college essays about learning disabilities

How to Write a College Essay When You Have Learning Differences

Should You Address Your Learning Difference in Your Common App Essay?

It’s a valid question! But in the end, the answer is probably not.

Your personal statement is your chance to speak to admissions officers in your own voice. It should focus on your strengths, background, or goals. We understand why writing about your learning difference might be important to you. But does it define you?

Try to brainstorm a few other ideas before you make your final decision. Is your learning difference the one thing that you want admissions to remember about you? What else drives, motivates, or inspires you? We bet you’ve got a secret skill or passion, too!

Maybe you will decide that your learning disability* is so important for admissions to know that you want to write 650 words about it. Then you have to make another decision…

Should You Write A Personal Statement or Additional Information Essay about Your Learning Difference?

If you want admissions officers to know about your learning disability, you don’t have to write about it in your personal statement. You can write an additional information essay instead. This is an optional essay that you can add to your Common App.

The additional information prompt reads: “Please provide an answer below if you wish to provide details of circumstances or qualifications not reflected in the application. You may enter up to 650 words.”

The additional information essay is the perfect space to explain personal difficulties like:

• learning differences
• low grades or test scores
• special accommodations like extra time on exams
• disciplinary issues

If your learning difference hasn’t had a negative effect on your life, we suggest skipping the additional information section.

If you choose to write an additional information essay, you won’t have to choose between writing about your learning disability* or a different topic. You can save your personal statement for a more unique topic. Maybe your knack for knitting sweaters for penguins , love for Papa John’s pizza , or deep knowledge of Costco !

What If You Really Want to Write Your Personal Statement about Your Learning Difference?

As we have said, you should only write your personal statement about your learning difference if you absolutely can’t think of another topic! But at the end of the day, it’s your choice.

If you decide to write about your learning difference, then the Common Application’s Prompt 2 is a great option to back your essay into.

That prompt reads: “The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?”

This prompt asks for a story about resilience, which is exactly how we think you should write about your learning difference.

How Should You Address Your Learning Difference in a College Essay?

If you decide to write about the learning disability* in your application (preferably the additional information section), you should tell a story of success. Write about a struggle you overcame.

You don’t want your essay to present you as a victim. You also don’t want admissions officers to question your ability to keep up with college-level work. So do not dwell on your struggles or setbacks. Instead, celebrate your solutions and achievements!

A few questions to think about as you write your essay:

• How do you make lemonade out of the lemons that life has given you?
• How has your learning disability* affected the way you understand the world?
• How has overcoming your challenge made your more confident or assertive?

Whatever you write about your dyslexia, ADD, or LPD, we would recommend getting a second opinion before you submit your application. Ask a trusted friend, family member, teacher, or essay expert for honest feedback. At the end of the day, it is most important to tell a story that shows who you really are!

*You might have noticed that we used the terms “learning difference” and “learning disability” interchangeably in this article. The reason we did so is because the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) doesn’t count learning differences or learning challenges as disabilities. In order to receive support, services, and equal access to employment, people need to be classified as having a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). More information on this here.

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Written by Kat Stubing

Category: Admissions , advice , College Admissions , Essay Tips , Essay Writing , Tips , Topic Selection , Uncategorized

Tags: add , additional info , additional info essay , additional information , additional information essay , adhd , Admissions , admissions essay , admissions help , application , applications , applying to college , college admissions , college admissions essay , college applications , college essay , college essay advice , college essay advisors , college essay tips , common app essay , dyslexia , learning challenges , learning differences , learning disabilities , personal statement , writing about add , writing about dyslexia , writing about learning differences , writing about learning disabilities

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How to Navigate College Admissions With a Learning Disability

Disclosing a disability on your application is a personal choice, experts say.

Learning Disabilities and College Apps

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While the procedural part is stressful, experts say students with learning disabilities who are applying to college often struggle most with deeper questions that are unique to their situation.

The college admissions process can be overwhelming for any student, but it can be especially challenging for those with learning disabilities.

"Many of the students we work with struggle with organizational skills, anxiety and writing," Eric Endlich, founder of Top College Counselors, a college consulting company that works with neurodivergent students, wrote in an email. "So the major tasks involved in the process – building a college list, crafting compelling essays and completing their applications on time – all present challenges."

College applications take a lot of time, research and planning, and they often require executive functioning skills that some students with learning disabilities may lack or struggle with, experts say. For these students, it's crucial to break the application tasks down individually to simplify the process and start on them as early as possible. Creating and sticking to personal deadlines, as well as being aware of each school's deadlines, can help avoid procrastination and alleviate related stress.

Should I Disclose My Learning Disability on My College Application?

This is often one of the first questions students and parents ask and one of the most misunderstood parts of the admissions process, experts say. There is no requirement to disclose a learning disability on a college application, and it's illegal for colleges to discriminate against students with any kind of disability.

"People think that if you disclose your disability that they’ll definitely not admit you. Some think if you disclose your disability it’s going to give you this huge jump and you’re going to go over these other students. There’s no data supporting any of that," says Elizabeth Hamblet, an independent college learning disability specialist and author of "Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities."

"The admissions deans that I have spoken to say that neither of those things is true," she says. "Disclosure should be the student’s choice."

Some experts say disclosure can provide valuable context to a student's academic profile, particularly for those who have a low GPA or struggle in certain subjects, score poorly on standardized tests like the ACT or SAT or have significant changes in grades while in high school.

"For example, if a student is diagnosed with ADHD during high school, starts taking medication and demonstrates improved grades, it might actually work to a student's advantage to explain this course of events," Endlich says. "I also work with many students who are proud of their autism or neurodivergence as a central part of their identity and choose to write about it proudly in their essays ."

Some admissions officers may see it as an example of a student's character and perseverance, says Jordan Wright, chief clinical officer at Parallel Learning, an advocacy group that helps students with learning disabilities get evaluated and the needed accommodations and resources.

"Students who have had some challenges and setbacks but have pushed forward and pushed through them with support of others and reasonable accommodations, colleges and universities tend to love that," he says. "So I tend to discourage people from hiding their learning differences in their application.”

Students can disclose information either through a personal essay , on the "Additional Information" section on the Common App , through a letter from their school counselor or directly through a conversation with an admissions counselor. While students may focus on their learning disability in their application, it may not always be necessary, says Liz Doe Stone, a senior private counselor for Top Tier Admissions, an admissions consulting company.

"If it’s not something that has had a really dramatic effect, like a particular dip in grades, we wouldn’t recommend students disclose that or work it into an essay just because most colleges want to know about how you think, what excites you academically, how you’ve contributed to your community, and the type of leadership you’ve shown in school or your community," she says. "So you wouldn’t want to dwell or take up precious space in your application materials trying to explain something."

How Do I Decide Which Colleges to Apply to?

Researching colleges and deciding which to apply to can be another stressful part of the admissions process. For students with learning disabilities, it's important to find schools that will meet their specific needs. Not all schools offer the same types of support, and what that support looks like will likely be much different than what students were used to in grades K-12 when they were on either an individualized education program or a 504 plan , Hamblet says.

"There’s so much misunderstanding about what happens when students get to college," she says. “People think IEPs are still valid, which they’re not. People think 504 plans are still valid in college, and they’re not. It’s really important to understand all of this because, in some cases, students have been receiving accommodations that they’re not going to get in college."

Any school that accepts federal money is legally required to provide accommodations for students with disabilities, per the Americans with Disabilities Act. For example, students who need extra time on tests, need to take exams in a separate room free of distractions or need to record a lecture due to attention deficit are allowed to do so.

Some schools do the bare minimum to meet these students' needs, while others go above and beyond, Hamblet says.

For example, a student who is blind or visually impaired is eligible to receive the course's text in an alternative format, such as audio or larger print. For a blind student, a college must make sure any text a professor assigns as a reading is accessible and can be read by screen-reading software. The school isn't required to provide the software, but some do, and it's worth researching how far each school extends its support, she says.

Many schools offer fee-based programs that allow students with learning disabilities to pay for services that colleges aren't required to provide.

For example, the Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques (SALT) Center at the University of Arizona offers tutoring, workshops on reading strategies and exam prep, educational technology such as screen-reading software and note-taking apps, and psychological wellness services. Students must pay for these services.

Some schools, such as Beacon College in Florida and Landmark College in Vermont, exist specifically to serve students with learning disabilities.

"What I want to get away from and be cautious of is that when people learn that there are schools with fee-based programs or two that are just for students with disabilities, they may think they should direct all their students with disabilities to these colleges," Hamblet says. "But not everybody needs that level of support or wants it."

Students should determine the level of support they'll need, then research a school's website to see if it offers any support specific to a certain learning disability, Hamblet says.

All the different types of support offered aren't always listed, so before applying students should contact the disability services office to learn the full scope of services.

"Accommodations represent the foundational level of support that every college provides, though of course the staffing levels and backgrounds can vary quite a bit," Endlich says. "Only a fraction of colleges offer comprehensive support programs with academic coaching, peer mentoring, workshops, social events, priority registration and other components."

When completing the application and going through the admissions process, it's best to work with a team that includes teachers, parents, counselors and mentors, Wright says. This can help divide up certain tasks and make the process successful.

"Many students, especially with learning and thinking differences, have had a lot of experiences where they have not succeeded," he says. "They’ve been given these large projects and not given the accommodations they need to succeed or the supports they need to succeed, so they’ve had these experiences where it’s not been successful, and we don’t want to replicate that. We don’t want to trigger the emotional memory of them not succeeding in these large, cumbersome projects."

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160 Disabilities Topics for Research Papers & Essays

Looking for interesting disability topics for a research paper or project? This field is hot, controversial, and definitely worth studying!

🏆 Best Disability Topics for Research Papers

👍 disability essay topics, 📑 research questions about disabilities, 🎓 good research topics about disabilities.

The disability study field includes the issues of physical, mental, and learning disabilities, as well as the problem of discrimination. In this article, we’ve gathered great disability essay topics & research questions, as well as disability topics to talk about. We hope that our collection will inspire you.

• Case Study of a Child with Intellectual Disability It is crucial to integrate the input of a learning coach into the school curriculum to encourage the participation of Meagan’s parents in his educational endeavors.
• Students With Disabilities in Higher Education Institutions Accommodations for students depend on the disability type that the student has, and whether the disability allows the student to get an accommodation in the institution.
• Poems with Disabilities by Jim Ferris This is good evidence for the argument of the need to eliminate the issue of ableism. Language evolves gradually, and countering the issue of ableism is a long-term goal.
• Managing Students With Disabilities Instructional issues that are encountered in education are those arising due to the inability of the students to acquire, maintain, and relate the skills that are learned in class to other settings within and outside […]
• The Problems of Children With Disabilities and Possible Ways of Solution It is very important for disabled people to be on the same level with others in the conditions that compensate the deviations in the development and constraints of the abilities in learning.
• Children With Learning Disabilities The following research questions will be used in achieving the objectives: What is the role of learning disabilities in affecting the ability of the students to learn?
• Sociocultural Barriers for People With Disabilities On the other hand, stigmatization, stereotyping and prejudice have been highlighted as the barriers to social inclusion of people with disabilities in society.
• Computer-Based Technologies That Assist People With Disabilities The visually impaired To assist the visually impaired to use computers, there are Braille computer keyboards and Braille display to enable them to enter information and read it. Most of these devices are very expensive […]
• Women, Development and Disabilities The mission of the organization is to enhance the voice of women in society and influence other organizations that advocate for women rights.
• Government Grants for People With Disabilities The paper will be based on the conditions of disabled people and the federal or state grants that they could receive in order to facilitate changes in their health and work.
• Learning Disabilities: Differentiating ADHD and EBD As for the most appropriate setting, it is possible to seat the child near the teacher. It is possible to provide instructions with the help of visual aids.
• Children With Disabilities in Education By the end of the experiment the student will demonstrate his ability to understand the information, to discuss it, and to reflect his ideas in writing.
• Employees With Disabilities and Their Workplace Behavior In H3, the authors found that employees with disabilities remained loyal and committed to work and were satisfied with their job.
• Ableism: Bias Against People With Disabilities People concerned with rights advocacy ought to ensure a facilitated awareness of the distressing impacts of ableism through the inclusion of the subject in private and public discussions.
• Defining Disabilities in Modern World Defining disability has not been easy due to the various opinions related to the understanding of the concept. Disability has significant impact on the society due to the relationships that exists between the individual and […]
• Mental Disabilities: Characteristics and Causes TBIs are caused by an impact of the head against a blunt object or from its penetration by a sharp object; it often results from vehicle accidents. Autism is a developmental disorder that influences the […]
• Adaptive Behavior Skills and Intellectual Disabilities Four assessment tools are important for identifying adaptive behavior and skills: the Adaptive Behavior Scale, the Scale of Independent Behavior, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale.
• Autism and Educational Process Owing to these adverse effects that can stem from autism and the shear prevalence of the condition in the country’s population, a lot of research effort has been dedicated to the early diagnosis and treatment […]
• Lawsuits Regarding College Students With Disabilities Abuse is one of the factors considered to have discouraged physically challenged students from pursuing their academic careers.
• Living with Disabilities from an Insider’s Perspective Additionally, Armendariz was able to use a prosthetic arm to assist with her disability which she recalled as being helpful before it led to severe negativity from her peers at the time.
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren With Disabilities In the case of their absence, these grandparents worry about the well-being of their disabled grandchildren and the influence they have on other children.
• People With Disabilities in the Frida Movie After the accident, her father bought her a canvas that she would use for painting because she loved art and was an artist, helping her cope with her disability.
• Safety Evacuation for People with Disabilities First, before a disaster occurs, the government should be aware of the number of individuals in the scenario and keep track of them to verify the figures are correct.
• Individuals with Disabilities: Social Misconceptions One of the misconceptions I noticed is the community’s attitudes to people with disability. Community views about individuals with disabilities can also be impacted by features of the person with a disability unrelated to the […]
• Individuals With Disabilities: Prejudice and Discrimination I researched that people with persistent medical or physical disorders, such as cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis, who have speech, articulation, or communication impairments, for example, are sometimes seen as having an intellectual deficiency. Corey […]
• Special Olympics and Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities Together with partners, the Special Olympics aspires to improve the health outcomes for people with physical and mental disabilities to close the gap with the healthy population who are more advantaged in terms of access […]
• The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities Policy The paper outlines the proper policy and procedure of incident reporting and investigation and thus, provides how to become an agent for the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and satisfy individuals receiving services.
• Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities’ Staff Training Specifically, the introduction of the assessment modules for the evaluation of the staff members’ compliance with the set requirements will be enacted.
• The Quality of the Working Environment for Persons With Disabilities The progressive introduction of new practices more tolerant of the disabled will be carried out at every stage of the work cycle and in every segment of the corporation as a connected infrastructure.
• Developmental Disabilities: Best Practice and Support Family therapy and the creation of support groups seem to be an effective method for children with disabilities and their environment.
• Bronx Developmental Disabilities Council: Organization Assessment During events, council, and committee meetings, the organization provides printed materials with information on disability and the prevention of social distancing of people with disabilities.
• Assistive Technologies for Individuals with Disabilities A rehabilitation consultant will be able to recommend this equipment to people who are acutely worried about the inability to use a computer and the Internet to ensure a comfortable life.
• Smart Farms Hiring People with Disabilities Although Smart Farms is a non-profit organization and benefits from donations, the workers play their role in income generation by working on the farms and sales.
• Americans with Disabilities Act and Nursing Practice Acts such as the Americans with Disabilities Act affect not only the political and legal environment in a country but also the rights and responsibilities of nurses.
• Life of Individuals Dealing with Disabilities The child’s image hitting the t-ball also showcased a powerful issue, that disabled individuals should be treated similarly to other people and given equal opportunities to give them the chance to perform optimally.
• Partnership for People with Disabilities’ Mission The mission of this organization is to partner with stakeholders both in the intellectual and developmental disability community and other interested groups at Virginia Commonwealth University. The organization was founded in 1985 to better people’s […]
• The Experience of Parents of Children With Disabilities Enhancing support for the mental well-being of parents of children with a disability: developing a resource based on the perspectives of parents and professionals.
• Healthcare Disparities in People With Disabilities In addition to health care disparities, such as poor access to care, including preventive one, and dependency, people with disabilities also face higher morbidity and lack of insurance.
• Employment for People With Disabilities Accommodation is also considered to be a restructuring of work and the attraction of other personnel to help in adaptation – as it should have happened with Adele.
• Laws Protecting the Rights of People With Disabilities The aim of this essay is to research the law that protects the rights of people with disabilities in the context of sporting events.
• People With Disabilities in Society I think that these people are powerful and inspiring, as they prove to the world that it is possible to live life to the fullest with a disability.
• People With Disabilities and Social Work Moreover, there is a tendency towards the rise in the number of such people because of the deterioration of the situation and the growing number of environmental concerns.
• Alternate Assessments for Students With Learning Disabilities The problem is that many school districts experience difficulties with proposing adequate formative and summative assessments for those students who require special attention.
• People with Disabilities’ Problem of Employment Although truck driving can be a stressful job, it is not evident if it is true, and thus, it is important for John to experience the job-related himself and determine whether he can handle it. […]
• Living with Disabilities in the Nondisabled World A variety of laws, initiatives, and regulations are currently implemented to ensure simpler and less costly access to information resources and the functionality of a device.
• United Arab Emirates Schools: Students With Learning Disabilities The current UAE public school environment does not allow for the provision of the necessary skills due to the lack of a proper teaching strategy.
• Workplace and People With Disabilities The purpose of the research is to make coherent and accurate observations in regards to the usefulness of the given method in improving the overall attitudes of people and organizations toward people with disabilities.
• Career Counseling for People With Disabilities To sufficiently research, the issue of career counseling for individuals with disabilities in the academic press, a list of journals that offer such information was developed.
• Genetic Modification and Implicit Bias Against People With Disabilities There is also a factor of disabilities that are life-threatening to a child, or illnesses that may be able to be fatal within the first few years of life.
• Impact of Social Darwinism on the Perception of Human Disabilities In addition, connecting behavior such as the likeliness of criminality to genetics is incorrect and damaging not only to the individual but to a community and society as a whole.
• Music Therapy for Children With Learning Disabilities This review includes the evidence supporting music therapy as an effective strategy for promoting auditory, communication, and socio-emotional progression in children with ASD.
• Healthcare Professionals: Individuals With Developmental Disabilities The presentation provide an overview of relevant health related issues in individuals with developmental disabilities and how it relates to the group of professionals assigned.
• Protection for Persons With Disabilities and Their Service Animals Additionally, it must be trained to give assistance to a person with disability. Service animals that can be selected to assist persons with disability must be either a dog or a miniature horse.
• Death Penalty: Juveniles and Mental Disabilities Consequently, the Eight Amendment should dismiss the death penalty for this category and state laws must implement recommendations of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the American Psychological Association, and the American Bar Association that […]
• The Prevalence, Effects and Challenges of Developmental Disabilities While the increase in the number of people with developmental disabilities is attributed to the rising numbers of the aging population, disabilities may arise in childhood and affect the entire lives of people.
• Community Disability Awareness Program: Elderly Women With Disabilities A measurable outcome in the program’s success will be a decline in the rate of crime related to elderly women with disabilities.
• The Understanding of Needs of People With Learning Disabilities Despite several problems in the overall design of the strategy that can be used to improve the nursing services for PLD, Drozd and Clinch make a very valid point by stressing the significance of a […]
• Addressing the Needs of People With Learning Disabilities As a student aiming at becoming a Nurse Practitioner, I am currently focusing on the exploration of the options for managing the work of the nursing staff, as well as seeking the opportunities for improving […]
• Discrimination Against Customers With Disabilities The role of the law is to regulate such cases and to provide necessary tools for both sides to prove their point of view.
• Elderly Women with Disabilities: Problems and Needs Despite the economic crisis, the cost of medical care has also increased due to the rise in the number of lawsuits filed against the physicians of the state.
• Relationship Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being Among Greek People With Physical Disabilities In the light of this lack of knowledge, the present study attempts to explore the degree of relationship satisfaction in connection with the way handicapped people deal with the challenges of romantic involvement, as well […]
• Communication and People With Disabilities The bathrooms were close to the food court; moreover, there were special handle bars which helped to transfer to the commode and, at this, the height of the commode was almost the same as the […]
• Music Therapy as a Related Service for Students With Disabilities From a neuroscientific perspective, how would music intervention improve classroom behaviors and academic outcomes of students with ADHD as a way to inform policy-makers of the importance of music therapy as a related service?
• Problem Behaviors in Intellectual Disabilities Community The proposed quality designed study will evaluate the behavior of people with intellectual disabilities over a certain period of time and consequently conclude the primary triggers that influence ID people to demonstrate behavioral issues, including […]
• Law for People With Disabilities in California The family, the immediate environment of a person with disabilities, is the main link in the system of his or her care, socialization, the satisfaction of needs, support, and career guidance.
• The Resilience Experiences of People With Disabilities The focus of the study was on the participants’ lived experiences, as well as their attitudes towards certain aspects, so the use of interviews as a data collection method is justified.
• Literature Circles for Students With Learning Disabilities On the other hand, the affected individuals contend that the categorization should be removed to pave the way for the integration of assistances where all needs are attended without classification regardless of the student’s physical […]
• Students With Disabilities: Research Analysis In the process of undertaking this research and practical alignment, there is a misalignment in the inclusion of students with disabilities in the GE class.
• School Counselors for Students With Disabilities When the goals are set out, and the professional sphere is chosen, the counselor becomes responsible for the student’s preparation and reception of essential job skills as well as for the communication with the post-school […]
• The Specific Needs of Students With Physical Disabilities The research problem that will be the focus of the planned paper relates to the specific needs of students with physical disabilities or behavioral issues in general classrooms.
• Assistive Technology for Students with Disabilities The United Nations Convention on the Rights of people with disabilities proposes a raft of measures to be undertaken by states to promote the wellbeing of individuals with disabilities.
• Job for Individuals With Physical Disabilities For instance, when a new technology is about to be installed, it will be rational for a number of workers based on departments to be selected and taken through how to use the innovation, such […]
• Therapeutic Vests for Children With Disabilities The purpose of this review is to examine the available literature on the effectiveness of using therapeutic vests, weighted vests, and pressure vests on children with Autism spectrum disorders, Attention deficit disorder, Pervasive Development Disorder, […]
• An Audit of the Accessibility of the College of the North Atlantic-Qatar to Individuals With Physical Disabilities It should be noted that structural presentation of the paper is considered to be one of the most important elements of the paper because it allows following the logical thought of the research paper.
• Learning Disabilities and Communication Disorders The students are also being taken through research-based and special education programs and the determination of these disorders is done cooperatively between teachers and specialists like psychologists.
• Children With Disabilities: Supporting Student Behavior The comfortable atmosphere will help the children to attend the class and also provide a good way to mingle with the children with disabilities.
• Americans With Disabilities and Act Amendments Act to the ADA: The Main Issues and Comparison Moreover, the essence of the major amendments to the ADA is disclosed in the article using comparison and implications of those changes for the public use in the spheres of employment and human resources management […]
• Teaching Character Education to Students With Behavioral and Learning Disabilities The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of character education programs implemented in schools on students with behavioral and learning disabilities.
• Plan of the Kickball Game That Involves the Students With the Disabilities While simulating the situation where one is in charge of the PE class, one needs to remember that disability is never inability, thus the students with the disabilities can participate in any games as well […]
• American With Disabilities Amendment Act The main intention of the Act is that civilians receiving benefits or services through the measures of local and state governments may not be differentiated on the fundamentals of the individual’s physical disabilities.
• Genetic Testing Under Americans With Disabilities Act There is nothing surprising in the fact that the genetically tested employees counted the testing as a violation of their human rights, and The Americans with Disabilities Act was adopted in 1990.
• Americans With Disabilities Act for Employers However, in practice, an employer could still legally discriminate against those with disabilities An employer is obligated to make reasonable accommodations for an employee or applicant if they are ‘otherwise qualified’ to perform the responsibilities […]
• Teaching Language to Students With Severe Disabilities The objective of this study is to find the different approaches that can be used in teaching phonics and the whole language to students with varied severe disabilities.
• Program Improvement: Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities The government has been keen to present specific resources and support systems that can support the educational and career goals of these individuals.
• Daily Living Skills Training for Individuals With Learning Disabilities Teaching individuals with physical and mental disabilities the life skills needed to compensate for their disadvantages are considered to be the key factor to ensuring a relatively safe, functional, and happy life for those individuals.
• Teaching Adaptive Behavior Skills to Children Suffering From Intellectual Disabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia This theoretical framework will contribute to the validation of the perspectives used by the teachers to construct their system of beliefs regarding the process of teaching ABS to students with ID.
• Life Stages of People with Learning Disabilities In order to proceed with the observation, it is necessary to identify the normal issues likely to be encountered by the representatives of both groups.
• Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities in the Workplace Intellectual disability puts a strain on an individual’s ability to have a social life and communicate with other human beings due to the fact that their capability of adapting is limited to a certain extent.
• Lifespan Development and Learning Disabilities in Childhood Parents in this situation would most likely select the authoritative parenting style to manage children because they are left to make their own choices under a guided framework.
• Natural Supports for Individuals With Disabilities Natural supports can be defined as personal connections and associations that improve the quality of a person’s life; these primarily include family relationships and friendships and constitute “the first line of supports, followed by informal […]
• Ican Bike for Individuals With Disabilities I think iCan Bike is a very good initiative that targets a vulnerable population with a plethora of special needs and relies on the community in order to deliver the results.
• Children With Disabilities and Parental Mistreatment The information in the article is helpful for parents of children with disabilities and other parents since it assists them in appreciating the significance of each parent’s education in lessening the incidence of child disability.
• School Counselor Job for People With Disabilities A school counselor that faces the risk of having a cardiovascular incident is challenged by the possible implications of the disease that could have an adverse impact on the overall practice and well being. Therefore, […]
• Americans With Disabilities in Criminal Justice Agencies Since the legislation is relatively new, the process of the change requires such guidelines given the lack of an appropriate number of the best practices for the time being.
• Rights of Parents of Students With Disabilities Trying to fix the problem, parents should understand that the only way they are to behave is the move in the direction of a correct education of their child.
• Strategies for Teaching Students With Mild Disabilities The good thing about having a child with a disability in the family is that it teaches everyone in the household to be patient. The greatest problem I have encountered in having a child with […]
• Learning Disabilities and Memory Disorders Large amounts of phenylalanine in the blood will result in complications of the neurons in the central nervous system referred to as myelinization of the cerebral hemispheres.
• Students With Mild and Moderate Disabilities Sometimes students with disabilities are not able to understand what they are to do if the instruction is not explicit and systematic. It is difficult for students with mild and moderate disabilities to generalize the […]
• Teaching Children With Multiple Disabilities The teacher should also assist such a child in maintaining a perceptual continuum than learners who are not handicapped. On the same note, the teacher should not give the amount of work similar to children […]
• Constructivism Theory for Adolescents with Disabilities The key component of the theory is people’s interaction with the environment. Therefore, Vygotsky’s theory is effective in developing the social and academic skills of an adolescent with learning and behavior disabilities.
• Veterans With Disabilities: Integration and Employment In this paper, the researcher looks at the main barriers to employment and integration back to the society that the veterans face, and the manner in which the existing policies can be amended to help […]
• Intellectual Disabilities and Higher Education The access to higher education for individuals with ID and the attitude of their parents towards their performance can be analyzed with the help of equity theory.
• Students With Intellectual Disabilities and Their Independence Some of these programs in the US include the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, which provides grants for research, technology, and training for disabled individuals, as well as the Secondary Education Act of 2002, […]
• Independence of Students With Intellectual Disabilities In a humane and highly functional society, students with physical and intellectual disabilities should be allowed to function independently and enjoy their personal and academic life to the fullest.
• School Event Supporting Students With Disabilities Because of the vast opportunities for vulnerable groups to share their experiences and create a bond with the rest of the learners in a non-threatening environment, significant progress in encouraging disability awareness and the promotion […]
• Intellectual Disabilities and Limitations for Human Life The recognition of the lack of such skills can contribute to future opportunities for an independent life with effective interdependence and inclusion in the life of a society.
• Psychological Testing of Intellectual Disabilities Speaking of its psychometric properties, the PCL-5 is a valid and reliable self-report measure for the assessment and quantifying symptoms of PTSD.
• Young Adult Children With Intellectual Disabilities Like in the study, I would also use pilot testing of the questionnaire to ascertain its validity and reliability in measuring the intended variables. The descriptions of the concepts and terms in this study are […]
• Effective Teaching of Students with Disabilities To support the information that was posted in three blog entries, the author of this submission reviewed other literature on the subject to be able to support their point of view.
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• Patients With Learning Disabilities: Quality Care Although the current study is not aimed at detecting the differences in the efficacy of the intervention based on the gender of the participants, the outcomes of the research may create prerequisites for a follow-up […]
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• Instructional Plan in Writing for Learners With Disabilities The purpose of this essay is to provide an instructional plan for learners with disabilities in writing. Writing skills require learners to account for the task, the aim of writing and audience.
• People with Disabilities: The Systemic Ableism Whereas the absence of disability in the fashion world is based on the dominant view of what is considered beautiful, the absence of disabled in politics can be explained with the lack of access to […]
• Writing Disabilities Management in Children Learning disorder is among the defects, which interferes with the writing abilities of a person or a child. The first way to identify children with writing disabilities is through observation of their behaviour.
• Developmental Disabilities and Lifelong Learning Some of the common transitional programs for children with developmental disabilities would include things such as books, learning manuals, and software programs intended to assist the children in adjusting to the new programs or settings.
• Action Plan for Patrons With Disabilities For instance, the writer of the essay suggests that in terms of facility planning, it is vital for the library to invest in wiring its facilities with audio induction loop.
• Remediation in Students with Disabilities Since this strategy is essentially crucial to the curriculum, this proposal will portray the importance of conducting a profound research that seeks to determine the effectiveness of remediation in reading.
• Improving Reading Performance of Students With Learning Disabilities The purpose of the present research is to assess the efficiency of utilizing Reading Racetracks to improve the reading of words found on the K-2 list key phrases adopted in the school district.
• Americans With Disabilities Act With all due respect to the efforts of the U.S.government to come up with a framework, which would allow for a faster and a more efficient integration of the disabled into the society, the fact […]
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• Supporting Students with Speech Impairment This assistive technology uses appropriate symbols and techniques to support the needs of different learners. These technologies will support the needs of many learners.
• Physical Disabilities and Assistive Technology For example, learners with visual impairments can use text-to-speech programs. Learners with physical disabilities can be gathered for with the help of assistive technology devices such as adaptive keyboard and screen reading software for learners […]
• Sensory Disabilities and Age of Onset This can happen, for instance, when learning the subject that call for lots of diagrams, figures and illustrations to be applied, which may also give a challenge to the visually impaired students.
• High Incidence Disabilities and Pedagogical Strategies for Learning Disabilities In the context of disability, it is important to mention that this model is beneficial to students with learning disabilities as it involves teaching them how to approach tasks and use knowledge to complete learning […]
• Families With Members Who Experience Disabilities Early childhood services which offer professionalized care services to parents help them meet the needs of the special children so that parents are able to balance their strengths, resources and challenges in the family.
• Recreational Activities for People with Disabilities Even the number of customized recreational equipments should be increased so as to enable the people with disabilities to choose from.
• Support Inclusion and Effective Practices for Students With Disabilities The purpose of this article is positioning that the ambition towards support inclusion and effective practices for students with disabilities have to be the groundwork for inclusive postsecondary education.
• Peer Buddy Program: Students with Disabilities in High School This research paper seeks to establish the purpose, importance, and rationale of the study of peer buddy program on students with disabilities in high school, in both social and academic grounds.
• An Action Plan for Serving Individuals With Disabilities – Library and Information Science First is the total cost of the whole project, the architectural design of the library building and whether it can accommodate the new developments and the current issues affecting accessibility with regards to the disabled.
• Internal Campaign Planning for Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities The key mandate of the act was to protect the employment rights of persons with disabilities. Secondly, newsletters can be developed so as to raise awareness on the importance of diversity and inclusion.
• Human Rights of People With Intellectual Disabilities Since disability is not inability, human rights’ advocates argue that perception of people with disabilities as disabled is discriminative and therefore call for their recognition as a minority people with unique abilities that do not […]
• Adolescents with Learning and Behaviour Disabilities: Graduation and Employment Difficulties One of the causes of high school dropout of this group of students is the feeling of being out of place.
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• Classroom Design for Children With Disabilities Furthermore, children with disabilities require individual attention from the teacher just like the other children, and if the classroom is congested it would be difficult for the teacher to reach such learners.
• Culturally Responsive Teaching of Students With Disabilities Cultural Responsive teaching is a teaching technique used to identify and address cognitive, social, emotional, and cultural and language needs of students with developmental needs as a way of providing them with assistance in all […]
• People With Disabilities and Abuse of People With Disabilities and Criminal Justice In addition, there is need to train police, lawyers and other persons in the criminal justice system on how to interact with persons with disabilities.
• Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) There is a commission in the US that fights for the rights of people with disabilities when it comes to employment.
• Terminology and Etiquette Discussion Regarding Persons With Disabilities The media refer to people with disability as to persons with special needs, which reveals the inappropriate use of terminologies to refer to them.
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• Post Education for Adults With Disabilities Recommendations for further research and practice that refer to the disability problems are presented at the end of the paper with the purpose of enabling the interaction of services.
• The Right Attitude Towards Disabled People First, it can be questioned whether any form of physical or mental disability can be referred to as something that deserves to be ‘celebrated’, as the promoters of political correctness want us to believe.
• Assistive Technology for Kids with Learning Disabilities An increasing number of educators are incorporating frame routines to the web platform, in which a constant touch with both students and parents is maintained.
• Inclusion for Students With Severe Disabilities Modification and accommodation are the methods used to manipulate education system to make it favourable for these students. Modification and Accommodation are the methods used to manipulate the system to make it favourable for students […]
• The Impact of a Fitness Intervention on People with Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities This is one of the issues that should be singled out. This is one of the issues that should be considered.
• Current Trends and Issues in Educating Students With Disabilities Following the existence of cases of racial and ethnic bias across the United States educational system, the government has seen the importance to intervene in improving education in the U.S.
• General Curriculum for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Learners The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities have access to the general education curriculum and the extent to which such access is related to […]
• US Should Ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities The UN has recognized the importance of the disabled person’s rights and freedoms and has come up with the UN convention on the Rights of People with disabilities, CRPD and has urged member states to […]
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• Peer Buddy Programs for Students With Disabilities In the essay, the author will provide recommendations with regard to how the peer buddy program can be successfully implemented in schools in the future. The aim is to enhance the success of the peer […]
• Preschool Teachers’ Actions for Integrating Children With Disabilities Of special interest was whether the gravity of a child’s educational requirements and the teacher’s knowledge about the disability condition were linked to teacher’s responses towards incorporating such children in their classrooms.
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Learning Disabilities and the College Process: Navigating Admissions and Support Services

Navigating the college application process can be challenging for any student, but if you have a learning disability (LD), there may be additional layers to consider. Higher education institutions in the United States are becoming increasingly cognizant of the diverse needs of their student populations, including those with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, ADHD or visual processing disorder. As you embark on this journey, understanding your rights, and how they change as you move from high school to college, is crucial in finding a college that will support your educational growth and success.

To start, it’s essential to recognize that colleges are mandated by law to provide accommodations and/or services for eligible students with disabilities. This means that after sending the proper documentation of the learning difference to the college which you plan to attend, the disabilities service office (sometimes called accessibility services), will review your file and determine which accommodations and other support services they will grant you. You will meet with them to review the plan and can appeal if you don’t think it is comprehensive enough. When applying to colleges, researching the support services each institution offers, like executive function coaching, tutoring, assistive technology, and accommodations such as extended test time can provide insight into how well a college can cater to your specific needs.

In preparing for college, you should also consider how to communicate your learning disability to your chosen institutions effectively. Self-advocacy comes into play here, as you’ll need to provide documentation of your disability to access resources. Moreover, understanding how to articulate the challenges you’ve faced and the strategies you’ve developed to cope demonstrates resilience and a proactive attitude, qualities that college admissions committees often regard highly. Many colleges with structured programs for students with learning disabilities will ask you to complete a separate application with questions that relate to how well you understand your strengths and weaknesses as a learner, if you an explain your needs, and ask about your history since you were first diagnosed.

Understanding Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities encompass a variety of challenges that can affect your ability to learn, process information, and communicate effectively.

Types of Learning Disabilities and Neurodiversity

Learning disabilities are neurological disorders that can manifest in different ways. Here’s a brief overview of some common types:

• Dyslexia : Characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, decoding and poor spelling abilities. There are different types of dyslexia such as auditory, visual, rapid naming or a combination.
• ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) : Affects your focus, self-control, and ability to sit still, though some students primarily have the inattentive type and have no problem sitting still. It can impede organization and time management.
• Executive Function Disorder: Behavioral symptom that disrupts a person’s ability to manage their own thoughts, emotions and actions.
• Autism Spectrum Disorder : This can influence how you perceive the world, causing challenges with communication and social interactions.
• Visual Processing Disorder : Makes interpreting visual information challenging, affecting reading and comprehension.
• Auditory Processing Disorder : This leads to difficulties in processing and interpreting sounds, especially when there is background noise.
• Slow processing speed: When much more time is required to take in, make sense of, and respond to information including visual information such as letters or numbers. It can also be auditory such as spoken language.
• Dysgraphia: Poses challenges with writing such as letter formation, rate of writing, letter spacing, fine motor coordination, grammar and composition.
• Dyscalculia: Impacts the brain areas that handle math, numbers and understanding of related concepts.
• Dyspraxia: Can impact fluency of speech or fine-motor skills such as writing or gross motor skills and coordination. It can often occur with conditions such as ADHD.
• Non-verbal learning disability : Impacts non-verbal skills such as motor, visual-spatial and social.

Each learning disability requires a unique approach to accommodation and support.

Federal Laws and Educational Rights

You are protected by several federal laws that ensure educational institutions provide the necessary accommodations for students with disabilities. Before graduating from high school you are covered under the following laws:

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act : Requires schools to provide appropriate accommodations so students with disabilities can participate equally.
• The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) : Ensures specialized services for individuals with disabilities up to secondary education but doesn’t apply to colleges. However, the spirit of IDEA influences post-secondary education policies.

Once you graduate from high school, you are protected under the following law:

• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) : Prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including college.

These laws mean that if you have a documented learning disability, colleges are required to offer reasonable accommodations. For instance, if you have dyslexia, you may receive extra time on tests or texts in alternative formats such as audiobooks. Students on the autism spectrum often benefit from tailored support services to assist with social and communication skills. Academic coaching could support those with ADHD by providing strategies to improve executive function. Embracing neurodiversity is becoming a clear objective in college inclusivity practices, ensuring a range of cognitive differences are supported.

Preparing for College Admission

Navigating the college admissions process can be challenging for high school students with learning disabilities. Your preparation should be thorough, starting early in your high school career and taking advantage of resources like school counselors. Applying for accommodations for either the SAT or the ACT early in high school allows time for you to appeal if you are not approved. For the SAT and AP exams, once you are approved by College Board your accommodations will be in place for the duration of high school. ACT requires you to register for a test and then work with your school’s coordinator to submit the required paperwork for requesting accommodations, so this typically occurs in junior year.  Developing strategies for standardized testing such as deciding which test is a better fit and how you will prepare for the exam (tutor, class, or self-study) are critical steps toward college admission.

High School Preparation

The Role of Admissions Consultants

Admissions experts are pivotal in guiding you through the college admissions process. They can assist in developing an educational plan that aligns with your career aspirations and learning needs. Counselors can also help interpret test scores and identify colleges with suitable support programs. Ensure you meet with them regularly to discuss your progress and any adjustments you may need to make in your preparation.

Standardized Testing Strategies

Standardized testing can be a hurdle, but there are strategies to help you succeed. It’s crucial to understand how your learning disability may impact test-taking and to seek accommodations if necessary. You might qualify for extended time or the ability to take exams in a less distracting environment. Consistent practice and familiarization with the format of standardized tests can also improve your performance.

• Practice: Regularly engage with practice materials for tests like the SAT or ACT.

Crafting a Compelling Application

The college application is your opportunity to showcase your unique strengths and experiences. A well-crafted application includes an honest and engaging essay, detailed extracurricular descriptions, and strong letters of recommendation.

• Essay: Write a personal essay that conveys your resilience and how you’ve managed your learning disability.
• Supplemental Essays: Colleges ask their own questions such as “Why do you want to apply here?” or “Why did you list the major you chose in your application, or, if undecided, what academic areas do you plan to explore?” These essays can be even more important than the personal essay as you are making an argument for why you are a good match for the college. You are connecting yourself and your interests to the specific college.
• Letters of Recommendation: Choose recommenders who know you well and can speak about your academic and personal growth.

Be sure to highlight specific aspects of your high school experience that reflect your readiness for college and accurately represent your abilities and achievements.

Navigating College Admissions

The admissions journey requires comprehensive understanding and strategic planning, especially when you have a learning disability.

Understanding the Admissions Process

Most colleges and universities have an admissions process that evaluates your academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and personal essays. Familiarize yourself with application deadlines and required documentation, as these vary by institution. Higher education institutions typically detail their admissions criteria on their websites and provide contact information for their admissions office. Some disability support programs will require a separate application.

• September—April: Determine your criteria for what you seek in a college, research and visit colleges, draft activities resume, assess the type of accommodations and support you will need in college
• May—July: Ask for recommendations and complete your personal essay
• August-October: Complete supplemental essays and applications, and do interviews where offered.
• October–January: Submit applications
• April-May: Review acceptances and financial aid offers, attend accepted student days, and make your decision.

Selecting the Right College

Your college search should focus on finding an institution that aligns with your academic goals and offers support for your learning disability. All colleges that accept Federal funding are required to offer accommodations. You may need more than accommodations so look for colleges with structured learning support programs, academic coaching and other academic support as needed.

Considerations When Choosing a College :

• Academic programs related to your interests
• Support services for students with learning disabilities
• Class size and faculty-to-student ratio
• Location and campus culture
• Research, co-op and internship opportunities
• Sports and extracurricular activities relevant to your interests
• Financial aid and scholarship opportunities
• Size of their endowment and evaluation of their financial health

Disclosure of a Learning Disability

The decision to disclose a learning disability is a personal one. The only way to receive support in college is to disclose your disability to the disability service office. You do not need to disclose to admission to receive support. If you discuss your disability with the disability office during your application process they will not share that information with the admissions office. Here are some considerations regarding disclosing to the admission office:

• An opportunity for the admissions committee to view your application holistically.
• To clarify any inconsistency in your academic record that would be explained by disclosing
• Potential for bias, although many colleges value diversity and inclusiveness.
• Personal privacy preferences.
• If there is nothing amiss in your academic record or extracurricular profile there may be no need to disclose to admission.

Disclosing after acceptance can ensure that the institution offers accommodations and resources to support you from the start of your college experience.

Support Services in Higher Education

Colleges and universities have specialized services to support your academic journey, particularly if you have a learning disability. Understanding the resources available can empower you to seek the necessary support for a successful college experience.

Disability Services Offices

Your first point of contact should be the Disability Services Office (DSO) at your chosen institution. The DSO serves as the central hub for managing and coordinating support for students with learning disabilities. You are required to provide disability documentation to this office to verify your eligibility for support services. Once your documentation is reviewed and you are deemed a qualified student, the DSO will work with you to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations.

Accommodations and Resources

Accommodating students with learning disabilities is a priority to ensure academic success. Reasonable accommodations are adjustments to your academic environment that help level the playing field. These might include:

• Priority registration
• Extended time on exams
• Note-taking apps
• Alternative format for course materials
• Quiet testing locations
• Assistive technology
• Language waivers or course substitutions depending on the college/major requirements
• Reduced course load
• Housing accommodations

Modifications are rarely if ever granted in college. An extended deadline for an assignment may be granted on a case-by-case basis in special circumstances but not as a routine accommodation. Substitution of assignments is not typically approved.

Remember, accommodations are tailored to your individual needs and are provided to help you fully engage with your coursework.

Peer Tutors, Professional Tutors, and Academic Support

Universities often offer peer tutors and other forms of academic support to supplement your learning experience. Peer tutors are typically fellow students who excel in their subject areas and have been trained to assist their peers. Engaging with a peer tutor can help reinforce your understanding of course material and improve your academic performance. Some colleges have professional tutors who are trained in understanding learning disabilities.

• One-on-one tutoring sessions
• Group study sessions
• Workshops on academic strategies
• Academic coaches for organization, time management, planning
• Supplementary instruction for notoriously challenging courses
• Writing tutors housed in a writing center
• Quantitative centers for math and related support

In addition to peer tutoring, many institutions receive federal funding to provide comprehensive academic support programs, often housed within disability resource centers. These centers staff trained professionals who can provide specialized assistance and facilitate the use of accommodations.

Academic and Social Adjustments

When you transition from high school to college, academic and social adjustments are crucial for your success. It’s important to understand how your learning disability will interact with this new environment and use the support systems available to navigate both academic and social challenges.

Transition from High School to College

In high school, you may have had structured support and an individualized education plan (IEP)  tailored to your learning disability. College, however, brings a greater demand for self-advocacy and self-regulation. As you attend college, become familiar with the college’s disability services office. They can assist with academic accommodations, including exam accommodations or note-taking services.

Achieving College Success

To succeed in college as an LD student, time management and organizational skills are vital. Utilize planners or digital apps to track assignments and deadlines. Strategies that played a role in your ability to graduate high school will still be important, but they will need to be adapted to fit more complex and demanding college coursework.

Engage with professors and teaching assistants early in the semester to discuss your disability and the potential impact on your coursework. Be proactive in seeking help; regular visits to office hours and tutoring services can help keep you on track. College success often hinges not just on your intelligence, but on your ability to leverage resources effectively.

Your application process may have involved considering colleges based on their provisions for LD students. It’s crucial to continue making informed choices about which courses to take and which extracurricular activities to engage in, ensuring they align with your strengths and accommodations. See your advisor as you choose courses and also get input from your contact in disability services.

Social Integration and Networking

The college experience is more than academic achievement; social integration and networking play a significant role in a comprehensive college experience. LD students may face unique social challenges, such as difficulty with social cues or executive function issues that can affect the organization and planning of social activities.

Joining student organizations and study groups can improve your social networks and offer peer support systems. They can also provide informal learning opportunities outside the classroom, where you can develop interpersonal skills and build a community that appreciates your unique talents and perspective.

College students, especially those with learning disabilities, can benefit from mentorship programs where they are paired with upper-class, graduate students or faculty that understand the student’s disability. Such programs can serve as a social bridge and provide additional insights into navigating college life successfully.

Remember, your college offers various resources to facilitate your transition and aid in your success, both academically and socially. Embrace them, and remember that your learning disability is just one facet of your college experience.

Educational Advocates College Consulting: Supporting Students with Learning Differences in Admissions

As you navigate the complex college admissions landscape, Educational Advocates specialize in guiding you if you’re a student with ADHD or other learning differences .

• Building Your College List : We help pinpoint institutions that offer the necessary academic support, increasing the likelihood of your success.
• Transition Strategies : Advisors work to ensure your transition to higher education is seamless, focusing on institutions that embrace neurodiversity.
• Academic Support : We identify and explain the various types of academic assistance available to you, so you can fully utilize these resources.
• Test Guidance : You’ll receive advice on standardized testing and the implications of test-optional policies.
• Disclosure Advice : We assist in deciding if, when, and how you should disclose your disability, ensuring your privacy and advocacy are balanced.
• Self-Advocacy : By fostering self-advocacy skills, they prepare you to independently navigate college life.
• Skill Building : You will be assessed for college readiness and guided in building skills for a successful college experience.

Working with an ADHD college consultant or college admissions advisor for students with learning differences means having a knowledgeable partner in your corner. We are well-versed in strategies that support students like you in achieving your academic goals. With our help, you can approach the college admissions process with confidence and clarity.

When navigating the college process with learning disabilities, preparation and knowledge are your strongest allies. Colleges are increasingly recognizing the diverse needs of all students, including those with disabilities. As a neurodiverse student, you are eligible for reasonable accommodations to ensure your educational experience is accessible and equitable.

Tutoring, writing and math centers and coaching are part of the spectrum of accommodations available. These are designed to address the significant gap that might exist in your learning experience. It’s important to remember that accommodations don’t alter the fundamental outcomes but rather level the playing field.

Many schools have adapted their policies to support students with disabilities more comprehensively. This means your list of potential colleges is wider, and your chances of integrating into a college that understands and supports your needs are high. Grade improvements are often seen when adequate accommodations are in place, which could positively reflect on your grades.

To ensure you make the most informed decisions, research each school’s policy on accommodations. Your grades represent only a part of your potential; many schools are looking beyond traditional metrics to build a diverse and inclusive student body.

Remember, your learning disability is one aspect of your rich profile as an applicant. With the right support and a proactive approach to utilize all the accommodations available, you can thrive in the college environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can students with adhd succeed in college.

Yes, students with ADHD can succeed in college with the right support and strategies. Many colleges offer resources like extended test time, note-taking services, and academic advising tailored to students with ADHD.

Is it easier to get into college if you have a disability?

Having a disability does not inherently make it easier to get into college. Admission processes aim to be inclusive, and schools must comply with laws that prevent discrimination based on disability. However, colleges look at a broad range of factors beyond a student’s disability when making admission decisions.

Should I disclose a disability on a college application?

Disclosure of a disability on your college application is a personal decision. If there is a discrepancy in your academic record, disclosing will allow the admissions office to. understand your academic record within the context. It may be unnecessary if your academic record is strong.

Does ADHD count as a disability in colleges?

Yes, ADHD is recognized as a disability assuming the student was on an IEP or 504 plan in high school and has documentation that shows that the ADHD impacted the student’s ability to access the curriculum. This recognition means that you can request accommodations through the college’s disability services office, provided you submit the required documentation of your diagnosis.

Empowering high school students to thrive academically and personally, Educational Advocates offers comprehensive college admissions assistance tailored to your individual needs and aspirations.

(617) 734-3700 [email protected]

Educational Advocates College Consulting does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, in providing its services.

904-375-8072

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Guest Blog: How to Effectively Write About a Disability in a College Essay

Diane Diamantis June 13, 2016 Blog Posts , Non-Profit

Today we are pleased to feature a guest blog by Shirag Shemmassian, Ph.D. We met Dr. Shemmassian at the 2016 national conference of the Tourette Association of America. His work as a consultant helping students with disabilities fits well with our goal of helping college students who have Tourette Syndrome. Here, he covers a topic that can benefit students with all types of disabilities. We hope you find it useful!

–Dollars 4 Tic Scholars

How to Effectively Write about a Disability in a College Essay

by Shirag Shemmassian, Ph.D.

Parents often ask me whether their student’s college admissions chances will be hurt if they discuss a disability in their college essay.

The answer is a resounding “No.” In fact, disclosing a disability in a college essay or elsewhere on a college application can help your student gain admission to their dream school .

Colleges aim to recruit a diverse student body, and disability is seen as one form of diversity. Disclosing a disability can provide admissions committee members with the proper context in which to evaluate your student’s academic and personal achievements.

Nevertheless, I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as a good or bad college essay topic, only strong or poor execution . Therefore, merely disclosing a disability won’t be enough to get your student into great colleges. They will have to go a step further and discuss specifically how their disability makes them them .

So, how can your student produce a standout essay about their disability? Following the dos and don’ts listed below will help your student avoid common mistakes and wow admissions committees the nation over.

• Don’t write a story with the intention to make the admissions committee feel bad for you. Do write a story that demonstrates your unique qualities and how you will be a good fit with a particular school.

Every time an admissions committee member reads a college essay, the question in the back of their mind is: “Will this applicant be a good fit at our school?” The best way for your student to demonstrate fit with a college is to tell a compelling story that conveys their positive traits, such as grit, resilience, and optimism. On the other hand, telling a story that exclusively highlights the challenges your student faced with their disability will unfortunately lead the reader to doubt whether they will be able to handle the rigors associated with college life.

• Don’t simply write about how you dealt with your disability. Do communicate how working through your disability has transformed you or helped you grow.

Your student’s disability, and the way they have dealt with it, have likely contributed significantly to their identity development. Admissions committees want to know how your student’s experiences with their disability has shaped them into the wonderful person they are today. For example, overcoming the teasing and self-advocating for my educational rights associated with my Tourette Syndrome diagnosis has helped me embrace the fact I am just as capable as anyone else and to help others do the same. How has your student been transformed positively because of their disability experiences?

• Don’t present yourself as someone who has overcome every issue related to your disability. Do present yourself as someone who makes the most of every difficult situation you face.

Your student’s disability may impact their friendships, schoolwork, and relationships with family members. And while your student is likely an incredibly resilient individual who has overcome multiple barriers at school, at home, and in the community, they inevitably continue to face challenges due to their disability or otherwise. Therefore, your student’s goal for their college essay should be to authentically discuss their responses to life’s challenges, regardless of whether or not they have figured everything out. I mean, which of us has?

Final Thoughts

Your student should not shy away from discussing their disability when completing their college applications. Doing so may help them present a side of themselves that is likely a major part of the person they uniquely are. Nevertheless, there are multiple fine lines your student must straddle when discussing their disability to come across as authentic and resilient, and to demonstrate fit with their dream schools.

Dr. Shemmassian channeled his passion for empowering families to found Shemmassian Academic Consulting , through which he helps students with disabilities get into America’s top colleges. His work has been featured on television, conferences, and various blogs and podcasts. You can receive Dr. Shemmassian’s top 10 college admissions secrets for free to help your student get into their dream school—without the stress—by clicking here .

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Guide for College Students with Learning Disabilities

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

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Going to college is an exciting, but also nerve-wracking time in many students’ lives. The new responsibilities, environments, and expectations of college can be hard for any new student – but students applying to colleges with learning disabilities can face additional challenges. However, with the appropriate resources, any student with a learning disability or difference can thrive in college. Keep on reading to learn about what resources are available on college campuses! 

What is a learning disability or difference? 

Great question! A learning disability is any disorder impacting one’s ability to understand or speak oral or written language, do mathematical calculations, move around, or focus one’s attention. Some common examples include:

• Dyslexia: Difficulties in reading or interpreting words, letters, and other symbols
• Dyscalculia: Difficulties in learning number-related concepts, doing mathematical calculations, or performing other foundational math skills (e.g. addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
• Processing Deficits: Difficulties with the recognizing or interpreting information taken in through the senses (touch, sight, hearing, smell, taste)
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A chronic condition characterized by difficulty paying attention, impulsiveness, and/or hyperactivity (While ADHD is not generally considered a learning disability , it often is found with other disabilities)

While these are the basic definitions of the above disorders, keep in mind that symptoms differ slightly for everyone – even for those with the same condition. Nevertheless, such conditions may make it harder, but certainly not impossible, for students to attend college and keep up with school work. 

If you have a disability (learning or otherwise) and are planning on attending college – know that you’re not alone! Many students with disabilities are accepted to, attend, thrive, and eventually graduate from colleges all throughout the nation (and abroad, too).

However, before such students even get to college, they should make sure that they choose a school  that’s best suited to their needs. The first step in doing that? Identifying what exactly makes a college “accommodating.” 

Identifying accommodating colleges

As with any student, there are many factors to consider when choosing a college. Academic options, cost, location, and social scene remain particularly important factors for many students. For those with disabilities, however, it’s also important to look for the school that best accommodates your needs. So, how can you know that you’re picking the right school for you? Let’s see!

Types of disability support programs

It’s a true, but unfortunate fact that some colleges do the bare minimum to accommodate their learning-disabled students. Others, however, excel in that area – doing the best they can to assist their students in any way possible. To determine whether a school’s accommodations are basic, extensive, or somewhere in the middle, here are some descriptions of different “levels” of college disability support programs (going from the most “basic” to increasingly accommodating):

Basic disability support programs meet the minimum requirements for disability accommodations (as required by law). They typically have no professional learning specialists as faculty or staff, and the Dean of Students is responsible for reading documentation and awarding accommodations. 

There are typically no specialized services for students with learning disabilities, so students resort to using the writing center, math center, and other general services that are available to all students.  

Moderate disability support programs have Learning Centers open solely to students with disabilities. These centers provide services and support that are much more extensive than a university-wide writing center, math center, etc. The services provided will include a wide range of accommodations, assistive technology, and professional tutors or coaches. Schools with “moderate” support programs also have their own professional, Masters-level disability support staff who understand the challenges of students with disabilities and learning differences. 

Comprehensive 

Comprehensive disability support programs offer students the option of a fee-based program for those who need a more structured learning system. These programs have students meet either weekly or biweekly with professionals who help them with their study skills, organizational skills, and time management. These professionals also listen to any difficulties their students are having and advocate on their behalf, if need be. 

Interested students are required to fill out a separate application for acceptance into these programs, in addition to the typical college admissions application.

Also consider:

Keep in mind that these (“Basic,” “Moderate,” “Comprehensive”) are not the actual names of universities’ disability support programs. These descriptions help you figure out what support programs and services are considered “bare minimum,” and which are somewhat more impressive.

With an understanding of what the different “levels” of disability services and accommodations look like, you can better identify schools that fit your criteria. So, let’s get ready to apply to colleges!

Applying to college

There are many steps involved in applying to college, and students are largely expected to know and complete each step themselves. For those with learning disabilities, there are a few extra steps too. So, how can you make sure that you complete everything on time and are making the best choices for yourself? Well, by following our nifty timeline for applying!

Timeline for applying

Our timeline is a basic outline of what to do at certain points in your high school career. Following it will help you apply to and select the best one for you (considering your disability).  While it is certainly not necessarily to follow this to a tee, following it closely helps ensure that you get everything done. Without further ado, here’s the timeline:

Junior year (Fall)

Set up an appointment with a college advisor who understands your learning disability and your needs. Have them help you set up your own timeline that includes starting to identify universities where you can thrive.

Update your testing and make sure your accommodations are set up. Set up a meeting with your tutors, educational therapist, college counselor, psychologist, and anyone else who helps you manage your learning disability. Let them know that you plan on transitioning to college in one year, and have them help you set up milestones to achieve this goal of yours.

Junior year (Spring)

Visit colleges (if possible)! When doing so, set up an appointment with the disabilities office. Inquire about what services are available, and see what level of accessibility they meet. Note how comfortable (or uncomfortable) you feel while visiting these disability offices. Can you see yourself comfortably walking into them and seeking help/services while in college? If you are unable to visit a college in person, consider setting up a virtual meeting with someone at the school’s disability office. 

Senior year (Fall)

Apply to colleges that have met your standards for disability support services (and comfort level!). If you choose to disclose your ability to your university, seek assistance from your consultant when drafting this written statement.

Make sure that you are aware of  college application deadlines and options, including early decision and early action . 

Senior year (Spring)

Once you’ve received your acceptances, try to visit the colleges one last time. If possible, speak with students on campus to hear the experiences of people who’ve actually attended the school. Even better, try to speak to other students with learning disabilities – they may be able to inform you about whether or not the school’s services and accommodations are helpful. If you have time, consider visiting the disabilities office again to see how comfortable you feel while there.

After accepting a college offer/sending in your enrollment deposit

Make sure the testing for your diagnosis is up-to-date, and apply for accommodations with your college! Meet with your educational support team (tutors, educational therapist, college counselor, psychologist) to prepare for your interview with the disabilities office. And, if you feel you need to brush up on your academic skills before college, consider doing more educational therapy the summer before college.

Preparing for college

Those with ADHD might consider working with an academic coach their first semester of college, while those with anxiety should continue talking with their therapist over the summer and find a counselor on or near your school’s campus. Otherwise, if you feel like you’re all prepped and ready for college, you’re all set. Have fun!

After picking a college

Once you’ve picked the school that seems ideal for you, it’s important  to reach out to the disabilities office for instructions on how to request accommodations. While each school has a different process, it’s most common that universities have students submit their psychoeducational report (that includes their diagnosis) upon their first meeting with the disabilities office. 

This testing report must come from a licensed professional psychologist. And, while some schools accept an IEP (Individualized Education Program) , others will not. Students are also encouraged to visit the website of their university’s disability office and fill out any necessary paperwork themselves.

Remember, colleges do not require you to disclose your learning disability when you apply! Even if you do disclose your learning disability or difference in your application, it is still your responsibility to notify the disabilities office. This way, you can take advantage of the many resources and accommodations available to you.

Accommodations for students with learning disabilities

On that note, what are some of the actual accommodations that students can receive while in college? Well, there are many types available, all meant to help students attend classes, complete coursework, and take exams in a way that best suits their own learning style. So, without further ado, here are some of the most common accommodations:

Adapting individual course instruction

Adapting individual course instruction involves identifying the specific learning needs of a student and adjusting how core content and information is presented to make it more accessible for that individual.

Alternative types of coursework and testing material

Alternative types of coursework or testing materials allows students to express what they’ve learned in a way that is more suitable for them (compared to the original option). Although some courses only meet the minimum legal requirements, organizations like the Universal Design of Instruction are encouraging educators to make their classes more accessible for all students. For example, students might be offered a variety of expression formats to demonstrate learning such as written papers, oral presentations, or creative posters. 

Assistive software and technology

Assistive software and technology includes programs to help dyslexic students better process text, to recording devices, stress management tools, and more. We’ll get more into this later!

On-campus support centers

College campuses, especially more accommodating ones, typically have a variety of on-campus support centers and services for students with disabilities. These may include disabilities services offices, trained professional staff to help students with learning disabilities, or even wellness centers. Ideally, students should get to know the staff at such support centers, so they can feel comfortable coming to them if they need help.

In-class accommodations

One’s classroom accommodations largely depend on their diagnosis. However, some common in-class accommodations include providing students with a scribe or note-taker, accessible seating, or offering a quiet room for students to take tests in.

Additional time to complete coursework and exams

Early on in the school term, professors typically request that students with disabilities inform them of their diagnoses so that these students receive additional time to complete coursework and exams. In some cases, schools may also allow students to take oral (as opposed to written) exams if they are more suitable to the student.

Disability resource centers

Besides those on campus, students can also generally find disability resource centers in their school’s surrounding community. Such organizations often have partnerships with nearby universities and can provide individualized services and support to students with learning disabilities.

Assistive technology

With the passage of time comes new and improved technologies. Among these are new assistive technologies, which refer to any equipment, software, programs, or products designed to help those with disabilities of any kind. So, as expected, many assistive technologies have since made their way into classrooms – helping students better navigate and understand their coursework. Some of the more common forms of assistive technology include:

Talking word processors (Speech-to-text)

Speech-to-text technology allows students to speak their thoughts into text, rather than being directly written or typed. This is extremely helpful for students with dyslexia or physical impairments which may make writing difficult.

Digital recorders

Those with ADHD and who struggle to pay attention in class may find digital recorders helpful, as these allow them to record classes or lectures and rewatch or re-listen to them later on.

Assistive technology centers

If students have any questions about how to use their assistive technologies, are interested in obtaining assistive technologies, or anything else of the sort – assistive technology centers are the place to go. Not only can they train students on how to use their new assistive technologies, but they can also format one’s coursework to be more accessible to students with learning disabilities. 

Helpful accessibility apps

One of the many forms of assistive technology are apps, computer programs or software designed to run on mobile phones, laptops, desktops, or even watches. Apps are a great resource for those with any disability, as there are more than enough to cater to everyone’s needs. 

Students with dyslexia or dysgraphia might benefit from apps like ModMath and Voice Dream . Apps such as Avaz and MyTalkTools are designed to assist individuals with communication and verbal barriers. Finally, there are apps like All Critical Thinking and Clear , which can help students stay on top of responsibilities and learn new everyday skills. This is just a sampling  of the many options that are out there. A quick search will provide you with a plethora of more options, which only grow and improve as technology develops! 

Pursuing financial aid

By now, we’ve covered identifying accommodating colleges, applying to college, and helpful accommodations and technologies that make college life easier. However, what about paying for college? Luckily, students with disabilities are eligible for many types of loans, scholarships, and other funding options! Let’s get into them.

First off are the non-loan funding options. HEOA, or the Higher Education Opportunity Act , has made it so students with learning disabilities can qualify for non-loan-based federal aid. Some of these non-loan funding options include:

• Federal Pell grants
• Federal work-study
• Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants
• Other federal and state grants

Besides these, however, students with disabilities may also be eligible for:

• Individual training account funds set up by a One-Stop-Career-Center
• Self-Support (PASS Plans) from the Social Security Administration
• Medicaid Funding for Community-Based Supports

On top of these, students are also eligible for federal loans. Many are specific to students with disabilities or generally directed towards them. Grants, similarly, offer many funding opportunities to students with disabilities. 

Students may also be interested in federal grants. If so, we highly recommend that students fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – as many of the grant applications require students to have done so. 

If students are interested in scholarships, there are also many directed towards students with learning disabilities ! There are general scholarships, as well as specific options for students with autism , ADHD , hearing impairment and students with disabled parents . 

Alternatively, if students feel that the accommodations at many schools are insufficient, they may be interested in attending a college specifically for students with disabilities. Many of these universities have their own, unique sources of funding for their students, which tend to make their costs lower than that of the average university. 

Related: Top 10 Colleges for Students With Learning Disabilities

Additional Resources

And last, but not least, are some additional resources! These are simply some additional tools to help students transition to college and perform their best. 

AHEAD strives to help students with learning disabilities perform their best in college. To do so, AHEAD offers coaching, mentoring, and self-advocacy skill training for students with learning disabilities.

American Youth Policy Forum offers a variety of webinars and YouTube videos meant to help students with disabilities transition to college life.

NCLD , or the National Center for Learning Disabilities, provides those with learning disabilities advice on transitioning to college. They also provide an honest look into the challenges of navigating college with a learning disability. 

The Viscardi Center provides a vast number of resources, programs, and services to those with disabilities. Some of these resources are directed specifically at college-aged students.

U.S. Department of Justice and Civil Rights Division allows individuals to read through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and learn their rights. The ADA provides a thorough description of Title II and how it supports individuals with disabilities. 

And with that, we’re (basically) done! Below you can access the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions on this topic. Otherwise, we wish you the best of luck with your college journey, and send you off!

Key Takeaways

• There’s a lot to consider when choosing a college that will best fit your needs in regard to any learning disabilities or differences you may have. Knowing what your needs are is an important place to start
• While having resources available to you through a college or university is important, remember that apps, websites, or other online applications may be able to help you as well
• A learning disability is not something you need to disclose on your college applications and it should not affect your ability to be admitted or attend a college or university
• Remember, regardless of the hurdles you may face, college and the pursuit of higher education should be possible for anyone

Frequently asked questions 

What should i do if i encounter stigmas that may be associated with learning disabilities on a college campus, how can students with learning disabilities prepare for college, what if i don’t believe that i can attend college because of my learning disability, how should colleges support students with learning disabilities, does having an iep or 504 plan help you get into college, scholarships360 recommended.

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Explaining Learning Disabilities in Ivy Applications

Question: My son is applying to seven colleges right now. He has one safety, one match and five reaches (all Ivies). His grades are slightly lower than some of the standard Ivy league applicants (he has a few B's and one C) but he has a 504 plan at school due to some learning disabilities. However, his IQ tests have shown he is very bright. How do we explain his disabilities in the application or essay? We want the schools to know he has extenuating circumstances.

The best place for your son to explain his disabilities is on the “Additional Information" page of his applications. But if he's already earmarked this section this for another purpose, then an unsolicited letter or essay is fine, too. He could also use his main essay for this reason if he thinks that he has an engaging story to tell (although it's hard to weigh in here without knowing what his issues are). I often suggest to students that by choosing “Additional Information" to describe disabilities or other obstacles while writing the primary essay on something else , it conveys a message that proclaims, “Yes, I've had these problems but they don't define me."

Your son's explanatory statement — wherever he presents it — should briefly provide details about his diagnosis, how it's affected him and what he has done to surmount it. He should not mention his high IQ. Admission officials don't want to know this any more than they want to know his shoe size! They are interested in seeing what their applicants have done with their intellectual gifts, but they don't need to have those gifts quantified. In fact, it will probably work against your son if he includes his IQ (or any reference to it) in his applications.

Based on the little you've said about your son, it sounds as if he needs a more balanced college list that includes additional realistic choices. Although admission officials will evaluate him “holistically" — meaning that they will view his grades in the context of all other information he offers — even students with straight A's are turned away by the Ivies in droves. The Ivy admission folks are looking for candidates with unique accomplishments or for those with a combination of high achievement and an unusual background. The fact that your son has done well in school despite his disabilities is certainly laudable, but it will not win over persnickety Ivy admission committees unless he has applied his talents in an atypical and impressive way beyond this.

So if you feel that your son has tremendous potential that has not yet been tapped but that his greatest accomplishment so far is being successful in school despite his learning challenges, then encourage him to cast a broader college application net and help him to find more “match" or “safe" schools that excite him. If the Ivies don't work out for him this time around, he can aim for them for graduate school, although he may discover in the meantime that his goals have changed.

If you'd like to submit a question to College Confidential, please send it along here .

Sally Rubenstone

Sally Rubenstone knows the competitive and often convoluted college admission process inside out: From the first time the topic of college comes up at the dinner table until the last duffel bag is unloaded on a dorm room floor. She is the co-author of Panicked Parents' Guide to College Admissions; The Transfer Student's Guide to Changing Colleges and The International Student's Guide to Going to College in America. Sally has appeared on NBC's Today program and has been quoted in countless publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Weekend, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, People and Seventeen. Sally has viewed the admissions world from many angles: As a Smith College admission counselor for 15 years, an independent college counselor serving students from a wide range of backgrounds and the author of College Confidential's "Ask the Dean" column. She also taught language arts, social studies, study skills and test preparation in 10 schools, including American international schools in London, Paris, Geneva, Athens and Tel Aviv. As senior advisor to College Confidential since 2002, Sally has helped hundreds of students and parents navigate the college admissions maze. In 2008, she co-founded College Karma, a private college consulting firm, with her College Confidential colleague Dave Berry, and she continues to serve as a College Confidential advisor. Sally and her husband, Chris Petrides, became first-time parents in 1997 at the ripe-old age of 45. So Sally was nearly an official senior citizen when her son Jack began the college selection process, and when she was finally able to practice what she had preached for more than three decades.

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My Problem With College Admissions Essays as a Disabled Person

As a 20-year-old transfer student who spent a summer studying abroad, dragging out the old same elegized story of my life as a young person “robbed of a normal carefree youth” is a bit boring. I’m tired of hearing my story, too. The story isn’t untrue or unworthy of being heard; it’s just so often associated with the disabled community that it becomes the only story expected of me. The disabled community is the largest marginalized minority in the world. There are many narratives worthy of being told, but so often they are overlooked for the inspiration porn , instantly shareable Facebook headlines.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good overcoming adversity story. These stories are valid and so important. The essays I write for those college admissions boards, outside of how my disability affects my life, are not necessarily a Penguin Classics level work ready to be sent off to the closest corporate bookstore. The essay I try to write focuses more on my personal journey of self-discovery that genuinely starts out with “I’m a cliche” and goes on to wax poetic about the magic of soul searching. But when does the disabled community get to stop “overcoming adversity” and allow members to be known as individuals? My multiple sclerosis is an important part of my life, but as I’m sure many disabled kids who have applied to college can attest: it’s also the hardest to make sound not boring.

Personally, before I was diagnosed my life was a whole lot of sleeping all day, then vomiting if I ate anything. Really fun to relive as you beg a school for scholarship money, right? This is why I wholeheartedly believe college application essays are inherently ableist. I understand my privilege in this world as someone who was diagnosed later in her youth and was fortunate enough to have opportunities — like study abroad, or even being able to afford my medical care.

This is not what colleges want to hear about, though. Sure, maybe under the veil of how my disability affects such experiences and how I overcame it. (Spoiler: Sometimes I don’t; life for disabled people isn’t endless amounts of awe-inspiring obstacle climbing.) The personhood of any disabled person cannot be boiled down to one label. A disabled life is more than just one bad thing after another, so let me revel in the good once in a while.

Now, excuse me as I finish my Common App essay with this last line of lamenting my disabled experience. Hey, I still need that scholarship money.

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My journey to self-acceptance as disabled was full of realizations about what labels are and who gets to define them. I am disabled with a lot to say and not talented enough to join a punk band.

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Learning Disability Essay

• Author Kimberly Ball
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Disclaimer: This paper has been submitted by a student. This is not a sample of the work written by professional academic writers.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of StudySaurus.

Introduction

Learning disabilities can be defined as neurologically-based processing problems that interfere with processing problems and can interfere with necessary learning skills like reading and writing. Multiple learning disabilities are, however, not a life sentence to being attacked of a postsecondary educational experience. Anyone can have the disability which ranges from attention deficit disorders, learning, and other health-related disabilities. In this essay, I will emphasize different misconceptions that lie behind learning disability.

It’s wrong to argue that individuals with learning disabilities should not attend college. After Deborah was diagnosed with the learning disability, the supportive parents, little college assistance and excellent academic assistance have aided her to be one of the most fortunate students with the learning disability. Statistics also show that more than 9% of college student reports having learning disabilities of different magnitudes.

Learning disability should not also be related to the slower learner or mental retardation. Students were regarded as retarded and tracked down for options after high school. Many scholars like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Louis Pasteur and Charles Darwin have aided in understanding learning disabilities over the years (Winner, 1997). Learning disabilities, however, does not exist if they are kept hidden. It was defined formally as a heterogeneous of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of reasoning, writing, reading, speaking, listening and mathematical disabilities.

Colleges are not eligible in inquiring learning disability in joining students. In the scenario that involves civil rights, colleges have been cited to include questions in their  applications for admissions that inquire about the disability of students. However, questions about disabilities on the application are generally prohibited.

Accepting learning disabilities is difficult and attempts at attitude adjustment towards seems quite challenging. However, students with learning disabilities should be assisted in camps by providing a positive attitude towards the disabilities. Students tend to complicate matters more for themselves by confronting others due to their disbelief and thus presenting cognitive deficits in areas necessary for college success. Improvements in the way learning disabilities have yielded progress, and the affected population deserves respect, acceptance, support, and encouragement.

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Learning Disability On College Essay?

Hello everyone, recently I’ve been considering writing about my learning disabilities (ADHD and Anxiety) on my application essays. Let me make it very clear that I would not use the LD as a crutch to explain weakspots on my application. Instead, I would explain how my LD was an inherent obstacle that I had to overcome, and through developing coping skills/strategies, I was able to achieve much success as indicated by my high gpa and 1550/1600 on the sat. Thoughts on this idea?

Explaining how you developed academic skills and knowledge in the context of a learning disability is a worthy topic, but NOT for college admission essays. You have legal rights as a person with a disability that offer protections such as not factoring disability into the admissions decision. You have experience learning in high school and have no reason to think you will have problems in college. Admits are expected to do well in college, but some might worry about you academically or be concerned about the cost of accommodations. These concerns would not be voiced because of contaminating the application decision, but some may worry about how well you will do. You may get denial votes and will never know. Don’t put yourself into an awkward position by disclosing disability when it is irrelevant to admissions! You will be admitted or denied on the basis of the credentials you submit. Let your profile speak for you without potentially complicating admissions by disclosure of disability!

Your topic itself is very good and will improve when you are in experience about learning in college and how that differs from high school. Never disclose disability until you are admitted! After you accept, contact the disability office about how to receive accommodations, if necessary. Stay quiet about disability until you have formal notification of admission.

Don’t do it. Essays are to make you look unique and interesting. Honestly, dealing with anxiety and ADHD are a dime a dozen.

I agree…my daughter has anxiety and ADHD…plus not so great grades…while we are not quite at the application stage we are discussing options and there is a key learning disability that she also has…poor working memory/working memory deficiency. If all she had were anxiety/ADHD but she still had a high GPA and SAT scores (as CosmicStorm appears to have) I would NOT disclose the anxiety/ADHD. However, since my daughter who has had private tutoring nearly all her life for math but still had to withdraw fail from Algebra 2…and struggles still with all classes so that she will likely end up with a 3.0-3.4 GPA (her PSAT score was 960/1600)…we feel that disclosing her working memory deficiency LD will provide clarity as to why her stats are so low. That being said, we plan to disclose it in the app but not have it be the topic of her essay necessarily. I’m assuming there is somewhere on the app (other than essay) where she could disclose it.

I would not do it. Don’t take the prompt so literally. Focus on a topic that makes you someone they would like to have on campus.

Agreeing with @intparent : overcoming x obstacle essays are exceptionally hard to do well when you are still so close to it- and many, many students try.

Agree with above. Do not disclose that your daughter has a deficit in working memory! Do her stats meet the requirements of schools to which she is applying? If not, expect her applications to be denied. Major tutoring to help her maintain her high school gpa does not make it more acceptable to ACs. Who will provide her with at least the same level of tutoring she receives now to maintain grades. Colleges offer short term tutoring, but nothing as extensive as your child receives. Disability services do not provide tutoring legally or practically because admits are expected to be fully qualified for admissions and require accommodations only be for functional limitations. Accommodations do not prop up students who are academically deficient. Sliding information into the application does not make it acceptable. A deficit in working memory in not something she can evade. Your daughter needs focused remediation on her working memory deficit before she can securely enter college.

If a earning disability is to be mentioned at all it should be mentioned by the guidance counselors no his/her letter of rec.

You can write about this briefly in the supplementary essay that helps adcoms know about you beyond what is already in the application. Your transcript will show your successes. That might be a better way- and then use the main essay for another topic.

There is nothing wrong with disclosing and it will not affect the decision one way or the other, most likely …but it is true that this is not an original topic, not at all. However, if done in a heartfelt, likable manner it might work. It is commendable that you do not have to use this to explain bad grades but instead to highlight good grades and hard work in the light of a disability.

I’m a rising senior and I’m surprised by the advice to not disclose LD’s in the Common App essay. I have asked both the college counselor at my school, as well as a university admissions counselor (the parent of a friend). Both said that revealing it myself, in my main essay, is not a bad idea so long as I don’t use it as an excuse. My college counselor said that it would help explain my slightly lower gpa as compared to my test scores and difficulty of my classes. My mom thinks that if a college wouldn’t accept me because of this, then it really wasn’t the best fit college. I kind of agree with that. I’m not trying to get into super reach colleges. I really am focused on schools where I would be happy and could get the few necessary supports I need.

I do agree with @compmom , it is not an original essay. But most are not. But sometimes I don’t think those without LD’s fully understand the impact on the lives of those that have them. Admissions people have likely read a lot of these essays. But doing well despite these issues shows strength, determination and grit. I really feel like a significant part of me is this challenge. My job has been student for 12 years, and I have given every ounce of myself to be the best one I can be, and in a system that is set up for the success of a different type of learner. Reading this thread is discouraging esp. since I wrote about this topic.

you say you have a high gpa and good test scores so why don’t you let your grades speak for themselves? It will be really inspiring later on when people find out what you’ve been through.

^Actually, I said I had a slightly lower gpa.

Since you feel this is an important part of your story, go ahead and write it. Honestly, any topic works if it is done well. I know someone who got into a dream school writing about blueberry muffins.

Again, you have a few options for dealing with this. You can write a supplementary essay, the one where the application asks if there is anything else you want to let them know about you. And your guidance counselor can write about it, with your permission- as can teachers writing recommendations. Or, you can write about it.

The only reason to be cautious is you want to think about whether or not your LD defines you. It takes a lot of work and grit to deal with, so those qualities do define you. If dealing with your LD is the best way to show who you are, go for it.

You will not be penalized for mentioning having an LD. Colleges do not discriminate. They go by your performance, your character, your ability to contribute…and admissions knows that many kids with challenges can do well.

Accommodations will not be at the same level as high school: a different lower standard has to be met. So keep that in mind in choosing schools… And definitely register with the Office for Disabilities once admitted.

If you want to share it but not have it part of your essay you can put something in the additional information section. However, you must keep it short (a sentence or two) and sweet. The additional information section is not an opportunity to write a second essay. Admissions officers are swamped and are absolutely not looking for extra essays to read. Alternatively you can ask your guidance counselor or a teacher to note in in a recommendation.

Ilovemydog21…take this or leave it…

I think you need to understand that legally college counselors have to say that a LD will not affect an application. It’s just like when you go for a job interview and there is already another candidate who has a connection and will get the job. The interviewer is never going to say, “we are required to interview three people but the job is already going to candidate #1 .” It’s illegal to say anything other than, “all candidates have an equal opportunity for the job.”

Your mother’s words are beautiful but please remember she is looking at the situation through the eyes of a mom who loves you. The world doesn’t work like that. It isn’t fair. At times you have to fight and claw your way to what you can do and deserve. Nobody is going to understand or help. That’s the way it works sometimes.

I think the college counselor at your school is seriously misguided. IMO, don’t ever disclose anything on a college application that would give reason for an admissions officer to choose another applicant. Once you get there as a student there will be an office of disability and by law they are required to give you all of your accommodations. Some schools are more friendly than others to accepting students with disability. Good luck.

Essay does not equal Confession.

An essay should show what makes you unique. It should show off your accomplishments.

^^This. Keep your eye on the objective of the essay.

A learning disability is not a good essay topic. If you disclose disability as an explanation for a somewhat lower gpa, you are raising red flags about your ability to withstand the academic rigors of college. You can seek accommodations from disability services after acceptance, but disclosing LD during admissions means abandoning protections granted to persons with disabilities. If your credentials are good enough to meet admission requirements there is no need to disclose. If your application does not meet admissions standards, disclosing LD wont help.

You can write about anything if you want but your essay should be personal, unique and interesting. Adhd is just personal. Now if you make your essay also unique and interesting with it then yes. Just pursue this site and you will see lots of kids asking the exact question. Adcoms will see this is a more common essay. Adhd makes kids hyper focus and makes them think out of the box… These are totally positive attributes. Many top ceo of Fortune 500 companies have Adhd… So maybe a spin on it would be different.

Just remember the Adcoms read a lot of essays… How many do you think they read from kids over coming an illness, Adhd, going on vacation and volunteering at a village, doing habitat for humanity projects etc. Doesn’t mean you can’t write about these but trying to write about something different about yourself might just be more interesting. You can always bring up the disability that you overcame but it’s a more subtle way and still get your point across and not have the whole essay about it… IE: While living with ADHD and overcoming my deficits what I learned about myself was that I have unique abilities that I can use to my advantage. I think more creatively and I am able to apply it to… Etc… I am a better editor then a writer but hopefully you get the idea. I would like to learn more about this creative higher end thinking then about the Adhd that helped create it. Now the essay is Personal, unique and interesting. Adhd runs in my family also so I am not looking down on you or your essay. I just think you can take it in a different direction for a college essay and still get your point across.

@scoutmom2002 has your daughter been evaluated for dyscalculia? We found out late that my daughter has this. Very frustrating when she wanted to do higher math but just couldn’t.

http://www.dyscalculia.org/

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Learning Disabilities essay

LEARNING DISABILITIES 1

Institution Affiliation

Learningdifficulties is a term used to highlight the areas of functioning inwhich an individual experiences extensive problems about learning.The problems experienced in learning are usually as a result of aseries of factors that are unknown (Vogel, 1998). The disorderaffects the ability of the brain to receive information from variousprocesses in which such an individual engages. The challenges inlearning warrant official diagnosis whereby a professionalpsychologist and psychiatrist make the conclusion concerning themental well-being of the person experiencing difficulties inlearning.

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Various theorieshave been developed regarding the above topic. Each of the scholarsdeveloped unique yet interrelated concepts in discussing the issue athand. Some of the approaches that have been developed by scholarsinclude the Psychodynamic Theory by Sigmund Freund, Erik Erikson’sPsychological theory, Behaviorist Theory by Skinner, Cognitive Theoryby Jean-Jacques Piaget, Lev Vygotsky`s Sociocultural Theory, andEcological theory by Urie Bronfenbrenner (Atherton &amp Crickmore,2012). Others include Multiple Intelligence theories by HowardGardner, the Maturation Theory by Arnold Gessel, and Abraham Maslow`sHumanistic Theories. All the above approaches are classified underthe Developmental and Learning Theories (Vogel, 1998).

This paper willidentify eight sources from the American Public University System(APUS) online library and use them to discuss learning disabilities.The study will involve a critical analysis of the lifespandevelopment topic selected. In addition to this, four major theorieswill be integrated into the paper. They include Cognitive DevelopmentTheory by Jean Piaget, Social Development Theory developed by LevVygotsky, B.F Skinner’s Operant Conditioning.

Cognitive Development Theory

This developmenttheory was proposed by Jean Piaget, who was regarded as one of thefirst psychologists to contribute to studies of cognitivedevelopment. He argued that children were born with a basic mentalstructure that was either inherited or evolved. It is on the basicmental structure that the learning process was based. This theoryfocused more on the development of individuals and as such was notconcerned with the development of specific behaviors amongindividuals. According to this psychologist, cognitive developmentamong children was a discontinuous process. At the same time, it wasa mental process that included both biological maturation andenvironmental experience.

In this regard,he argued that children are in a position to construct anunderstanding of the environment in which they are brought up (Vogel,1998). After that, they will be able to discern any changes from whatthey know and what the new context provides them. The level ofdiscrepancies between what the children are aware of and what the newenvironments provide them with forms the root of Piaget’s theory.Therefore such changes provide the children with the opportunitysince they have to adapt to the existing discrepancies within theirlearning environments (Atherton &amp Crickmore, 2012).

The cognitivedevelopment theory has three major components, and they includeschemas, which are also known as the building block of knowledge.Secondly, it contains processes that enable the learners totransition from one stage to the other. Some of the processesincluded this case include assimilation, equilibrium, andaccommodation. The final essential components are the stages ofdevelopment, and they include sensorimotor, preoperational, concreteoperational, and formal operational (Atherton &amp Crickmore, 2012).

Assimilationrefers to the use of existing building blocks of knowledge to dealwith a new problem or situation. Accommodation, on the other hand, isthe process whereby the existing knowledge is obsolete and as such itshould be changed to deal with the new situation. Equilibration is ascenario in which the new information cannot fit into any of theexisting systems (Vogel, 1998). The existence of such disequilibriumdrives the learning process into seeking to restore balance bymastering the new challenges that arise.

The stages ofdevelopment analyzed by Piaget in his theory discussed the kinds ofissues experienced at the present ages of the students. The firstphase, known as the sensorimotor stage occurs between birth and twoyears. Children at this juncture are aware of the existence ofobjects even when they are still hidden. The preoperational stage isbetween two and seven years and during this period the concept ofegocentrism is introduced among children. The child is only able tounderstand the world from his/her point of view. The concreteoperational stage is experienced between seven and eleven years. Itis at this stage that children can understand that redistribution ofmaterials does not have any impacts on the mass, volume and number.Finally, the formal operational stage begins at the age of elevenyears. This is the phase that the concept of inferential reasoning ishighlighted. It refers to the ability of an individual to make aconclusion from things that they are yet to experience. One majorlearning disorder that can be included in this category is thenon-verbal learning disabilities.

This is a form oflearning disorder that has a series of characteristics that includeweak visual and social skills. It also involves a discrepancy betweenhigher verbal skills and poorer motor skills. Such individuals willexperience difficulties in understanding nonverbal cues that mayinclude body language and facial expressions. Moreover, coordinationbecomes a major problem for those suffering from NLD (Atherton &ampCrickmore, 2012).

Social Development Theory

According to thistheory, social interactions play a massive role in the development ofan individual. Additionally, the community has a major spot in theprocess of making meaning. Lev Vygotsky argued that socialdevelopment comes before the development stages. This is in contrastto the cognitive development theory proposed by Piaget. However,there is an agreement between the two philosophers with regards toprimary materials for intellectual development. The socialdevelopment approach, therefore, focuses on the elementary mentalfunctions that include sensation, attention, memory, and perception.The functions are developed through the Higher Mental Functions intosophisticated mental strategies. Therefore, the learning processmassively depends on the social interactions according to this author(Vogel, 1998). This included the use of creative tutors with theability to model behaviors and provides verbal instructions for thechildren.

Various conceptswere developed by Lev Vygotsky. One of them is the More KnowledgeableOther (MKO) which refers to an individual that possesses a higherintellectual ability than the learner. Such discrepancies inunderstanding can be regarding a particular task or process. The Zoneof Proximal Development (ZPO) relates to a comparison of what a childcan achieve when working independently vis-a-vis when underthe guidance of an MKO.

Vygotsky`s workscontributed massively to the concept of language. He identified therole of languages in cognitive development which included the meansof transmission of information to the children. Additionally,language was regarded as an important tool of intellectual adaption(Siegel, 2013). Internal speech, otherwise known as private speechrefers to instances whereby individuals speak aloud to themselves. Itis a common feature among children and is seen as one of the waysthrough which the development of children is aided. Some of thelearning disorders that can be analyzed using Vygostky’s analysisare discussed below.

This form oflearning disability affects individuals’ abilities to read andother language-based processing skills. The level of severity of thisproblem will depend on a person though it can affect the fluency ofthe victim as well as the ability to read comprehensions effectively(Siegel, 2013). In this regard, this learning problem is also knownas Language-Based Learning Disability. Some of the symptoms thatpoint towards this disorder include slow and painful reading,decoding errors with regards to the letters, trouble spellingletters, and handwriting difficulties.

Other symptomsinclude difficulties in math computation, a significant disparitybetween listening and reading comprehension of particular text(Siegel, 2013). Numerous strategies can be used to manage thislearning disorder. Individuals with this problem should be providedwith quiet learning activities that include reading and answeringcomprehension questions (Atherton &amp Crickmore, 2012). Additionally, they can be provided with books that have large printsand large spaces between the lines as well as the use of books ontapes. Other strategies that can be utilized to rectify andeffectively manage such a learning disorder include the use oflaptops and other computer items for essays conducted on classes andpresentation of materials in small units.

Language Processing Disorder

This disorderfalls under the Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and involvesdifficulties in attaching specific meanings to particular groups ofwords (Tanguay, 2001). These can include sound groups that formwords, stories, and sentences. This form of the disorder is deemed torelate only to a the processing of language, unlike the AuditoryProcessing Disorder that covers the interpretation of all soundsthrough the ear and their subsequent analysis in the brains of theindividuals. The Language Processing Disorder (LPD) affects bothexpressive and receptive languages and should there (Tanguay, 2001).The strategies that are utilized in this case include speaking slowlywhile avoiding complex statements when conveying instructions.Additionally, speech pathologists can be utilized in the managementof such a scenario. Other concepts that have shown great success inthis regard include the use of recorders for note taking and storymapping. Finally, story starters can be used to facilitate thecompletion of creative writing assignments (Atherton &amp Crickmore,2012).

Operating Conditioning

This theory wasdeveloped by B.F Skinner and relates to the behaviorist concepts thatwere suggested by Thorndike and Watson (Gates &amp Atherton, 2007).The term operant conditioning refers to changes in behaviors that arefacilitated by using reinforcements that exist for every givenresponse. In this regard, the B.F Skinner identified three majorresponses that are likely to follow a behavior (Wong et al., 2008).

The first operantaccording to the operant conditioning concept is known as neutraloperant. This refers to the existence of a response in an environmentthat will neither elevate of minimizing the possibilities of certaintraits being committed. On the other hand, reinforcers involve thereactions whereby the probabilities of behaviors being repeated arehigh. As such, this operant can either be positive or negative(Neuwirth &amp National Institute of Mental Health, 1993). Finally,the last response is the punishers in which the reaction in theenvironment is likely to decrease the likelihood of particular traitsbeing highlighted. One such analysis is that punishment weakens thebehaviors of individuals. Therefore, the operant conditioning theoryargues that the analysis of behaviorism concepts should be based onthe observable behaviors and not other internal events that includeemotions and thinking (Neuwirth &amp National Institute of MentalHealth, 1993). An individual’s behavior is, therefore, likely to beinfluenced by the environment in which they live in.

Though theenvironments would have been similar for most of the learners,Skinner argued that learning effectiveness would be achieved based onthe organisms that were responding to the situation. To achieve hisprimary objective, he focused on research. Rats and pigeons were theprimarily the animals used in his studies (Wong et al., 2008). Itresulted in the invention of the Skinny box whereby a rat had tolearn to use the lever system to obtain food. Adaptation, therefore,formed a fundamental concept in the Operant Conditioning theory asdeveloped by B.F. Skinner (Wong et al., 2008).

Socialist Learning Theory

Albert Banduradeveloped the social learning theory in which he argues that thebehaviors of individuals are based on the environments in which anindividual operates. The procedure involved is known as theobservation learning process (Wong et al., 2008). This concept ismore applicable to children whereby they are likely to imitate theactions of people around them (Neuwirth &amp National Institute ofMental Health, 1993). The children will, therefore, observe thebehaviors of the people around them before attending to thosecharacter traits that they deem as similar to their own. It is forthis reason that the young ones will under most circumstances takeafter behaviors modeled by the people of same sex as the child. Onthe other hand, the individuals around the children will respond tothe behaviors exhibited by the toddlers through reinforcement orpunishment (Neuwirth &amp National Institute of Mental Health,1993). A child is likely to continue with actions in which theconsequences involve rewards. Vicarious reinforcement is a conceptthat occurs when the children take into account what happens toothers before making the decision on whether to imitate any actions.

Identificationinvolves interaction with the model and the subsequent inception ofthe latter’s actions. In this case, a person will identify otherpeople and then take on their observed behaviors, beliefs andattitudes, and the values of the people they are making an attempt toidentify (Neuwirth &amp National Institute of Mental Health, 1993).The concept of identification is different from imitation in onemajor way. The former involves taking up a series of behaviors from amodel whereas imitation revolves around copying a single behavior.Later on, Bandura integrated the concept of cognition in the shapingof individual responses. This was necessitated by his discovery thatthe children exhibited different learning capabilities with regardsto listening, making observations, and remembering complex ways. Thedifferences in abilities were visible in the variations in the levelsof imitation and learning (Wong et al., 2008). Some of the learningdisorders that are relate to this theory included dyscalculia anddysgraphia.

Dyscalculia

This is a problemthat is prominent when learning numbers and other math facts.Individuals are considered to be suffering from the dyscalculiadisorders in case they are not in a position to master mathematicalformulas and basic math problems (Gates &amp Atherton, 2007). Peoplewith this form of learning disorders will, therefore, be poor intheir grasp of numbers, mathematical formulas, and calculations.Another issue that is likely to feature prominently, in this case,relates to the struggles in memorizing numbers in addition to theinability to correctly state time and count a given number of objectscorrectly. Some of the signs and symptoms of this problem includedifficulties in understanding concepts such as the place value andnumber lines. Additionally, there might be problems making a changeand handling money since counting and accountability becomes animportant issue (Atherton &amp Crickmore, 2012). Finally, othersymptoms arise in cases whereby individuals are not in a position tounderstand concepts relating to time, days, and months (Gates &ampAtherton, 2007).

This form ofdisability features mostly among the young school going children andrelates to their handwritings. It also extends to their motor skillsin which case the individuals might have ineligible handwritings,might experience challenges in spacing and poor spelling (Wong etal., 2008). Dysgraphia is also considered to affect individuals suchthat they are likely to experience difficulties in writingcomposition since thinking and writing at the same time are deemed tobe difficult tasks (Gates &amp Atherton, 2007). Some of thestrategies that can be used to correct this problem include the useof oral exams, utilization of computer applications such as wordprocessor that can automatically correct spelling mistakes. Thetutors tasked with supervising such individuals should allow for theuse of tape recording to ensure that concepts that are notinternalized in a classroom can be dealt with at a later time.Finally, students experiencing the dysgraphia disorder should not bechastised for being sloppy in the completion of their tasks (Vogel,1998).

Comparison Analysis

Vast differencesexist between the theories developed by Piaget and Vygotsky. However,there is a possibility of both approaches being integrated togetheras a means of creating a level of instruction that would be effectivefor the tutors. Additionally, a number of instructions can be bothmeaningful and stimulating for the student.

When taking intoconsideration a classroom situation based on the Piagetian style, thefocus should be on the thinking of child above all other factors(Neuwirth &amp National Institute of Mental Health, 1993). Thiswould require the analysis to go beyond the final product of thematerial taught in the classroom. The tutors are therefore concernedwith how the students go about obtaining their answers. They,therefore, go to greater lengths to understand how the students cameup with the answers in the first place. This is because a classroombased on the Piagetian concept does not focus on the standardizationof rules but rather recognizes the differences in the learning ratesamong children. Rather than force the learners to understand variousconcepts at the same pace, this style of learning requires the tutorsto develop extra lessons for the students that are experiencinglearning difficulties rather than for the entire class (Wong et al.,2008). The remedial classes would be used to facilitate learningamong those the slow learners. However, this process is likely toachieve greater results in case the arrangement is self-initiated bythe learners as this is likely to encourage student involvement(Walmsley &amp Johnson, 2003).

On the otherhand, a Vygotsky classroom concept differs from the one developed byPiaget. In the former, the teacher has to identify the insufficiencyof challenging tasks as the basis of the mental development ofstudents (Walmsley &amp Johnson, 2003). In this regards, additionalrequirements are needed to facilitate the mental progress of thestudents. The tutor is therefore required to be able to break down achallenge into simple tasks to enable the student to gradually attainthe required levels of knowledge. Both the theories fronted by Piagetand Vygotsky can be used in a learning situation by a 4th-gradeclassroom teacher to facilitate learning. In this case, the mostappropriate position would be through individual learningassignments. Additionally, it could be used in collaborative learningcenters, group projects in the laboratory assignments.

The theoriesproposed by Bandura and Skinner focus on the classroom management(Neuwirth &amp National Institute of Mental Health, 1993). Thesetheories, therefore, lay greater emphasis on the need to have anefficient management plan for the classes. One of such ways wouldinvolve the use of modeling. In this case, the student can learn whatis expected of them from the teacher and embark on imitating the mostappropriate behaviors (Walmsley &amp Johnson, 2003). Even Vygotsky’stheory focuses on the need to use modeling lessons as an essentialpart of the learning process.

From theimplementation of observational learning, the students will be in aposition to understand the difference between behaviors considered asacceptable and those that are not allowed within a class environment(Walmsley &amp Johnson, 2003). To ensure that order and consistencyare assured in the classroom, both reinforcers and punishments can beused within a classroom by the teachers. Some of the positivereinforcers that can be utilized in this instance include trips andother rewards whereas punishments can be meted out in various ways.The punishments may include restrictions of the recess, a call homeor a call to the principal’s office.

Other Specific

Auditory Processing Disabilities

This disorder isalso known as the Central Auditory Processing Disorder, and it refersto the conditions that are known to affect the transfer of soundsamong individuals. Concerning the learning process, the problemimpedes how sound traveling through ears are received and dealt withby the brain. As such, it highlights the fact that individualssuffering from this problem are not able to identify the differencesbetween sounds and words (Tanguay, 2001). This challenge arises evenin instances whereby the sounds are clear and loud enough to be heardby others. Another problem that is likely to be experienced by suchindividuals is the inability to determine the directions from whichthe sounds are coming from as well as makes sense of the sounds.Finally, it becomes impossible for such people to make sense of theorder of sounds or to block out the background sounds during aconversation (Atherton &amp Crickmore, 2012).

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

Atherton, H., &amp Crickmore, D. J. (2012).&nbsp Learningdisabilities: Toward inclusion .

Gates, B., &amp Atherton, H. (2007).&nbsp Learning disabilities:Toward inclusion . Edinburgh: Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone.

Neuwirth, S., &amp National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.).(1993).&nbsp Learning disabilities . Place of publication notidentified: National Institute of Mental Health.

Siegel, L. S. (2013).&nbsp Understanding dyslexia and otherlearning disabilities .

Tanguay, P. B. (2001).&nbsp Nonverbal learning disabilities athome: A parent`s guide . London: Jessica Kingsley Pub.

Vogel, S. A. (1998).&nbsp Learning disabilities, literacy, andadult education . Baltimore [u.a.: Brookes.

Walmsley, J., &amp Johnson, K. (2003).&nbsp Inclusive researchwith people with learning disabilities: Past, present, and futures .Philadelphia, PA: J. Kingsley Publishers.

Wong, B., Graham, L., Hoskyn, M., &amp Berman, J. (2008).&nbsp TheABCs of . San Diego: Elsevier Science.

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Colleges have a responsibility to support students with intellectual disabilities

Colleges and universities nationwide continue to grapple with demographic shifts, fiscal challenges and the lasting impacts of the pandemic. Against these larger societal forces, many higher education institutions have focused considerable attention and resources on improving access and affordability for their students. Many institutions are providing new opportunities for adult learners, veterans, international students and other previously underserved populations.

While many campuses are increasing the diversity of the student body, not all interested students have benefited equally from the growing access to higher education. Students with intellectual disability attend college at the  lowest rate  of students from any disability category. Approximately  6.5 million Americans have some intellectual disability, defined as having significant limitations both in intellectual functioning (e.g., reasoning, learning, problem-solving) and adaptive behavior. However, due to minimal college options and lack of awareness, school-age students with intellectual disability are less likely to prepare for and seek higher education.

Further, challenges exist in the workforce. Only 28% of working-age adults with intellectual disability have ever held a job. This situation leaves an astounding number of eager workers on the sidelines at a time when our state and regional economies can hardly afford to overlook any segment of the available workforce. These statistics represent an enormous challenge for colleges and universities and an opportunity.

Broadening access to education for individuals with intellectual disability not only benefits those students but also benefits the greater student body, teaching and learning environments, campuses, communities and the workforce. At Millersville University, where I serve as president, we pride ourselves on our work to expand opportunities for students with intellectual disability.

More from UB: CU Boulder Chancellor DiStefano: Lessons learned from 50 years in higher ed

I often view our approach to inclusive education to the genetics and biodiversity of an ecosystem: A campus flourishes when it is composed of students from different backgrounds, cultures and abilities. Our Integrated Studies initiative stands as a testament to our dedication to inclusivity. In this unique initiative, students with disabilities are not segregated or separated; instead, they are integrated seamlessly into our academic, social and communal fabric. They attend the same classes, live in the same residence halls, dine in the same halls and join the same clubs as their peers.

We do not view them as students with disabilities; they are students, period. As an institution, we recognize that a vital component of students’ reaching their potential is creating a strong sense of belonging for all our students. I have seen the impact of integration reverberate across our campus and witnessed the strong connection and sense of belongingness within our community.

Our commitment to inclusion brings with it some challenges, but these challenges are opportunities for growth and learning. We have embraced the philosophy that providing equal opportunities to all is not about offering special treatment; it’s about leveling the playing field. Our campus mirrors the world into which our students will graduate therefore we must ensure they are well-equipped for the challenges that await them beyond the campus.

Inclusive education is also deeply personal for me. As a grandfather to an autistic grandson, I understand the importance of advocating for equal opportunities. My 14-year-old grandson is very bright and tries incredibly hard at school. We give him as much support and love as possible. Watching him develop has given me a heightened awareness and sensitivity to ensure that we provide support for students with disabilities. These experiences have reinforced my belief that inclusive education is a moral, educational and community imperative.

To my fellow higher education leaders, I urge you to champion inclusive education on your campuses. The most important markers of success are ensuring your senior leadership team is committed to the initiative and your campus is prepared. We need to educate faculty and staff and encourage them to see these challenges not as obstacles but as opportunities to enhance their teaching methods, enrich their own learning experiences and contribute towards a vibrant community.

To learn more, campus leaders can click here  to find resources to help expand access to inclusive higher education for students with intellectual disability. Campuses are leaning into this opportunity and developing best practices worth sharing.

Together, campus communities can open the doors wider, break down barriers and create an educational landscape where every learner thrives.

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What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.

Does It Really Matter Where You Go To College? Financially, It Does

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Stanford University

High school students and their parents are nothing short of obsessed with college decisions. Concerns over students’ higher education prospects prompt parents to spend thousands of dollars on private school, tutoring, private college admissions consulting, competitive summer programs, and more. Though many people invest huge amounts of time, money, and energy into the process, others often wonder: Does it really matter whether your student attends an Ivy League school or a state university?

From large state schools to small liberal arts colleges, students can find research opportunities, rigorous curricula, and vibrant campus communities at a wide array of colleges. In choosing where to apply, and later, where to attend college, students should be diligent in their research and discern what kind of school will best suit them. An Ivy League school is not the right choice for every student—needless to say, many students would not thrive in such rigorous academic environments. Further, Ivy League schools’ small campus sizes, cultures and locations may not be the best fit for some students. When it comes to student satisfaction and the potential to flourish, an Ivy League institution may not be the best option.

However, when it comes to future earning potential and career success, where you go to college matters greatly.

First and foremost, the caliber of a student’s alma mater can impact the individual’s likelihood of securing a job after graduation. Princeton, Harvard, and Yale all rank in the top 10 in the Times Higher Education 2023-2024 Global Employability University Ranking, alongside other top schools such as MIT, Caltech, and Stanford. Not only are graduates of these schools more likely to get a job, but a report from Opportunity Insights indicated that attending a college in the Ivy plus category rather than a highly selective public institution triples a graduate’s chances of working at a prestigious firm.

This is due in large part to the networking opportunities afforded to students at world-renowned universities. While excelling in the classroom during one’s college years is an impressive feat, few employers will look at students’ GPAs or transcripts after graduation. They will care instead about the quality of their resumes and professional experiences. Ivy League universities and other top schools provide networks that will follow students throughout their careers, as graduates connect with one another through organizations such as the Harvard Club of New York City.

The significance of attending a top college manifests not only in one’s likelihood of getting a job, but also their average earnings. Graduates from Ivy League schools are reported to have higher average annual earnings than their peers who graduate in the top 10% of other colleges. According to U.S. News & World Report , Ivy League graduates with approximately three years of professional experience earned a median annual salary of $86,025 in 2022, compared to graduates of other schools who earned $58,643.

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The gap widens as time goes on—by mid-career (20 years of experience), Ivy League grads earn $161,888 on average, compared to other graduates who average $101,777. Additionally, graduates of Ivy League and other top schools are 60% more likely to reach the top 1% of the earnings distribution, Opportunity Insights found. It is no surprise, then, that every Ivy League school except for Brown appears on Forbes’ 2022 list of The 11 Most Popular Colleges Among America’s Richest. University of Pennsylvania topped that list, with 17 graduates appearing on Forbes’ 400 wealthiest American rankings.

These statistics are even more significant in light of Ivy League schools’ financial aid packages. For instance, in 2022, Princeton announced it would offer free tuition, room, and board for most students whose families made less than $100,000 annually. These kinds of programs bring the average annual cost of attending an Ivy League education down to $23,234 —less than the average cost of ranked colleges outside of the Ivy League. These financial incentives contribute to the ROI of top schools, placing Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth in the top 10 in The Princeton Review ’s ranking of best value colleges.

Ultimately, students should seek to attend a school that aligns with their goals and passions while recognizing that their college decision will have lasting effects on their career and income. Investing in the necessary support to maximize your student’s chances of admission to Ivy League and other top schools is a strategic choice—and one that could have a positive impact for years to come.

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