-- Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities and the Post-Secondary Student

A learning disability is a lifelong disorder. It causes individuals with average to above-average intellectual potential to receive, retain, or express information in different ways from their non-learning disabled peers. Learning disabilities are either language-based or perceptual problems. Individuals with learning disabilities usually have areas of difficulty that contrast markedly with other areas in which they excel.

For the post-secondary student with a learning disability, this could result in difficulties with one or more of the following skills:

• listening • perceiving • speaking
• reading • writing • time management
• spelling • organizing • social interaction
• calculating

It is our goal to empower students with learning disabilities to achieve their educational goals in as integrated and independent a manner as possible. Services provided by S.O.A.R. include:

Transition to College

Students are encouraged to disclose their learning disabilities early and to contact S.O.A.R. for a Post-Secondary Transition Planner.

Assessments

Students will have their psycho-educational assessments reviewed. Any student requiring more comprehensive or updated testing may be provided with an opportunity to be reassessed in a timely manner, so that appropriate accommodations can be put into place.

Learning Strategies

Learning Strategists meet regularly with students to help them understand the nature of their disabilities and the kinds of strategies that will help them succeed.

Strategies for Academic Success

Strategy workshops are offered for improving academic performance and for increasing efficiency. Workshops cover everything from preparation work (like reading and studying) to on-the-spot techniques for listening, notetaking, and writing tests. Workshops are also provided to help students improve their writing skills.

Accommodations

The following accommodations may be accessed depending on the nature of your disability:

• Books on Tape / E-Text- for students diagnosed with print disabilities (contact S.O.A.R. as soon as possible)
• Classroom Resources - volunteer notetakers
• Exam Accommodations - extra time and computers with adaptive technology may be provided, based on assessments
• Tutoring - peer and professional tutoring sessions

Counselling

Personal, academic, and career counselling services are available upon request.

Adaptive Technology

Computer-assisted devices and support technology specific to each student’s needs are available. Software includes TextHelp! Read&Write, Kurzweil 3000, Word Prediction and Dragon Dictate etc. Use of adaptive equipment and specialized support, such as course specific tutoring, can be essential to the success of students with learning disabilities.

Mentoring and Support Groups

Students can sometimes be the best teachers. With that in mind, a core of upper-year students with learning disabilities are available to act as mentor
s to first-year students.