Yes, your child with a learning disability can go to college
Parents worry about what comes next for their teens with learning disabilities (LD). The good news is that there are systems and services in place to help students bridge the gap between their K-12 accommodations and the systems of adult learning. With the help of ongoing accommodations and continued support, the one in five students with ADHD, dyslexia, executive functioning deficits, and other learning challenges can go on to be successful in college.
A great place for families to start is Think College’s online learning module, which helps families understand the transition to college as it applies to LD students.
Once the decision to go on to college has been made, one of the first systems students face is college testing. Parents need to know that the ACT and SAT tests do provide accommodations for students with disabilities, such as extended time and simple calculators. Be prepared to help your child register for accommodations as early as two months in advance of the test, provide documentation, and, if necessary, seek a counselor’s support for help completing the paperwork. A necessary step for getting into many colleges, these tests should best reflect the student’s ability to achieve. Getting proper accommodation is key to ensuring that they do.
Finding the right college also takes special consideration. College search tools like CollegeWebLD and the K&W Guide both focus on colleges which have strong support systems for LD students. Whenever possible, visit colleges and their disability services offices to see for yourself how welcoming the schools are to LD students.
As students enter college, the legislation around disabilities changes. While K-12 students are governed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), adult learning is governed under the American Disabilities Act (ADA). Processes like IEPs go away, and schools vary widely in the level of support they provide. Judy Bass at Bass Educational Services notes that colleges provide a wide “spectrum of support.” They range from minimal support, which provides only the most basic services upon request, such as increased testing time; moderate support, which includes tutoring, organizational systems, and targeted summer programs; and comprehensive support, which provides special programming, trained tutors, and a more comprehensive system of services. Using the search tools above can help you make sure that you are considering schools which provide the appropriate level of support for your child.
K-12 accommodations tend to feel external to the student: teachers are mandated to provide extra time; tutors and counselors push in to provide guidance; parents initiate communication to be sure accommodations are being made. As students becomes young adults, they must start taking charge of obtaining these services. If they aren’t ready to do that by the time they are heading for college, consider selecting a school which offers more comprehensive support services.
It can help students to understand that all college students, even those without disabilities, will ask for accommodation, and all adults have coping skills which help them fill in the gaps for their own deficiencies. Students with small children or full time jobs often have to ask for extensions on assignments because their schedules are not entirely in their control. Students who are easily distracted learn to put their phones in their backpacks and sit in the front of the class. English learners who don’t follow verbal instruction well ask clarifying questions to be sure that they comprehended all instructions. In this way, many LD students will find college to be a more naturally accommodating place even though those accommodations aren’t written up in an IEP. Every student works to make the learning work for them; the challenge is to find out what does work for them when adults aren’t driving the decisions.
I have seen many students make this transition successfully in the last few years of high school. Others will need more time under more careful watch to be successful. It is very possible for a young adult with a learning disability to make the transition, though, and, if they can, they’ve got a great shot at making it again as they finish all of their schooling and begin their adult lives.
