College Success With Learning Disabilities: More Than Just Academic Accommodations
Part 4 of a 5-part Series
Co-authored by Adam Wouk, Jake Weld, and Joanna Lilley
Navigating college with a learning disability can be daunting. There is an extensive process for accessing academic accommodations, and then students need to manage ongoing requests for accommodations throughout their academic tenure. This has to be done for every single class, for every single term, every single year. Most students do not realize they have to do this. And it might sound overwhelming, but it is certainly not impossible.
Understanding the type of accommodations that students can receive is an important step in succeeding in college. While each school and student situation is unique, typical academic accommodations in college may include:
Extra time on tests
Occasional absences
A quiet testing space
Use of a keyboard
Speech-to-text or text-to-speech technology
Access to professor notes, the ability to record lectures, or an in-class scribe (aka someone offers to share their notes with you after class).
While there may be other accommodations available, these tend to be the most common accommodations granted students with learning disabilities. The specifics of accommodations are always at the discretion of the colleges, and are often dependent on having updated academic testing or records which demonstrate a need. Students and families can learn lots more about this topic in the recently-published Taking Flight, by Dr. Perry LaRoque.
Accommodations can help level the playing field, but it is important to also remember that accommodations do not make college easy. For instance, accommodations do not replace the need to study or write multiple drafts of a paper, nor do they make sub-par teaching suddenly more amazing. In fact, it is important to remember that college professors are primarily chosen because they are masters of their content not because they know how to help other people learn it. Very few college professors have received more than the most rudimentary training in curriculum design, curriculum delivery, designing assessments, or any of the pedagogical arts. This may come as a surprise to many students, but with the exception of a few standouts, be prepared for some of your best teachers to be behind you. No, not every college professor is lacking, and yet you have now been warned. The more you learn about a subject the more you will have to become your own best teacher. It is important to learn how you learn and to learn how to support yourself in that learning.
It is also important to remember that college success goes far beyond accessing the curriculum. All students, and especially those with disabilities or learning differences, need to take the time to tend to social and emotional needs as well. Make good friends, and make healthy choices. Learn how to manage your weekly intake of Netflix, pizza, impromptu dance parties, sleep, exercise, alone time, and time connecting with friends and family. Explore. Join. Participate. Rest. Regroup. Explore some more. Being connected to a social network in college is one of the most important factors for continued success!
It is increasingly common for students to pre-emptively secure the support of a tutor, executive functioning coach, therapist, or other ancillary support provider. Depending on your school, most of these services may even be available on campus. If they are not, you will want to seek these out. Doing this early, so you have time to build healthy habits as well as the connection and relationship needed to get you through the tough times, can be exceptionally important. It is not a matter of if you struggle, but when.
Considering academic accommodations in college is important, but success in college is dependent on not just academics, but a wide range of factors. Academic tasks need to be balanced with personal health, diet and exercise, social connections, mental health, and other non-academic factors. It can be said that overall success is dependent on a student’s ability to tend to each of these domains concurrently. Proactive support solutions can help students mitigate against risk and keep them focused on holistic success during college.
In the end, a student with learning disabilities can be a successful college student and ultimately a college graduate. There is no doubt about that. However, it’s going to take a significant amount of work. An enormous effort, and a team supporting that student every step of the way. If they aren’t engaged, if they don’t feel like they belong, and they don’t see themselves as successful in the classroom, even with accommodations, it’s only a matter of time before they drop out. We want to avoid that experienced failure, if at all possible.
For questions or comments contact:
Adam Wouk via email.
Jake Weld via email.
