Tag Archives: learning disabilities

learning disabilities, parenting

Helping Your Student With Learning Disabilities

learning disabilities

A child with learning difficulties is no different in their deserving of education than a child without it. Of course, the challenges are more apparent ad there may be obstacles that are put in the way of helping a child learn when they have a learning difficulty but there are no obstacles, you and your child can’t overcome.

With that being said, here are a few tips to help your child with learning disablities navigate the education system.

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App Tuesday, learning disabilities

App Tuesday: Apps for Learning Disabled Students

 

learning disabled studentsWhen you have a learning disabled student there is a whole other level of study, learning and social education. Today’s App Tuesday provides parents of the learning disabled some tools to make their job easier and help keep their student on the path toward higher education.

Inov8 Educational Consulting has compiled a list of apps with screenshots and links for parents to use. Here are just a few of the types of apps for learning disabled students they showcased:

Mind Mapping Apps

Apps for mind mapping are generally developed for a mass market and not specifically for educational use or for students with special needs. With so many apps on the market, we developed some basic criteria that we used to target the needs of a student with learning disabilities, and these apps meet the that criteria:

•Simple to use for middle and high school students

•Uncluttered interface

•Ability to manipulate “nodes” or ideas on the screen easily for those with fine motor difficulties

•Ability to use graphics instead of text, if needed

•Multiple options to use varying colors and shapes to differentiate ideas and to provide increased meaning and structure for the student.

•Ability to export the map into different formats, so that the student can manipulate the map afterwards for the writing process.

Apps to improve organizational skills

Learning disabled students struggle with organizational skills. These apps should help them improve those skills which in turn improves their study skills as well.

And here’s a follow up post with 9 more apps:

http://www.inov8-ed.com/2013/12/theres-a-special-app-for-that-9-more-apps-to-improve-organizational-skills-for-students-with-learning-disabilities/

Apps to create social stories

Social stories can be used for behavioural support, for describing and teaching social interactions, to ease transitions, and to teach new adaptive skills (among many other uses!). According to Inov8, “we wanted to share some of the apps that we’re using, since there are so many more possibilities now than even last year.  Now we’re even using tools that were not originally designed for creating social stories. These content creation apps have allowed us to customize and individualize stories to our student or child’s needs-one of the many benefits of new transformative technologies!”

Apps that develop independence and autonomy

One of the key benefits of assistive technology is helping individuals to become more independent in their lives. In the case of the learning disabled student, the use of specific apps is supporting students to develop the skills essential to becoming self-determined. Whether these apps are used in the classroom, at home, or on the job, these students are using apps to develop independent work habits, feel comfortable socially, and to make autonomous decisions. They are also increasingly confident in their own abilities.

Apps for college/university students

Students with learning disabilities represent the largest group of students with disabilities in higher education settings. The number of students with learning disabilities in post-secondary education has increased over the past ten years. Some stats: one US study from the University of Washington concluded that 6% of the population in higher education has a disability. Of this number, 45% of individuals report a learning disability. Organizational strategies for students with LDs  in college or university is key to success. With a course load, research papers, collaborative assignments and a social life to juggle, college life can often be overwhelming. Effective note-taking, organization and research skills are extremely important. These 10 apps that will help in the area of productivity and organization.

In addition to the apps recommended by Inov8, the National Center for Learning Disabilities offers these recommendations:

Apps for Students with LD: Organization and Study

Apps to Help Students with Dysgraphia and Writing Difficulties

 

college planning, Guest Posts

Support for students with learning disabilities: New Frontiers in Learning

 

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There has been a recent trend towards an increasing number of students with learning differences attending college each year. While this is a tremendous accomplishment, colleges may not have the resources to support students with challenges in academic learning, executive functioning, and social interaction. In addition, these students may not have the self-advocacy, executive functioning and independence skills necessary to be successful at the college level.

New Frontiers in Learning comes to the rescue

new frontiersWith this new wave comes New Frontiers in Learning, the next generation of secondary and post-secondary supports designed specifically to meet the academic, social, and career development needs of students with learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and related learning differences. New Frontiers allows students to choose a college or university based on where they want to attend, and not on what type of support services are available. Academic, social engagement, and career development supports can be brought directly to the student and supplement the supports the colleges are providing based on the individual needs of the students.

Providing support for learning disabled students

New Frontiers provides academic, social, and career development support to students, as well as executive functioning instruction and the development of college readiness skills. The New Frontiers staff has considerable experience supporting students through the transition from high school to college, through college, and beyond. Each member of the administrative staff holds a Master’s degree or beyond in special education. New Frontiers’ coaches possess a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree from a highly accredited university.

A summer program for students

The New Frontiers in Learning summer program, Summer in the City, is a hands on experience tied to the development of each student’s executive functioning skills, while working on social relationships as students experience the culture and excitement of New York City. Morning sessions include reading and writing at the high school and college level and strategy instruction to build executive functioning competence for everyday personal management. Afternoons are filled with New York City experiences and adventures.

Tutoring and coaching services

The academic year and summer and winter session tutoring and coaching services at New Frontiers have been designed to provide individually customized academic and social support services to adolescents and young adults with challenges in academic learning, executive functioning, and social interaction. Services begin in ninth grade and continue through college and beyond. The program works to maintain high academic and social standards for all students, promoting strong relationships in all phases of the student’s life. New Frontiers works with students closely to become a strong liaison between students and their respective institutions. This includes assisting with communication between peers, school officials, residence life advisors, and faculty to make each student’s experience as enjoyable as possible.

 

college costs, college planning, financial aid, scholarships

Scholarships for Learning Disabled

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learning disabilitiesIf you have a college-bound teen who is learning disabled, you will be happy to know that there are specific scholarships set aside for these type of students.

Start by looking at the Learning Disability Organizations in your home state. Those state specific college scholarships for ADHD will be less competitive than national scholarship programs as well, which makes them worth checking out even if the award amounts are small.

Another resource that students and parents seldom think about is scholarship programs that are only learned about through the Disabilities Department at the college that your teen will attend. It is vital that you check in with, and register with this department at the school, and inquire about available scholarship programs for learning disabled students when doing so.

Check into school specific college scholarships for ADHD available for learning disabled students as well. Many colleges offer at least one, if not several, ADHD scholarships for students who are learning disabled, and who will be attending that specific school, or even students enrolled in specific programs of studies – if they are learning disabled. Of course, ADHD Scholarships, although not specific, are considered learning disability scholarships as well.

Make absolutely certain that you check with vocational rehabilitation organizations or departments in your state and county as well. These organizations exist for the purpose of helping those who have been displaced or unable to work and get the educations that they need to find gainful employment – despite disabilities. Often, people mistakenly believe that these organizations only help adults who have already been in the workforce, but this isn’t true at all. They can also appraise graduating high school seniors and college students about scholarship and grant programs available for ADHD or learning disability scholarships.

Many organizations who would otherwise offer college ADHD scholarship programs for learning disabled students fail to do so because they assume that learning disabled students, such as those with ADHD will not be attending college. Today, nothing could be further from the truth, and in many cases, if you contact organizations or businesses that are related to ADHD in some way, you may find that they will help you to fund your teen’s education in some small way.

Here are just a few examples: