Students with Learning Disabilities Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities

Demands Placed on Adolescents School Demands  Gaining information from written materials and lectures  Demonstrating knowledge through tests  Expressing information in writing  Demonstrating a broad set of cognitive and metacognitive skills  Interacting appropriately  Demonstrating motivation to learn

Characteristics of Adolescents with Learning Disabilities Academic Deficits  Poor academic achievement is primary characteristic of adolescents with a learning disability Cognitive and Metacognitive Deficits  Executive processing deficits  Deficiencies in learning strategies and study skills Social Interaction Deficits Motivation Deficits

Challenges in Secondary Programming Program Services  Diverse range of services needed provided in a variety of instructional arrangements Premises of Secondary Programs General Curriculum Alternatives  Generally means student will not be going to a university for an academic degree  Selected if standard curriculum is important but additional instruction in skills and content is needed

Challenges of Secondary Programs continued Types of Intervention  Skill-oriented approaches  Content-oriented approaches  Strategy-oriented approaches

Secondary Programming Models Three major areas of program development:  Clearly specifying the nature of the curriculum  Identifying the instructional methodologies  Specifying how the instructional environment will be arranged

Supportive and Alternative Curriculum Approaches Motivation  Extrinsic vs. intrinsic motivation  Using student beliefs Social Development Academic Remediation Learning Strategies Functional Living Skills Career-Related Instruction Transitions from Secondary Settings

Instructional Procedures Acquisition and Generalization of Skills and Strategies  Use activities involving guided practice, modeling, peer instruction, provision of feedback, and task analysis Acquisition and Generalization of Secondary Content  Content enhancements  Advance Organizers  Visual displays

Instructional Procedures continued  Study guides  Mnemonic Instruction  Assignments  Adapting Materials Collaboration with General Classroom Teachers

Adults with Learning Disabilities Young Adults  Some difficulties experienced: underemployment, job dissatisfaction, dependent living arrangements, social skills problems, poor work habits, job selection College Students  Students must identify or refer themselves for the university to provide full program accessibility General Adulthood