suport at collage

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

hi every one

i am thinking of going back to collage to stude again. i would love to work in sprot. the prolbem is i am not realy sure about weather i would be able to achive this. i am dsylexic and find writeing very hard. i was wondering what kind of help they would be able to give me wiht the cousre. i am haveing to pay for coloured leneses for glasses and am not sure i would be able to pay for cousre if i had to pay for extra support to.

i am unalbe to copy notes from board easyerly and cant write down what people say to me. i also have troulbe undertsanding what i have to write in assignemnet qusetions.

i am studeing at collage on part time bases at monemnt. the cousre is to improve my english for my dsylexia. going back to studey something else is a very big thing for me as i aways aviod cousres at work. now they just think i am lasy. they are not very understaning about my dsylexia. they know that i dont like reading things of of white paper but still give me info on white paper espesically my contact and then when it takes me a long time to raed they maon and ask me to hurry up. i even herad them taking the mikey out of me once when they fouhgt i couldnt hear them. this is why i need a new caereer.

sorry to go on any advice on suport i could get would be great.

thanks
pink

Submitted by scifinut on Sat, 01/14/2006 - 6:41 PM

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Have you contacted the Students with Disabilities Support Center at your college? They should have a list of services that are provided to students with disabilities.

As for things you can do for yourself - look into a word prediction program for writing/typing papers. This can help a lot with spelling and getting your thoughts down more quickly. Another options would be a Speech-To-Text program. (Microsoft Office 2003 comes with one built into the program. Its not perfect but could be helpful.)

Get a tape recorder for class lectures. You can then focus on listening in class and make notes from the tape later.

The colored lenses should make reading easier. Irlen Syndrome can be dramatically improved with these and the letters should stop moving. :) (My dd has Irlen Syndrome and wears dark turquoise glasses for reading.) You should also set up your computer to meet your needs - turning down the brightness/contrast of your monitor until it is comfortable, change the background color of your word processing program to something easier for you to use and doesn’t cause fatigue. There are a bunch of tips on the Irlen web site at http://www.irlen.com

Find a study partner, another student in the class willing to share notes with you that are taken from the board. A simple photocopy of the notes would make things easy.

Good luck on your path!

Submitted by Sue on Sun, 01/15/2006 - 11:33 PM

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You’ve got some good advice already.

I can tell you that if you don’t count spelling, your writing is better than that of many of the students I work with. They have to put a lot of work into it, but some of them do and one of ‘em is set to graduate (there is a bit of a math course in the way… but we’re tackling that… it’s just one more hurdle…) Do you know anybody who can look over papers and work on spelling with you?

I don’t blame you for avoiding courses at work… if they’re dependent on reading, that ends up being really frustrating.

Keep asking aroiund and looking ‘til you find allies. They might be at “disabilities” services, or the college might have a writing center (ours does), or any other support services, because most colleges really want students to pass courses so they can give ‘em the money to take the next one :-) Or come on down to CHampaign, IL and drop in my office :-)

Submitted by scifinut on Mon, 01/16/2006 - 1:50 AM

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I just thought of a couple more ideas but they involve reading. :)

There are two books that I found helpful in encouraging my dd.

Embracing the Monster: Overcoming the Challenges of Hidden Disabilities by Veronica Crawford, Larry B. Silver

and

Learning Outside The Lines : Two Ivy League Students With Learning Disabilities And Adhd Give You The Tools For Academic Success and Educational Revolution by Jonathon Mooney and Davic Cole, forward by Edward M. Hallowell

Both books have some great information in them on how to set up support systems, get friends and family to help and figure out what your needs are. My dd found it very encouraging that there were others with disabilities just like her’s who have made it through college and been able to be successful.

Submitted by pink on Mon, 01/16/2006 - 10:54 AM

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thanks for yuor advice. i going to ask at lokal collage to sae what they say. i am raeding a book on dsylexia at monment and it is raelly good as it is qiute poisive about dsylexia.

i am luky at monmoeent as i have a good tutor for a basesc skills class in english she is helping me to laern sounds phonics whcih is raelly helping me wiht my spelling and raeding.

Submitted by pink on Tue, 01/31/2006 - 7:23 PM

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hi sue
i am loking at cousre in a uni but not sure if i would ba albe to do it. i am now geting quite despairate as know i don t wANT to do my curent job. i am working hard to imrpove my raeding and writeing and hvae the motivation to complte the course. hopefuy i will be able to start something son.

pink

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