scholarly journals Dissing learning disabilities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richa Sud

This qualitative research study explores the experiences of post-secondary students with Learning Disabilities (LDs). Using phenomenology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four university students from Southern Ontario. The study discusses the strengths, challenges, commonalities and differences between the students‘ academic experiences through which they have derived current academic success. Data analysis draws from Critical Theory of Education, Social Model of Disability and Goffman‘s analysis of Stigma. The findings in this study provide insight into the classroom experiences of the students with LDs in elementary, middle and high schools. Further, they help understand ways adapted by students to navigate the education system through each of their varied experiences. This paper will conclude with implications and suggestions for social work professionals working with students who have LDs.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richa Sud

This qualitative research study explores the experiences of post-secondary students with Learning Disabilities (LDs). Using phenomenology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four university students from Southern Ontario. The study discusses the strengths, challenges, commonalities and differences between the students‘ academic experiences through which they have derived current academic success. Data analysis draws from Critical Theory of Education, Social Model of Disability and Goffman‘s analysis of Stigma. The findings in this study provide insight into the classroom experiences of the students with LDs in elementary, middle and high schools. Further, they help understand ways adapted by students to navigate the education system through each of their varied experiences. This paper will conclude with implications and suggestions for social work professionals working with students who have LDs.


2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-81
Author(s):  
Susan Whitmer

Key drivers that influence space design in today's higher education environment are technology, changing demographics, increased focus on student engagement, and carbon footprint. Just as important, but not typically on the list, is the growing population of students with Learning Disabilities (LD) for which the physical environment plays an increasingly important role in successful learning outcomes. The research goal was to examine the role of “place” as a component of academic success for those students with LD. Methodology included both literature review and the development of a case study analysis of three post-secondary institutions in the United States. The universities were chosen based on the size of the university, the campus setting, and the mission of the Disabilities Services team. The conclusion of the research surfaced three specific components of the physical environment that hold an increased value for a student with LD. These components are wayfinding, formal learning spaces, and disability services spaces. The key to integrating a sense of place with the needs of students with LD is moving beyond meeting the minimum standards of the legal mandates and bridging the principles of universal design to the built environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Alayne Armstrong ◽  
Mirela Gutica

Drawn from an investigation of the emergent technological practices of post-secondary students with mathematics learning disabilities, this case study employs an enactivist framework in considering the bootstrapping processes our participants report engaging in when using personal electronic devices for academic support. Video-recorded, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine post-secondary participants with mathematics learning disabilities in two western Canadian urban centres. Findings suggest that participants used technology to control and improve sensory input in order to better access mathematics course content and monitor the accuracy of their work, engage with alternate presentations of mathematical concepts to enhance their level of understanding, reduce workload, and improve organization. We discuss how their strategies in using technology relate to Bereiter’s categorization of bootstrapping resources (1985), including imitation, chance by selection, learning support systems, and piggybacking. Grounded in a “learner’s perspective,” this case study identifies technological adaptations and strategies that may be helpful to others with mathematics learning disabilities.


Author(s):  
Konrad T. Lisnyj ◽  
David L. Pearl ◽  
Jennifer E. McWhirter ◽  
Andrew Papadopoulos

Overview: There has been an increase in the frequency and severity of stress experienced by Canadian post-secondary students, which has adverse implications on their academic success. This work applied the socio-ecological model for health promotion to explore the contextual factors that influence this relationship at the individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy levels. Methods: Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, we conducted 38 semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students and on-campus staff who provide services to this population at a post-secondary institution in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Thematic analysis inductively identified overarching themes among participants’ perspectives. Results: Several positive and negative factors were identified at each socio-ecological model level, demonstrating the complex interplay of demographic, psychological, emotional, social, physical, and academic factors impacting students’ academic stress. Conclusions: A lack of communication and knowledge seems to underlie many factors, highlighting the need to strengthen communication strategies to promote awareness, accessibility, and availability of services and programs on campus. Results also pointed to focusing on proactive, resilience-focused, upstream mental health promotion efforts at post-secondary institutions to reduce stress and improve academic success. This knowledge can help Canadian campuses better address students’ needs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Sokal ◽  
Alina Wilson

Extended testing time accommodation (ETTA) is the most common accommodation assigned to post-secondary students with disabilities. We examined data on the processes of providing and monitoring the use of ETTA at 48 Canadian post-secondary institutions who provided accommodations to over 43,000 students with disabilities in every province in Canada. Findings indicated that students with learning disabilities were the most likely to be allocated ETTA. The most common duration of ETTA by far was 150% of the standard testing time provided to other students, and was typically assigned in over 70% of cases-- despite there being no valid empirical evidence to support this practice. In almost half of the institutions following this practice, this duration of ETTA was typically awarded upon intake based on guidelines, policies, or the belief that research exists to support this procedure, and in over 40% of these institutions there were no procedures in place for monitoring and modifying ETTA allowances once assigned. There was evidence of some exemplary practices in terms of the decision-making processes that went into determining and monitoring individual student’s ETTA durations. However, concerns were raised in some cases by the rationales for providing specific durations of ETTA, and by the lack of monitoring that together comprised ‘blanket’ accommodations.


1993 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 444-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice Hollingsworth ◽  
John Woodward

This study investigated the effectiveness of an explicit strategy as a means of linking facts, concepts, and problem solving in an unfamiliar domain of learning. Participants were 37 secondary students with learning disabilities. All students were taught health facts and concepts, which they then applied to problem-solving exercises presented through computer-simulation games. Students in the experimental group were taught an explicit strategy for solving the problems; the comparison group was given supportive feedback and encouraged to induce their own strategies. The explicit strategy group performed significantly better on two transfer measures, including videotaped problem-solving exercises.


2021 ◽  
pp. 004005992110255
Author(s):  
Whitney Sommers Butler ◽  
Casey Hord ◽  
Susan Watts-Taffe

In spite of the prevailing assumption that formal reading instruction is no longer needed once adolescents reach high school, students at the secondary level still benefit from explicit reading instruction to continue developing advanced literacy skills enabling them to access complex narrative texts. This article argues for the importance of teachers to scrutinize the texts they plan to teach to determine what instruction and supports are needed to promote reading comprehension for students with learning disabilities. Specifically, this article examines how nonlinear text structures can challenge adolescent reading comprehension and illustrates explicit text structure instruction with three exemplar texts which use unconventional narrative patterns. The article emphasizes the importance of considering the qualitative features of texts to inform instruction to support reading comprehension for students with learning disabilities.


Author(s):  
Jean Bragg Schumaker ◽  
Joseph Fisher

Multimedia software programs have been developed and empirically validated for teaching secondary students with learning disabilities new skills and strategies. Some of them can be appropriately put into practice in general education classes in which diverse groups of students are enrolled. One of them, the Commas Strategies Program (Schumaker & Sheldon, 2009), is featured in this article. Because comma skills are specified in national and state standards, all students are required to learn them. The Commas Strategies Program can be used to ensure that all students learn these skills. This article describes the previous research associated with the program and the components of the program. It also describes the features of the program that were specifically designed to ensure that diverse classes of students will learn from it. Further, it describes procedures teachers can follow to put the program into practice and ensure student learning. Enrichment activities that can also be used associated with the software program are suggested.


2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 212-218
Author(s):  
Gloria A. Carcoba Falomir

Algebra is considered an important high school course because it is recognized as the gateway to higher mathematics, college opportunities, and well-paying jobs. In the United States, most secondary schools require students to be proficient in algebra to be able to graduate from high school. One major component of algebra is word problem solving, which is used in algebra courses to teach students mathematical modeling and applied problem-solving skills. However, word problem solving is often a significantly challenging area for students with learning disabilities because it involves computing mathematical equations and implementing a myriad of cognitive processes that require conceptual knowledge. Diagrams are considered an effective and powerful visualization strategy because they help students see the hidden mathematical structure of the problem. The use of diagrams is recommended as students work toward more complex math concepts in middle school and high school.


2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Wook Ok ◽  
Kavita Rao

Secondary students with learning disabilities (LD) can benefit from using assistive and instructional technologies to support content and skill acquisition. Digital pens have features that can be beneficial for students who struggle with comprehension, note taking, and organization. Livescribe pens, in particular, provide a variety features that teachers and students can use as a support for note taking, content review and test preparation, formative assessment, and testing accommodations and as a math calculator for secondary students with LD. This article describes several ways that teachers can integrate digital pens to support secondary students with LD and discusses potential benefits and challenges regarding the use of these pens.


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