Such a disability may manifest itself in only one academic area or impact a variety of subjects or disciplines. Often these students have developed strategies for compensating for their disability.

WAYS A LEARNING DISABILITY MIGHT AFFECT A STUDENT’S EDUCATION

Many college students with learning disabilities are intelligent, talented, and capable.

Reading

• Slow reading rate
• Difficulty comprehending and retaining information read
• Difficulty identifying important points
• Difficulty integrating new vocabulary
• Confusion of similar words
• Difficulty following written directions

Written Language Skills

• Difficulty planning a topic and organizing thoughts on paper
• Difficulty with sentence structure
• Frequent spelling errors
• Difficulty proofreading written work and making revisions
• Inability to copy correctly from a book or visual presentation

Mathematical Skills

• Reversal of numbers
• Confusion of operational symbols
• Copying problems incorrectly from one line to another
• Difficulty recalling sequence of operational concepts
• Difficulty comprehending word problems
• Difficulty understanding key concepts to problem solving

Oral Language

• Inability to attend to and comprehend spoken language when presented rapidly
• Difficulty following oral directions
• Difficulty expressing and presenting concepts orally
• Difficulty presenting a narrative in a proper sequence

Attention and Concentration

• Trouble focusing and sustaining attention on academic tasks
• Fluctuating attention span
• Distractibility by external stimuli
• Difficulty completing multiple tasks quickly

Organizational and Study Skills

• Difficulty with organizational skills
• Difficulty with time management
• Lack of organization in taking notes
• Difficulty interpreting charts and graphs
• Difficulty preparing for and taking tests
  

COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS

There are occasionally instances where a student is unable to master mathematics or a foreign language because of a learning disability. In those cases, course substitutions may be permitted if the course in question is not essential to the degree program or related to a licensing requirement. If a student feels he/she may be eligible for a course substitution, the student must first contact the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) for information regarding the substitution process. Specific information is available in the OSD Substitutions and Waivers for Students with
Disabilities brochure.

• Provide a detailed course syllabus with clear explanation of course expectations and adhere to it as closely as possible.
• Start each class with an outline of material to be covered and summarize key points at the end.
• Present new or technical vocabulary in written and verbal form. Terms should also be used in context to convey greater meaning.
• Give instructions in both verbal and written form. Encourage the student to ask for clarification and rephrase instructions as needed.
• Announce reading assignments well in advance.
• Provide adequate opportunities for questions and answers.
• Provide a review session and study questions before an exam which illustrate both the content and format of the exam.
• Encourage students to use campus support services (e.g., University Center for Excellence in Writing, math lab).

  DOCUMENTATION

To be eligible for services at Florida Atlantic University, a student must provide appropriate documentation of a Learning Disability to the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD). The documentation must be in the form of a  psychoeducational evaluation conducted by a licensed psychologist. The evaluation results must demonstrate a significant discrepancy between aptitude and achievement as well as describing processing deficits underlying this discrepancy. The domains to be addressed should include (but not be limited to) the following test measures: Documentation must address all of the following domains and must include anticipated effects of the student’s functional limitations within the academic setting:

• APTITUDE
  The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) or is the preferred instrument. If the RIAS or KAIT is used, additional instruments addressing information processing must be administered.
• ACHIEVEMENT
  Current levels of academic functioning in all aspects of reading, mathematics, and written language are required. The Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) is NOT a comprehensive measure of achievement and is therefore unacceptable.
• INFORMATION PROCESSING AND COMMUNICATION ASSESSMENTS
  Information processing should be addressed (e.g., memory, receptive language, expressive language, auditory perception, visual perception, processing speed, fine motor functioning).
  Although not required, personality testing and neuropsychological testing may provide additional information that is relevant to the diagnosis.

ALSO…

Documentation must include relevant test scores with interpretation and should include background information about the student’s educational, pertinent medical and family histories that relate to the learning disability.

• A specific learning disability must be clearly diagnosed utilizing DSM codes.

• The evaluation must be based upon testing instruments normed for adults, preferably conducted within the last five years; however, the OSD reserves the right to make modifications to this time frame.

For general documentation guidelines, please refer to the OSD Documentation Guidelines brochure.

GENERAL ACCOMMODATIONS

After a student has submitted appropriate documentation of a disability and an Application for Support Services to the OSD, an OSD counselor will review this information and then contact the student for an intake interview. At the intake, accommodations are determined. The student, depending on documentation of the disability, may be eligible for one or more of the following accommodations:

• Advocacy
• Professor notification
• Notetaking assistance
• Audio recording of classes
• Books in alternate format
• Use of calculator/spell checker
• Exam adaptations (e.g., extended time to take exams, distraction-reduced setting, use of computer, audio recorded exams, exemption from using scantron)
• Time management and study skills training

These accommodations are necessary for ensuring complete access to, and full participation in, the educational process. Academic standards are not to be lowered, nor should there be an alteration in the essential nature of the course or degree requirements.

For more information: www.ldanatl.org

Note: Professors will be notified of the student’s approved accommodations in an OSD Letter of Notification presented by the student. If the student is not registered with the OSD, please refer her or him to the office.

Boca Raton Campus:
777 Glades Road, SU Room 133
Boca Raton, FL 33431
tel: 561.297.3880     fax: 561.297.2184
tty: 561.297.0358

Broward Campuses:
2912 College Avenue, LA Room 240
Davie, FL 33314
tel: 954.236.1222      fax: 954.236.1123

Jupiter Campus:
(Diversity Student Services)
5353 Parkside Drive, SR Room 117
Jupiter, FL 33458
tel: 561.799.8585     fax: 561.799.8721
tty: 561.799.8565

Treasure Coast Campus:
500 NW California Blvd., JU Room 312
Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
tel: 772.873.3441     fax: 772.873.3444

Website address: http://osd.fau.edu

Alternate format available upon request

Rev 07/09