By Shannon Stringer and Zahavit Paz
What you need to know and how to prepare for college if you have a learning disability.
Transitioning into college life is a passage; a sign of becoming independent and growing up. For many young adults, this means leaving home and doing things for themselves for the first time. For students with a learning disability, it may be a more challenging time. For one thing, you are an adult now and advocating for your rights as a person with disabilities is your responsibility!
Here are some learning disability tips for students to make the transition less stressful.
1. Make sure your documentation proving you are a person with a disability is not older than 3 years.
Before you graduate high school, check with your advisor. High schools will often administer new psycho-educational evaluations tips for students transitioning to college and it will save you testing fees and delays.
2. Register at the office of disability to get to know the staff and provide them with your documentation and the accommodation you require.
Most college campuses have dedicated staff to help students with learning disabilities receive the resources and assistance they require. Register with the Disability Services office at the college of your choice shortly after you receive your acceptance letter.
Do not delay registering at your college’s office of disability. This is a chance to become familiar with the range of services offered by your school’s disabilities services office, and how to receive the accommodations you may need. Do not feel embarrassed to reach out for assistance or ask the office of disability to help arrange your accommodations. Their job is to assist you, and it’s essential for your successful special educational journey.
3. Sign up for a special orientation for Learning Disabled students.
LD orientation is offered by most colleges. There are essentials to be gained and they offer many resources not available to all students. It’s especially important to find out about resources available in the library.
4. Tutoring and peer-to-peer mentoring are essentials to your success
Working with a adults with learning Learning style Specialist mentor in a peer to peer study model will improve your skills and gradually you will be more prepared and independent.
5. Make sure you know all of your course syllabus and try to get all the material in advance.
Often you need digital format books from Bookshare or your local library and it may take a while to get these resources.
Find out who your professors are, and contact them in advance let them know you will need disabilities education a syllabus in advance. Let them know you have LD and need to order digital textbooks that can be read on a tablet or computer reader.
They will be impressed that you are planning ahead!
6. Get familiar with Assistive Technology
Using assistive technology increases productivity at college.
Utilizing assistive technology such as screen readers or audio books can help students process a large quantity of text using auditory format.
7. Start using time management organizers and manage your time – classes, study, meals, and health!
Here’s some ideas on how to increase productivity.
Use your productivity tools for all your class assignments, scheduling your classes and study groups time.
8. Head to the library between and after classes
In your dorm, you can get distracted or side-tracked. There are fewer temptations at the library, where you will be able to stay more focused and have resources readily available.
Photo by Lonely Planet on Unsplash
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