math ld plus learning disorder not otherwised specified!?

It *is* harsh to see that stuff in black and white. Jolting.

However, to be strictly practical — the person writing up that report has training and practice in interpreting the results so that people can get help for their problems and get insurance companies to pay for it. The bold reality is they’re going to magnify them for that purpose.

The fact is that there are an awful lot of folks functioning and thriving who, if they went in for such a testing battery, would get a similar profile. THey just haven’t had the microscopes put on the rough spots.

The other fact is that yes, the brain is still plastic even at our old age :) We *can* make connections.

And math… at my “Math TUtoring Center For Ladies of a Certain Age” many of ‘em put in 10 hours a week. I help them use whatever strengths they have to figure out how to get where they need to be — most simply haven’t seen math in forever or have anxiety/attitude issues, but there are a few with genuine LD issues that mean certain approaches just don’t cut it.

How are you with number lines? If it’s just one direction at a time can it make sense?

(Don’t expect anybody to figure you out — just when they did, you would change anyway ;))

This is my first time posting here, but you have all the symptoms of some one with parietal lobe damage. This would cause problems with calculations, spatial problems, left/right discrimination, and other difficulties. If you can, I would consider seeing a neurologist. It is completely insane to force you to do something you obviously cannot, even when you don’t really need these skills to become an English proffesor. If you have basic arithmetic skills, you probably have all the math you will ever need.

Note that I am not a doctor, so you really should consider seeing one for a real diagnosis.

i am sorry but i donot type well..

i know i must have, for lack of a better term, some sort of brain damage.
i had “water on the brain” like the dickens when i was an infant. have the most horrid looking photos to prove it too. i have done time in resource and special ed solely for math when i was a youngster.

i had to wait almost all semester to get ld testing done and the folks at student disabilities say it only helps them soo much. makes no sense. they are too quick to de validate me because i am an adult student who has been out of school for a while. makes no sense, really becuase i really have good ambition and try really hard. they think that because (even though i do not type like it) i am good for verbal type things, like writing, lit, history and whatnot, that i must be fibbing about my ld. i am not proud about my ld, but i have had to deal with it for like almost 20 years, i have a good barometer as to what all i can and cannot do and i am pretty sure that studying like mad to get a 40% on a test in elementary algebra is just like cruel punishment really.

it is really enough to make me clinically depressed really…to have proper documentation and study and work with the tutor and just be scoffed at. i am trying to see when i can afford to go to some kind of neuropsychologist because i would bet money i have to go to one, right? and the offices of student disabilites did not want to give me my testing, i hand delivered it to their offices after the psychologist of my school completed the testing and all of that, it was soo far out she had to confer with three other people! she says i am a piece of work, but in a nice way she meant that. and they did not want to release my own personal property back to me, i had to beg and chew the soo called phd in ld fellow at my school out about that.

is this just like the norm at universites, or do i just go to a bad one? it seems to me that if the powers that be at the ld offices at my school do not have you on ritalin, they actually tell students they will be on certain meds they may or may not need for the rest of their lives. behavioral therapy is cheaper and can be a supplement for that really, but maybe not where i go to school. or have like parents they can call about you then they do not have enough power over you to do anything for you.

i hate being de validated as oppossed to recieving any real kind of help. i am receptive to help but just a tad bit of tutoring is like nothing, man. i pull out every trick in the book for studying math and i just cannot do it right, you know? i know enough that anything past like a 6th grade level of abstract thought is beyond me. i have actually sat down for part of this holiday season (turkey day and all) with all of my math work and gave myself like a pretend final, if you will, and i could only do like 20% of it, that is not normal. that makes for a nice F.

when the lady who runs the ld offices talked with me she tried to de validate soo quick my method of study and it was just wrong, man. i told how much i study and try to remember and even just like trace out on paper or in the air with my finger all these equations and try to visualise them in my mind and remeber them and she did not get it she thought i just used to tutoring and nothing more. why do people de validate returning adult students? why do people de validate thsoe with math ld? it is not fair, really. anyone know how i can get on the ball for a waiver? i am willing to sue, really. what is the proper law pertaining to a math waiver if you literally cannot do math?

it is discrimination to make someone take the same calsses over and over and graduate late or not at all just because of a learning issue beyond their control. i have already failed elementary algebra and have to take it in the spring, then i ahve to take intermediate algebra in the sumemr and pray that i pass it and just like not sleep i guess all summer long, just do intermediate algebra. then in the fall, maybe do college algebra for god knows how long, man. it made me depressed to fail elementary algebra after trying soo hard, i have no real way to pass it now i would have to make like a 100% on the final to make a C for i failed it that bad.

i am a total stoic and do not mind taking the same class over, but i wonder how long this has to go on, really? all i want to do is become a college professor of metaphysical brit lit and a scholar of john donne, i am not like out to harm anyone, you know? i had to wait an eternity to go back to school and ifeel like it was pointless to go back. but i do no think one lousy thing should stop me really.

Your disability is real. If they deny you appropriate accommodations, then I would seriously consider seeing someone in student legal services or consulting with a lawyer. It sounds like you have some serious difficulties with math due to some actual brain damage (hate to use that term). Asking you to do college math is the equivalent of asking someone with severe cerebral palsy to run a marathon. It’s just downright cruel.

I understand what it’s like, though. I’m dyslexic with some other learning difficulties. I actually completed my BA in English Lit about 10 years ago, graduating magna cum laude. Whenever I tell people I have learning disabilities, they just look at me like I am crazy. But it’s true. I was diagnosed in first grade due to severe letter, word, and sentence reversals; articulation problems; problems with spelling; and problems with attention and listening. After I learned how to read, though, I jumped up to grade level and beyond in about a year or two. Teachers couldn’t believe that someone so stupid could also be so smart. I guess the brain is weird like that. BTW, I still can’t spell.

See, I followed the book to a T with regards to my math ld. I got all new testing, and so on and so on. I am very ethical with regards to following rules and whatnot.

The lady who runs the offices of student disabilites at my university said, at various times since October of this year…your age and gender are working gainst you with regards to math, if you hadn’t such a large gap in years between schooling, you woul ddo better in math… I believe that brains can be re wired to learn math…I tried to explain to her that I really have no actual part of my brain that can do math because I had water on the brain as an infant, she does not acknowldge this. She also does not understand why I have, more or less, a purely math ld…she does not understand why I am fair for history and literature and the like….makes so she thnks I am fibbing. The lady actually told me that in her view all I did was work with the tutor. This is not true, you know? But she devalidated the point I was trying to make to her because she does not know what to do with me, I guess. She says that my ld is a mystery and that the very detailed testing results only help her soo much??!?!?!?

I asked her one time why i have done soo poorly, I shared with her my method of study. My method of study is to work like heck way in advance for a test (remember this is elementary algebra we are talking about) and read over the equations that I have done to completion and read and read over them and try to visualise them in my mind to the point that I can recall them and understand what they mean and then rewrite them out without looking at any examples. Sometimes this works for me and sometimes it deos not…the further my class of elementary algebra progressed, the less I could follow and understand. And this is with three hours of tutoring a week, working at home on my math, and meeting with my teacher during her office hours. So I am at an empass because of my learning disability and the future of my schooling.

The lady who runs the offices of student disabilites also told me the fact that I practiced for the math portion of the placement test at the university worked against me. She says that I should take basic math because the last five percent (or so) of the course deals with pre algebra. I know my basic math, I am a homeowner with a checking account and bills to pay, you know? I know the very basic math, I just do it really slowly, but I can do a fair portion of it. I do not understand this because why should someone fail elementary algebra, then go back and take basic math, then take elementary algebra over, then take intermediate algebra and so on and so forth. Why should one who is learning disabled be asked to take a class that they know a good 80% of? Even my most current ld testing says I know of basic math and do it in the manner that works best for me. I studied for the placement test for math at my uni months before I had to take it because I was curious as to how much I really knew of basic math and the like outside of the real world setting if you will. I have the right to do such a thing if I choose.

I am sorry for ranting, but I feel that all of you are like “my people” No one else understands this really, except my dad he has bourne witness to my ld(s) and he is like fight for what you need, man. Does anyone know how to go about getting a waiver. My uni has no legal services at all, you knnow…it is not exactly in Beverly Hills. I have spoken with an disability advocacy agency and explained everything, some lady took it down and said she would consult their legal department. I am also going to spend a portion of my holiday getting in touch with the higher education area of the Offices for civil rights because I am pretty friggn’ sure mine our being violated somewhat. Really, fail, fail, fail…and your age is working against you….this is wrong. It is worng to ask someone to have to fail over and over and whatnot and never seek to find any way to truly assist them. Even though I am an adult, I think I have the right to a higher education, right?

Hi.

I had to be tested once at Union County College, for math; and
later at Kean University (when I transferred there), for math.
Same New Jersey Basic Skills math test. I had to take
Math 0150 twice before passing it.

What credentials ( degrees ) does the director of your
Disabled Student Services program have?
What were the qualifications of the people who last tested you?

You may have to resort to using an additional math textbook; and
see if you can view “College Algebra” tapes ( some were made by
PBS ) .

Math 0150 used : BEGINNING ALGEBRA: 8TH EDITION, by
Margaret Lial and John Hornsby; Addison Wesley publishers
( isbn # 03644-1 ) (c) 2000. ( Blue Cover book ) .

Good luck.

The lady who runs the offices of student disabilites at my uni does not make mention of any degree she has. My math tutor informed me that she used to work in the public schools sytem in some capacity. I have no idea if she has any schooling pertaining to learning disabilites at all, really. I think she does not, because she makes no sense. I assume if one could do more than just tell a lady that their age and gender is working aganst them and that their ld testing is a mystery, then they might not have any schooling for working with adults with ld. Please note, I go to a Uni that has a wide variety of students from many different ages and backgrounds. If you look up the University of Memphis on yahoo it says it is a comprehensive urban uni… that is how the uni describes its own self.

I know in the offices of the lady who runs student disabilites, she has no degree on her wall. The fellow who is the ld/add specialist has some, for he has a phd. He has not helped me much either. He actually waited until the very lasy day of full session classes to have me fill out a paper requesting what sort of aids I would need for the fall semester. The fall semester is basically over, we all have a few finals next week and that is it. This fellow has all of his degrees from Nova Uni in Broward County, Florida. I just do not understand, why, if you ask someone, what is it that I can do…if you aks people in authority, what is it that I can do to learn of this algebra and whatnot? They just laugh or tell you you are a mystery or to keep working at it. I cannot work any harder than I do.

I will check out using a different math book. I am to practice my algebra all holiday, whether it is the advisable thing to do or not. The book that my elementary algebra class uses is to be recalled becuase it has too many errors in it. I obviously have not the ability to acertain such a fact as that, I only know what my math tutor told me. So, asides from having a bad math ld, I have been using the first printing of a textbook that was just not really meant for student use, I guess. I will check out the book you recommend and I also have a Barrons guide to math that goes up to factoring polynomials and whatnot too.

The lady who tested me for my ld, has a phd from uni in Michigan and is a psychologist. She works out of my uni. She actually put at the end of my ld testing all supplemental aid I need as a result of my ld and what they offices of student disability could do to assist me. These were all concrete supplements, like a tape recorder to use in history becuase I also have an ld not otherwise specified and that is a hand and eye…bad handwriting type of thing…she made a list of supplemental aids and whatnot that are really rather innocent requests and all the offices of student disabilites did was give me untimed tests in math and math tutoring for three hours a week.

I have already filed a complaint aganst my uni through the Office for Civil Rights in Washington. They have an area just for folks who have been discriminated against due to their disability, gender, or age…ex cetera. I am seeking either a math waiver and the poor mark I have recieved in Elementary Algebra struck from my record, or actual proper supplemental aid through the offices of student disability. I went into detail about this whole matter, for I feel I have no choice. I do not see why I cannot do as they do in other uni’s throughout the US and just take computers instead of math. I have a good 6th grade level of abstract thought and nothing more. Since Feburary I ahve practiced math for the placement test, since August 26th I have studied math quite dilligently and I have reached an impass. I do not know what else to do but file a complaint out of the ocr in washington.,..that goes to the closest ocr near me…which is in Atlanta….and just keep on trying in math until some sort of compromise can be made.

Merlin –

Review my post, to the message of “Practial Help with LD….” elsewhere
in the “Adults with LD” section of this Bulletin Board.

You may email me directly, ONLY REGARDING L.D. SUPPORT ISSUES, at
” [email protected] ” ; put in subject line : ” LD Support Questn.” .
Good luck.

Sincerely,

Joe Tag,Jr.

– end –

I relate to how you feel. I’m going through the same drama as well. I will not get any accomidations next semester and a phych evaluation costs 500 dollars. I want to go to Voc Rhab, but its on the days I have classes. My advice to you is don’t let your phych define who you are. Remember, [i]Ld is a part of you, not who you are. [/i]

It is interesting to see your comments, everyone.
The other text, which I still have, had 2 computer CD’s;
it was from a company called Quanitative Systems, and the
book was by Mr. New and Mr. Wright. I may have more information
on the book tommorrow. I reccommend that Lial/Hornsby
__*_Beginning_Algebra_*__ Text ( Addison-Wesley publishers ) .

See my other posts, in “ADULTS WITH L.D.” at this site.

[quote=”jkm”]I relate to how you feel. I’m going through the same drama as well. I will not get any accomidations next semester and a phych evaluation costs 500 dollars. I want to go to Voc Rhab, but its on the days I have classes. My advice to you is don’t let your phych define who you are. Remember, [i]Ld is a part of you, not who you are. [/i][/quote]

This is the “5th Edition” of the text. When I took Math 1000 at
Kean University, we used the 4th edition.

http://www.quantsystems.com/PC_IMAtext.htm

[quote=”Guest ( Joe Tag )”]It is interesting to see your comments, everyone.
The other text, which I still have, had 2 computer CD’s;
it was from a company called Quanitative Systems, and the
book was by Mr. New and Mr. Wright. I may have more information
on the book tommorrow. I reccommend that Lial/Hornsby
__*_Beginning_Algebra_*__ Text ( Addison-Wesley publishers ) .

See my other posts, in “ADULTS WITH L.D.” at this site.

[quote=”jkm”]I relate to how you feel. I’m going through the same drama as well. I will not get any accomidations next semester and a phych evaluation costs 500 dollars. I want to go to Voc Rhab, but its on the days I have classes. My advice to you is don’t let your phych define who you are. Remember, [i]Ld is a part of you, not who you are. [/i][/quote][/quote]