College Problems

The ‘go work it out with your professors’ is sadly common in colleges. That’s pretty much all they seem obligated to do - the burden of getting accomodations is placed on the student’s shoulders. In my son’s college, the spec. ed. office does give him a letter to take with him as he ‘works it out with his professors’ and the letter states that he has such and such disabilities and is entitled to the following accomodations…

In his case that’s extended time and a separate quite room and for the most part his professors have been accomodating of those. Would extended time help your daughter? It likely couldn’t hurt and she should be able to get that. What accomodations did she receive in high school?

What doesn’t seem to happen on the college at all are modifications. Colleges unlike elementary or secondary schools will not modify course material to better meet the needs of an ld student. Nor will they will offer ld students alternative testing in any way and with your daughter’s memory deficits she may need that.

There are some colleges that specialize in working with ld students. Get hold of a copy of the K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities just to see what colleges they are. A change of major can sometimes help too. My son is a math/engineering major and simply couldn’t be a history major or lit major - in math classes he doesn’t need to read or write much or memorize at all.

Good luck.

From: Joe Tag

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Sara wrote:
“Nor will they will offer ld students alternative testing in any way and with your daughter’s memory deficits she may need that. ”

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At Kean University, sometimes a “scribe” (student-employee of
LD Support Services / Office of Disability Services) will write down
on an exam, the verbal answers to a posed question. The Scribe
reads the exam question, and the student-client gives a verbal answer, which the worker-Scribe writes down. This is the only “alternative” testing
I know.

Sometimes a special request has to be made for books to be
recorded onto tape. But this request is usually honored; though sometimes late.

Thank you for your replies. I will look into the alternative testing.

Indeed, a scribe is something that totally “jives” with the law that governs ld students at the higher ed level. Books on tape is a great idea too! There is nothing wrong with calling the publisher of a textbook and asking how one goes about purchasing the book on tape, I would assume that some publishers of textbooks offer that, for there are visually impaired students at the University level, you know? The memos to give to your professors should state exactly what accomadations your child needs, to. the. letter. The professor has to follow such things as alternative testing procedures becuase he would be breaking the law not to (I think it is section 504 of the american’s with disabilites act). It never hurts to sit down with the professor or e mail him or her and discuss what all you need as well. Sometimes those of us with ld’s who are at university just need things that might sound just downright different and unique to others, but htat are by no means unethical or dishonest to utilise. I have had, to put it mildly, problems…with the offices of student disabilites at my university and I actually sat with the professor (my math professor, I am ld in math) and we worked out a little accomadation with regards to the manner in which I write out equations. He understood where I was coming from, in part because I sat down with the gentleman and just told him and showed him(very important for the student to show evidence that they are really doing the work) how I write out equations a tad bit differently than my peers in the class.

Maybe this will help you out there, dear.

I am 38 and recently tried to go back to college but I have found that my inability to learn and comprehend math has been a brick wall for me. math always has been a stumbling block for me and it only seems to get harder. I finally withdrew from school after failing several tests. I dont know if trying to better myself is possible at all, what other choices do I have?

Guest

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2003 10:38 am Post subject: Re: One Course a Month

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University of Phoenix. Its based out of Arizona, but they have campuses all over the US. Its the same deal, one class at a time, for 4 or 5 weeks, for BS’s and Masters degrees. They even do online classes. I think this is an amazing school for people like myself with LD and ADD. Check it out. The only thing is, u have to be atleast 22 by the time u start, or meet some other work reqierments to start at a younger age. www.phoenix.edu

I copied this from another post here. Maybe this would be the answer for you.

I admire that you are trying to further your education. Don’t let the system get you down. There must be a way for you to meet the math requirement. Keep going. Best of Luck

frostyl
I feel your pain. I get to spend all summer trying to learn algebra…over and over and over again. Like a broken record. You can learn, if you find the confidence in yourself to try. It might kill you, figuratively speaking, to try and try again and maybe not see a lot of progress from the break. Do not let math hold you back from getting your Uni degree. If you have math ld you work as hard as you can and learn your rights, man. If you live in a more modern area of the country, you might get a math waiver, you know? You just have to never let your math stand in the way of obtaining your degree. Go back to your school and just not take no for an answer from anyone, alright? You have the right to learn your math even if it takes you longer. I am sitting here in my home in Memphis, Tn. taking a break from studying for finals and I am studying for my math final alrready because since I failed it once I have all of the review. I would love to be in Palm Beach right now, but I can’t go to places like that and take time to study and this is spring break week, don’t faze me any! You do what you need to do and do not just quit like that, honey! Darnit! Keep us in touch.