Accommodation Ideas for Students with Learning Disabilities By Mayda LaRosse, MA Job Corps Conference Kansas City, KS November 19, 2002

Topics We Will Discuss Today: How can JAN help academic instructors with accommodation issues involving students with LD? How can JAN help academic instructors with accommodation issues involving students with LD? LD accommodations for the classroom LD accommodations for the classroom LD resources LD resources

The Best Disability/ADA Resource What is ?

How Can JAN Help You Help Your Students? JAN consultants can provide information on: JAN consultants can provide information on: accommodations for individual students in the classroom and on the job; accommodations for individual students in the classroom and on the job; products and vendors; products and vendors; the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, and Social Security regulations; and the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, and Social Security regulations; and other resources that you might find helpful. other resources that you might find helpful. Job Corps + JAN Employment

With the help of JAN, you will be better able to serve your students by being prepared to determine if: suggested accommodations are reasonable, suggested accommodations are reasonable, a direct threat issue exists, a direct threat issue exists, an accommodation would cause undue hardship, an accommodation would cause undue hardship, a student or applicant is qualified for the program, and a student or applicant is qualified for the program, and there are other programs that might assist the student. there are other programs that might assist the student.

JAN cannot: diagnose a disability, diagnose a disability, determine if an applicant is appropriate for Job Corps, determine if an applicant is appropriate for Job Corps, determine if an accommodation request is reasonable, or determine if an accommodation request is reasonable, or review student records. review student records.

Before Calling JAN: know the applicant's limitations and abilities; know the applicant's limitations and abilities; know the requirements of the program(s); know the requirements of the program(s); know educational and psychological evaluation information, including the IEP (if applicable); know educational and psychological evaluation information, including the IEP (if applicable); know other vocational programs that are available for the applicant if the one he/she is interested in does not work; and know other vocational programs that are available for the applicant if the one he/she is interested in does not work; and read all available information on the student/applicant. read all available information on the student/applicant.

Basic Information About Learning Disabilities

Words Used to Describe Learning Disabilities Specific Learning Disabilities Specific Learning Disabilities Dysgraphia Dysgraphia Dyslexia Dyslexia Dyscalcula Dyscalcula Visual / Auditory Perception Visual / Auditory Perception

Limitations with: Specific Learning Disabilities student’s intelligence can be average (around 100) or above average student has difficulty understanding or using language, whether written or spoken student has an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, write, read, spell, or do mathematical calculations

Limitations with: Dysgraphia student reverses letters when writing student reverses letters when writing student transposes letters when writing student transposes letters when writing student omits letters or words student omits letters or words student has poor spelling student has poor spelling student has illegible handwriting student has illegible handwriting

Limitations with: Dyslexia student sees letters or words reversed student sees letters or words reversed student sees letters or words transposed student sees letters or words transposed student omits letters or words when reading student omits letters or words when reading

Limitations with: Dyscalcula student has difficulty with numbers student has difficulty with numbers student has spatial problems student has spatial problems student has difficulty placing numbers into vertical columns student has difficulty placing numbers into vertical columns student has difficulty performing calculations student has difficulty performing calculations

Limitations with: Visual Perception student loses his place, skips words or whole lines of text student loses his place, skips words or whole lines of text student has difficulty copying from the board or a book, or has sloppy handwriting student has difficulty copying from the board or a book, or has sloppy handwriting student is disorganized and frustrated when studying visual information student is disorganized and frustrated when studying visual information student exhibits clumsiness student exhibits clumsiness

Limitations with: Auditory Perception student cannot recall verbal instructions student cannot recall verbal instructions student does not maintain focus for an intended purpose such as class lecture student does not maintain focus for an intended purpose such as class lecture student does not interpret or organize auditory information, which can affect: student does not interpret or organize auditory information, which can affect: comprehension of conversation comprehension of directions critical thinking skills such as making inferences or drawing conclusions

Case Studies and Accommodation Ideas For Learning Disabilities

Writing and Spelling

Case Study Job Corps has a student with LD in the GED program. This student has dysgraphia and his handwriting is illegible. This student has to write paragraphs and essays for class work. What classroom accommodations might help him?

Reading Print Material

Case Study Job Corps has a student with LD in the GED program. This student has dyslexia, and reads on a 4th grade level. He has difficulty reading the textbook, tests, worksheets, and other print material. What classroom accommodations might help him?

Getting and Staying Organized

Case Study Job Corps has a student with LD in the building maintenance program. He forgets to submit his project summaries on time. What classroom accommodations might help him?

“talking” watch “To Do” List write outline meet lab partner print out graphs Verbal Prompts Electronic Organizers Calendars

Taking Notes

Case Study Job Corps has a student with LD in the medical training program. She has auditory processing problems, and cannot take notes in class. What classroom accommodations might help her?

Use Laptop Computer or Alpha- Smart Device camcorder Carbonless note-taking system Share teacher’s notes with student

Math

Case Study Job Corps has a student with LD in the clerical program. She has dyscalcula, and has difficulty performing mathematical calculations in her accounting class. What classroom accommodations might help her?

Talking Calculators Tutorial Software

visual processing problems

Case Study Job Corps has a student in the building maintenance program. He has visual processing problems, and cannot find his way to the maintenance shed from the classroom. What classroom accommodations might help him?

2-Way Radio Talking Keyring

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