Learning Disabilities

The Atlantic Centre provides support services for students who present relevant and recent documentation of a learning disability. The information from documentation and an intake interview at the Centre help to establish the range of accommodations and the support required by each student.

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 occur across the life span.Although learning disabilities may occur concomitantly with other disabling conditions, for example ADHD or depression and anxiety, or with extrinsic influences, they are not the result of those conditions or influences.(National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities).

Academic skills that can be affected include reading (decoding and comprehension), written language (both conceptual and the mechanics of writing), oral language (listening, speaking and understanding instructions), math (concepts and computation) and organization/planning skills. Other types of learning disabilities may affect spatial or mechanical abilities, as well as socially-based non-verbal deficits (missing social cues).

People with learning disabilities have generally well-developed intellectual abilities, success at college and/or university is possible if compensatory strategies are learned, self-advocacy skills are developed and used and appropriate accommodations and services are put in place for and used by the student.

Psychologists and learning disability specialists define learning disabilities as specific impairments in one or more of the following psychological processes related to learning:

• acquiring, using and understanding verbal and non-verbal symbols of communication
• language processing (receptive, expressive and pragmatic)
• memory
• processing speed
• visual-spatial processing
• perceptual-motor integration
• executive functions (such as self-monitoring and organizational skills)

Accommodations and Support

Some of the most commonly provided academic accommodations to students with learning disabilities include

• Exam/test accommodations (indicate the format of possible exam questions, access to a word processor with spell check, thesaurus, grammar check, extra time, use of memory aids or formula cards, supplementary oral exams, scribed, clarification of questions on tests/exams, use of a calculator on tests/exams)
• Alternative methods of evaluation (point form responses rather than full sentences)
• Reduced course load
• Note Taking
• Use of recorders in class (although students must seek permission before doing so)
• Access to alternative format materials such as books on tape
• advance syllabus prior to the start of classes

General Information on Learning Disabilities

A number of organizations have useful information on their websites:

Other Associations

NEADS: National Educational Association of Disabled Students. www.neads.ca .

CADSPPE: Canadian Association of Disability Service providers in Post-Secondary Education www.cacuss.ca .

AHEAD: Association on Higher Education and Disability http://ahead.org/

This page last modified Tuesday, 04-Oct-2011 16:20:49 ADT