Volume 9, Number 1 & 2
Winter/Spring 1991
An Issue on Issues: Service Delivery for Postsecondary Students with Learning Disabilities
Guest Editors: Joan M. McGuire & Stan F. Shaw
- Establishing Learning Disability Support Services with Minimal Resources
- Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities in Postsecondary Institutions
- The Transition of Students with Learning Disabilities: A Case Study
- A Follow-up Study of Vocational Outcomes of Young Adults with Learning Disabilities
- Social Competence and Work Success of College Students with Learning Disabilities
- From the Field: Insights on Issues
- Resources Addressing Current Issues in Postsecondary LD: An Annotated Bibliography
Establishing Learning Disability Support Services with Minimal Resources
Abstract: Increasing numbers of students with learning disabilities (LD) are attending institutions of higher education resulting in an unprecedented demand for services. As a result, many colleges are faced with the prospect of developing additional institutional supports at a time when budgets are being cut. This article is designed to assist postsecondary LD service providers who are in the process of developing support services with minimal resources. Practical suggestions are offered on how to define service eligibility, provide reasonable accommodations, establish diagnostic testing procedures, maximize existing ancillary services on campus, and measure program effectiveness.
Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities in Postsecondary Institutions
Abstract: This report summarizes results of a survey conducted to determine which instruments are being used in the diagnostic process at a postsecondary level to assess students' learning strengths and weaknesses and determine the presence of a specific learning disability. In addition, characteristics of diagnostic programs at postsecondary settings were reviewed and the authors offer suggestions about improving diagnostic procedures.
The Transition of Students with Learning Disabilities: A Case Study
Abstract: This case study illustrates the transition process of one individual with learning disabilities during a 3 year period. It describes her experiences as she graduated from high school and went on to a local community college. Specific transition objectives, personalized counseling, and individual accommodations are discussed in detail, with both secondary and postsecondary examples. Relevant research and recommendations pertinent to service providers who work with adolescents and adults with learning disabilities are also provided.
A Follow-up Study of Vocational Outcomes of Young Adults with Learning Disabilities
Abstract: This article presents results of a vocational follow-up study of 113 young adults with learning disabilities who graduated between 1969-1987 from a 2 -year paraprofessional training program in human service careers. The study gathered extensive descriptive information pertaining to vocational outcomes and financial independence of the graduates. Results included: (a) 76% of the graduates are currently employed, the majority as paraprofessionals in educational settings, (b) 60% earn salaries of $10, 000 or less; and (c) despite low salaries, most graduates report a high degree of job satisfaction. Implications are discussed in terms of the strong employment record and job satisfaction of the sample, and also the constricted economic mobility of this group.
Social Competence and Work Success of College Students with Learning Disabilities
Abstract: This study examined the relationship between social competence and work success in college students with learning disabilities (LD). A sample of college students with LD was rated on an index of social competence and then interviewed about their summer and part-time work experiences. Subjects with high ratings on social competence were more likely to have earned over $6 per hour and to have worked on a non-hourly basis, and were less likely to have had difficulty finding a job. A subset of the sample with diagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was found to have low social competence and marginal work histories. Implications of the findings for support service planning are discussed.
From the Field: Insights on Issues
Abstract: As we seek to enhance opportunities in higher education for students with learning disabilities, it is important to keep abreast of issues that are critical to meeting the needs of this growing cohort of students on our campuses. This article presents responses from a number of AHSSPPE LD SIG members to questions that are appearing in the literature and are being debated in many forums.
Resources Addressing Current Issues in Postsecondary LD: An Annotated Bibliography
Abstract: This is the first in what is expected to be a regular column in the journal listing current resources from the ERIC and PSYCLIT data bases that pertain to issues in disabled student services at the postsecondary level. Although the following references address issues within the field of learning disabilities, subsequent compilations will focus on concerns in other areas of postsecondary disability services. Each entry was chosen for its practicality, timeliness and relevance to one or more of the following topics: admissions and the determination of "otherwise qualified" under Section 504, legal issues, foreign language instruction, reasonable accommodations independence and self-advocacy, and assessment and eligibility for services.
Copyright 1991, Association on Higher Education And Disability
