Fluent Essays

Choose three resources of particular interest to you and for each of the three, answer the following: A. Why is this particular disability of interest to you? B. Summarize the key points of the article. C. Ask your classmates a question based on the content of each of the three articles Required references: https://www-oxfordreference-com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/view/10.1093/acref/9780195306613.001.0001/acref-9780195306613-e-37 https://www.courts.ca.gov/partners/documents/psych_dis.pdf https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd 18 | W I N T E R 2 0 0 6 JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION W W W. N A C A C N E T. O R G Hidden Disabilities: Another Diverse Population By Marybeth Kravets College Counselor Deerfield High School, IL Number 152/153 Summer/Fall 1994 Walking into my 3rd grade classroom one would see: a chalkboard facing the door 12 desks facing the chalkboard a teacher’s desk with a big red apple on it and a reading corner far to the right past the teacher’s desk Walking into my 3rd grade classroom one would hear: 12 kids talking, laughing and learning together 12 students learning how to spell, read and write But if one would look closer, one would see, 1 single child 1 lonely single child not laughing or talking 1 child just sitting there, in the middle of the classroom, with her head on her desk That child is me Deborah Senior creative writing class ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE: “I urge students with learning disabilities and their families to demand the services they need and to be patient with those of us in the education establishment as we seek to understand. I also encourage educators at all levels to be sensitive to and aware of these individuals as resources and work diligently with them to provide educational opportunity to all.” WINNER 1997 This article is from the Journal of College Admission’s Special Diversity Issue, which in its entirety, won the 1997 Muir Award. 19WINTER 2006 JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION |W W W. N A C A C N E T. O R G Misconception Individuals with multiple learning disabilities should not con- sider college as an option. Deborah was diagnosed at the age of two with severe mul- tiple learning disabilities followed by a negative prognosis. All the professional diagnosticians did not believe that an academic future would be possible for Deborah; a traditional elementary or high school experience and college were never discussed with even a glimmer of hope. Today, Deborah is completing her junior year in college. She is also on the dean’s list and is researching graduate school options. Deborah is one of the fortunate students who had supportive parents, excellent academic assistance and fine college guidance. Multiple learning disabilities are not a life sentence to being tracked out of a postsecondary educational experience. Deborah has come a long way, but the rest of us still have a long way to go. I am reminded about a childhood game by Dr. Richard Lavoie.1 Begin a story about anything and say the first four lines. Now pretend you are the next person to carry on the story, and add four more lines. Now it is the third person’s turn, but let’s change the rules. Continue the story, but you cannot use any words that contain the letter “N.” You are probably slowly con- tinuing the story, but the story line has been downgraded to very short, unimaginative and rather boring words. This drill requires a compensatory strategy to process words for the game. For many of us this is not a difficult task and cer- tainly not too stressful or to frustrating. However, consider the 10 percent of our college-bound population with diagnosed learn- ing disabilities, many of whom must contend with this type of language processing deficit on a daily basis. These are students with learning disabilities, occupying seats in high schools and colleges all over the country, and competing academically with peers who are learning-abled. This is a diverse population that has defied the odds, advocated for services and is just beginning to emerge as a group seeking higher education. Misconception The term “learning disability” is the same as “mental retarda- tion” or “slower learner.” We’ve come a long way since 1960 when the term “learning disabled” was coined. Prior to that time students with hidden disabilities were often labeled retarded and tracked for options after high school that did not include college. As a matter of fact, this is evidence that learning disabilities have been understood for years: • Charles Darwin was considered by his masters… “a very ordi- nary boy, rather below the common standard in intellect” • Albert Einstein did not speak until [the age of] four or read until [he was] seven. “His teacher described him as “mentally slow, unsociable and adrift forever in his foolish dreams” • Louis Pasteur was only a mediocre pupil in undergraduate studies and ranked 15th out of 22 in chemistry • Thomas Edison’s teachers reported that he was too stupid to learn anything.2 Today, any one of these famous individuals probably would be diagnosed as having a learning disability. More than nine percent of today’s college freshmen (more than 140,000 students) report having a disability, and students with hidden disabilities (learning, attention deficit disorder and other health-related disabilities) account for more than half of all freshmen with disabilities. In 1988 fewer than 20,000 col- lege students reported having a learning disability, and in 1994 this number rose to close to 50,000.3 The good news is that professionals are doing a better job of identifying and diagnos- ing students with learning disabilities. With earlier identification, students are developing compensatory skills and seeking higher education in greater numbers than ever before. The bad news is that the climate for individuals with hidden disabilities appears to be making a U-turn back to being less sensitive, more skepti- cal and less agreeable to giving students accommodations. While more students are being identified and labeled, more eyebrows are being raised from disbelievers. Recently a major east coast university made one of the larg- est U-turns. According to an article in the New York Times, this university is requiring all enrolled students receiving accommo- dations for hidden disabilities to provide updated testing, recer- tifying the disability and specifically listing all required accom- modations. Previously, documentation had been required upon enrollment in order to receive services, but now these students have until the summer of 1996 to provide documentation of their disability that has been done in the last three years. For those who do not have current documentation, this could mean paying from $500–$1500 for retesting. “I was outraged,” said a current junior, who is receiving accommodations including note-takers, extended time for tests and the opportunity to take tests in a Multiple learning disabilities are not a life sentence to being tracked out of a postsecondary educational experience. WINNER 1997 20 | W I N T E R 2 0 0 6 JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION W W W. N A C A C N E T. O R G quiet room. “I was born with these disabilities, I’ll die with them, and it’s inane and unnecessary to ask us to go out and spend $1,000 to be re-evaluated. They’re not asking blind and deaf students to get recertification that they still can’t see or hear. It feels like they’re trying to make us uncomfortable because they don’t believe learning disabilities are real.”4 What are the laws protecting individuals with learning dis- abilities? Are all the students who are exhibiting characteristics of a learning disability being diagnosed? How are colleges han- dling applications from students who self-disclose a learning dis- ability or other hidden disabilities? How level is the playing field for this diverse group of students? Misconception Learning disabilities do not exist if they are hidden. The first formal definition of learning disabilities was written in 1968 and finally became Public Law 94-142. Ultimately the definition was revised many times to reflect the continuing aware- ness of the fact that learning disabilities are lifelong and do not appear in adulthood. The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities revised the definition in 1988. It states that: “Learning disabilities” is a general term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders, manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction and may occur across the life span. Problems in self-regulatory behaviors, social perception and social interaction may exist with learning disabilities but do not by themselves constitute a learning disability. Although learning disabilities may occur concom- itantly with other handicapping conditions (for example, sensory impairment, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbance) or with intrinsic influences (such as cultural differences, insufficient or inappropriate instruction), they are not the result of those conditions of influences.5 Public Law 94-142 (The Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975) and amended by Public Law 101-476 (The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990-IDEA and 1991-IDEA) is a federal statute that guarantees that all chil- dren are entitled to a multidisciplinary evaluation and appropri- ate assistance for a diagnosed learning disability. Some of the students not meeting the criteria for services under PL 94-142 may be covered under Section 504 of the Re- habilitation Act of 1973. This act is a civil rights act that institu- tions or organizations receiving federal funding (this includes any institution receiving more than $2,500 in grants, financial aid or other federal assistance) may not discriminate against “otherwise qualified individuals solely on the basis of a disability” and must address the needs of children who are considered “handicapped.” “Handicapped” is defined as a person who has physical or men- tal impairments which substantially limit a “major life activity” such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing and learn- ing. This definition also includes attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity and learning disabilities. According to Dr. Susan Vogel of Northern Illinois University, “the major underlying disorders in basic psychological processes include difficulties in discrimination (e.g., in perceiving differ- ences between two similar but unlike sounds, words or symbols), in retaining what is heard or seen, and in expressing what one knows either through oral or written language.”6 Misconception Individuals with attention deficit disorder are not protected by Section 504. While the laws require identification, diagnosis and imple- mentation of an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) for students In elementary school and high school the school district and parents work as a team, but in college there are no parent advocates and no laws guaranteeing the right to a college education. Most college administrators and faculty have had very little experience with the laws and accommodations for learning disabilities. WINNER 1997 21WINTER 2006 JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION |W W W. N A C A C N E T. O R G in elementary school and high school, the laws are quite differ- ent in college. In elementary school and high school the school district and parents work as a team, but in college there are no parent advocates and no laws guaranteeing the right to a college education. Most college administrators and faculty have had very little experience with the laws and accommodations for learning disabilities. Jeanne Kincaid, an attorney specializing in this field, explains the law as it applies to colleges and univer- sities. Section #504 protects individuals with disabilities from being excluded from participating in any programs or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was writ- ten into law in 1993, provides greater protection to individuals with disabling conditions. According to Kincaid: All conditions which entitled a student to receive special education while attending grade school or high school (e.g., mental retardation, learning disability, serious emotional disturbances, AIDS, cancer, alcohol or drug addiction [so long as the student is not a current user of unlawful drugs], environmental illness, attention deficit disorder [ADD/ ADHD], diabetes, asthma, physical disabilities, behavior disorders, etc.) are examples of disabling conditions and provide the same entitlement in college.7 Therefore, it appears that Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ ADHD) is covered by this law. Misconception Colleges can ask students about a learning disability on the ap- plication for admission. How are colleges dealing with applications from students with learning disabilities? Colleges generally cannot make pread- mission inquiries about disabilities. In cases involving the Office of Civil Rights, colleges have been cited for including questions on their application for admission that ask applicants if they have “any disability or handicap” that have adversely affected their academic record. They have even been cited for requesting applicants to check a box indicating interest in receiving infor- mation about disability services. Any question about disabilities on an application is generally prohibited. Kincaid points out that “the only legitimate reasons for colleges to ask about an applicants disability on a college ap- plication are: 1) if a college has been cited in the past for dis- criminating against students with disabilities or 2) if a college is taking action to overcome the effects of not being able to partici- pate in a federally-assisted program.” However, she warns that “it is very difficult to separate the legitimate question from an illegal question.”8 Some colleges have circumvented this situa- tion by encouraging qualified students with disabilities to apply for admission and by providing information about how students can learn about available services. Kincaid suggest that colleges should avoid checklists or any questions pertaining to disabili- ties. Colleges can provide information in the college viewbook as well as in the acceptance letter. In addition, high school counselors can be very helpful in guiding students through the search and selection process. Many colleges require a separate application for a specific I.D. program. Somehow the existence of these specific services/pro- grams needs to be conveyed to all students exploring appropriate postsecondary options. The problem arises when colleges do not provide information in published materials. This lack of informa- tion results in many successful college matches not taking place because students do not know if the college service and/or pro- grams will match their individual needs, nor are they aware that special application procedures may be required. This is somewhat of a double-edged sword. Since students cannot be prompted on applications to provide information about their hidden disabilities, they must know to self-disclose their disability, identify their needs and provide professional documentation. Yet, thousands of students will not disclose be- cause of lack of information or fear that disclosure will nega- tively impact their chances of admission. Legally, institutions may not deny the student admission because of a self-disclosed disability if the student meets the academic qualifications for admission. Students aware of the importance of self-identifica- tion will want to self-disclose so that colleges may understand the academic challenges they have successfully navigated. They will also want to give some explanation of weaker performance in subject areas that impacted on their areas of deficit. Other di- verse populations are often actively pursued for inclusion on col- lege campuses. However, this diverse population of individuals In cases involving the Office of Civil Rights, colleges have been cited for including questions on their application for admission that ask applicants if they have “any disability or handicap” that have adversely affected their academic record. WINNER 1997 22 | W I N T E R 2 0 0 6 JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION W W W. N A C A C N E T. O R G with hidden disabilities is often lacking good information about services, programs, accommodations and application procedures at the various colleges. We have the laws, the providers, the individuals with disabil- ities, the believers, the converted and the skeptics. So how far have we really come? What are colleges doing to level the play- ing field? Among the 3,000 colleges and universities, there are hundreds of institutions that have special programs for students with learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD. How do those colleges determine which applicants to admit without fear of not being in compliance with the law? How are the applicants being assessed differently? Can it be true that there are actually colleges and universities that are comfortable putting their policies in writing and are actively seeking applicants with learning disabilities to admit to their institutions? Misconception Colleges may deny admission to applicants if they are unable to effectively accommodate the learning disability. Students who have taken college admission tests under non-standardized conditions, (i.e., extended time, reader, taped, larger print) need to be advised that laws protect them against decision. Under #504 an institution may not: • Make a pre-admission inquiry • Use admission tests or criteria that inadequately measure academic qualification… because special provisions were not made • Use admission standards that have the effect of discriminat- ing on the basis of the disability • Limit the number of students with disabilities admitted • Restrict enrollment into certain colleges of majors based on disability • Exclude a student with a disability from a course • Counsel a student toward a more restrictive career • Limit financial assistance or discriminate in administering scholarships, fellowships, internships or assistantships on the basis of disability • Measure student achievement using models that adversely discriminate • Establish rules and policies that may adversely affect students with disabilities. Misconception All learning disabilities are alike and require the same accommodations. Once admitted and enrolled in college, students with learn- ing disabilities or other hidden disabilities must provide appro- priate documentation to the director of disability services and the institution must provide effective accommodations. Documenta- tion must demonstrate that the disability exists, how it affects the individual and what specific accommodations are required. According to Kincaid, examples of reasonable accommodations that institutions are expected to provide to ensure that the stu- dent receives an equal opportunity to participate may include: • Additional time to complete tests, coursework or graduation • Substitution of non-essential courses for degree requirements • Adaptation of course instruction • Tape recordings of classes; modification of test taking/perfor- mance evaluations. Institutions of higher education must also provide auxiliary aids and services such as note takers, readers, taped text and scribes. According to Kincaid, “Colleges or universities are only obligated to provide tutorial services to non-disabled students.” Kincaid points out that both public and private institutions must provide effective accommodations. However, “they are not re- quired to provide academic adjustments or auxiliary aids and services if such provisions would fundamentally alter the nature of the program or when the academic requirements are essential to a program of study or to meet licensing prerequisites. An aux- iliary aid may also be denied when the provision of such would place an “undue burden” on the institution (significant difficulty or expense).”9 Misconception Students with learning disabilities must be dumb or lazy. Michael Barron, director of admission at the University of Iowa, said, “Twenty-five years ago when I first became an ad- mission officer at a medium-sized public university in Texas, my mentors and colleagues suggested to me that I would en- counter applicants who had not performed well in high school. I was told to expect that some of those students would ‘claim’ to have a reading problem and others would actually use the term dyslexia. It seems that many of my admissions colleagues were somewhat dubious about the true extent of the disability. Once admitted and enrolled in college, students with learning disabilities or other hidden disabilities must provide appropriate documentation to the director of disability services and the institution must provide effective accommodations. WINNER 1997 23WINTER 2006 JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION |W W W. N A C A C N E T. O R G It is with horror that I look back on those times when many of us simply discounted such students as just being lazy, dumb or underprepared. We are blessed today by greater knowledge… also by com- passionate understanding of these individuals who cope with one or more of the growing list of what we now call learning disabili- ties. Often these students exhibit superior intellectual capacity but lack the facility to mark the appropriate bubble or write an answer on paper in the prescribed time period. They are a re- source that cannot be overlooked or swept aside by our applica- tion of some of the more odious and inappropriate labels used in the past. …I am pleased to say that now there are many more of my colleagues who understand these needs and, working carefully with disabilities specialists and faculty, are developing ways to provide students with the opportunity for a higher education. At the University of Iowa, the office of admission has a spe- cial relationship with the office of services for disabled students and has operated a very successful program of alternative ad- mission consideration for such students. A diverse student body with a variety of talents, interests and backgrounds is necessary to truly deserve the label “university.” Iowa welcomes applica- tions from students with documented learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorder.”10 Misconception Colleges must either have a structured program for students with learning disabilities or services are not provided. There are hundreds of colleges and universities just like the University of Iowa that provide “special circumstance admis- sion.” These colleges do not have structured programs. Most do not charge a fee for services. However, they do assess applica- tions from students with disabilities in a flexible manner and, if admitted, those students are provided guidance and advocacy to effective accommodations. There are also colleges that offer specific structured pro- grams for students with learning disabilities in which the number of students admitted is limited, additional fees are charged and often the admitted students sign a contract in order to partici- pate in the program. These colleges are successful in their en- deavors to provide a meaningful college experience for students who have learning disabilities. These programs are staffed by LD professionals, advisors and tutors. They provide workshops, equipment, advocacy, faculty in-services, and most importantly, a philosophy that exudes enthusiasm for these students. In ad- dition, there are thousands of colleges and universities that do not have special programs or special admission procedures, but reflect a concern or belief in the LD label and the basic services required to meet these students’ needs. Misconception Faculty have the option to refuse to provide accommodations if they feel the request is unwarranted. In the vast community of colleges and universities, there still exists those colleges that deny admission when they note a non-standardized test (even though students with broken arms can take a non-standardized test). There are also colleges that deny admission when students self-disclose because they feel they will be unable to provide the necessary accommodations. Others deny admission because their faculty will not cooperate with requested accommodations. There is also the perennial is- sue of graduation course requirements and whether students with specific disabilities should be able to request substitutions for courses that are not an essential part of their program or major. The Office of Civil Rights suggests applying the following standard test to this request: • Did the student document a need for academic modifications? • Was an academic adjustment necessary? • Did the college provide an appropriate adjustment? • Was the adjustment provided effective? Its not always easy to determine if a course is essential to a particular degree––all colleges should have a procedure to allow students to request a waiver or substitution, but do they? Misconception Individuals receiving accommodations have an unfair advantage. How far have we come? The NCAA is under attack for not having a policy that allows students with learning disabilities to meet the academic requirements for core courses. Some stu- dents with learning disabilities begin high school with a course load that could include some basic courses or even individual- ized special education courses. What should the policy be for students who need to take preliminary courses prior to enrolling in a demanding college preparatory curriculum? Another situation involving the NCAA revolved around a stu- dent who was not diagnosed with a learning disability until after repeating grades one and three. Therefore, this student turned 19 while in high school and was found ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics because the age limit is 18. What is fair in this situation? Students are requesting extended time on graduation en- trance exams, bar exams and other certification exams. Some colleges are willing to grant requests for special accommodations WINNER 1997 24 | W I N T E R 2 0 0 6 JOURNAL OF COLLEGE ADMISSION W W W. N A C A C N E T. O R G and others are putting up a fight. “There is mass confusion over compliance that has resulted in lawsuits brought by students who claim that the colleges have violated ADA. Some profession- als feel that rapid response is critical while others feel that most entrance exams are testing an understanding of information and not how fast the student can think.”11 The reality is that appro- priate accommodations allow students with learning disabilities to compete with their peers on a level field. There is clearer understanding of how to accommodate indi- viduals with disabilities that are visible. However, this population of individuals with hidden disabilities is meeting resistance on many levels. One of the main reasons for resistance to accommo- dating these students is the fact that the documentation provided raises doubts as to its authenticity. Students identified and tested in elementary, junior high, or high school who receive services and are re-tested every three years according to the laws are not the problematic population. However, there are students who are privately tested, do not participate in services at school prior to college and are requesting accommodations based on this testing. There appears to be an underlying concern that some of this test- ing is “bought” for purposes of receiving special accommodations especially for taking the ACT/SAT. There are procedures in place to work with students who present outside testing to verify their testing results. Yet, with the numbers multiplying for identified or labeled students, the level of distrust appears to be growing. The bad news, according to Dr. Noel Gregg at the University of Georgia, is, “the observation that despite more students be- ing identified and labeled, individuals with learning disabilities are significantly underrepresented at colleges or universities.” Ap- proximately 50 percent of public school students with disabilities demonstrate a learning disability, and yet, only 25 percent of all students with disabilities in college indicate a learning disabil- ity. What happened to the other 25 percent? Perhaps they simply opted not to go to college. More troubling is the question of what will happen to the 25 percent currently electing to go on to college who will be confronted with a changing climate of disbelievers? 12 Misconception Claiming to have learning disabilities is just an excuse. The U.S. …