign" language learning disabilities. For certain students, their learning disability is most troublesome in the college foreign language class. Ganschow and Sparks, who have been studying foreign language learning disabilities, report on the nature of such a disability, provide a historical review of this problem, review the research, and offer an analysis of the factors related to a foreign language learning disability. In particular, the chapter examines the hypothesis of a linguistic decoding deficit, methods of assessment and evaluation, and teaching methodology. Other important issues are waivers and substitutions for foreign language courses and accommodations that can be made in the foreign language classroom. The subject of the last chapter, Chapter XIII, by Pamela B. Adelman and Susan A. Vogel, is program evaluation. The authors specify two different approaches to evaluating programs. The first is an objective- oriented approach, the purpose of which is to assess accomplishments of general program goals. The second approach is a naturalistic and participant-oriented approach to evaluation, the purpose of which is to assess the perspectives and reactions of various program participants. To measure outcomes, the chapter reviews the evaluation of academic per- formance, improvement of basic skills, social-emotional adjustments, and career attainments. To assess a program in terms of participant evaluation, the measurement should include the perspectives of students, faculty, administrators, and service providers. The authors present examples of measures designed to evaluate program services and needs. Results of student and faculty evaluations are presented to exemplify how program goals can be validated and ongoing support for the program and/or services can be ensured. Acknowledgments. Acknowledgments for this useful collection of papers on college students with learning disabilities are due to Barat College for holding the conference which provided the impetus for this publication, to the editors, Susan A. Vogel and Pamela B. Adelman, for conceptualizing this conference and supplementing the original collection with many additional worthwhile chapters, and to the authors who con- tributed to this publication. The book will be of particular benefit for several groups. For college facuity who are starting or expanding programs or preparing professionals to work with college students with LDs, it will serve as a practical guide. For researchers, the comprehensive xii Foreword reviews of literature and research agenda will be thought provoking. The discussions of the law, teaching methodology, and program evaluation will prove useful to all readers, but especially so for university administrators, service providers, and faculty. Janet W. Lerner Northeastern Illinois University

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