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More
than 1,062 identified students with disabilities enrolled
at the College during the fall 2006 semester - nearly 5
percent of the total credit enrollment and twice the number
enrolled in fall 1991. Most of the students have learning
disabilities (55 percent), followed by attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorders, and psychiatric and physical disabilities. Some
disabilities are readily visible; more frequently, they are
not and may be difficult to identify. Students may also have
multiple disabilities.
Characteristics,
considerations, instructional strategies, and possible accommodations
for different disabilities:
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Learning
Disabilities
| Terminology |
Learning
disabilities are neurologically based and may interfere with
the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing,
reasoning, or mathematical skills. They affect the manner
in which individuals with average or above average intellectual
abilities process and/or express information. A learning disability
may be characterized by a marked discrepancy between intellectual
potential and academic achievement resulting from difficulties
with processing information. The effects may change depending
upon the learning demands and environments and may manifest
in a single academic area or impact performance across a variety
of subject areas and disciplines. The impact of learning disabilities
can be decreased by remediation, instructional interventions,
and the use of compensatory strategies. |
| Characteristics
(may include) |
Difficulties
may be seen in one or more of the following areas:
- oral
and/or written expression
- reading
comprehension and basic reading skills
- problem
solving
- ability
to listen selectively during lectures, resulting in problems
with notetaking
- mathematical
calculation and reasoning
- interpreting
social cues
- time
management
- organization
of tasks, such as in written work and/or essay questions
- following
directions and concentrating
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| Considerations
and Instructional Strategies |
Instructors
who use a variety of instructional modes will enhance learning
for students with learning disabilities. A multi-sensory approach
to teaching will increase the ability of students with different
functioning learning channels—auditory, visual and/or haptic
(hands-on)—to benefit from instruction. |
| Accommodations
(may include) |
- Tape
recorders and/or laptop computers
- Copies
of classmate’s and/or instructor’s notes or overheads
- Extended
time for exams
- Exams
in a quiet, distraction-free environment
- Frequent
breaks allowed during exam; exam given by page or by section
- Clear
arrangement of test items on paper
- Calculator,
spellchecker, thesaurus, reader, and/or scribe during exams
- Alternative
form of exam, such as an oral test or an essay instead of
multiple choice format
- Use
of blank card or paper to assist in reading
- Extended
time to complete assignments
- Taped
texts and classroom materials
- Use
of handouts and visual aids
- Extended
time for in class assignments to correct spelling, punctuation,
and/or grammar
- Word
processor with spell check and/or voice output to provide
auditory feedback
- Concise
oral instructions
- Instructions
or demonstrations presented in more than one way
- Syllabus
provided before the start of the semester.
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Adapted from:
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities Campus. (1995). Access
for Students with Disabilities: Policies, Procedures, and Resources.
and several other sources listed in the "Credits"
section of the Guide.
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