Recently, students with learning disabilities have had no opportunity to get higher education. But tomes have changed and with laws modifying it is easier for LD students to enter the college and succeed there. Learning disabilities are no longer a reason to finish the education at the high school level.
An increasing number of today's high school students who struggle with a learning disability are entering colleges and universities despite of their disability. There are some steps of preparation students with learning disabilities to make the transition from high school to college easier.
You should start preparations in high school. Students with learning disabilities should work on developing self knowledge as studying in high school. They should realize what learning style works best for them. They need to have a lot of learning plans that will allow them to attain success in school. Such plans might comprise asking for additional time to take tests, listening to books read out loud instead of reading them, or making up acronyms to help them keep in mind significant material.
Students with learning disabilities should also understand their legal rights. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which was passed in 1990, defends the privacy of records, so colleges do not have access to any disability records. Because of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, colleges cannot discriminate in accepting students with learning disabilities. Students with learning disabilities have to be allowed sensible changes in order to complete their education, such as additional time for tests, exchange test forms and others.
Students with learning disabilities need to know about the alternatives they have for college. Admission policies of some colleges or universities let anyone with a high school diploma to enter the college at the same time as others have definite admissions criteria. Two-year colleges typically have open admissions policies and let all students to receive an Associates Degree. Four-year colleges or universities are frequently more discriminating in their admissions acceptance and propose more specialized degrees. Many colleges have programs designed specially for students with learning disabilities and as a rule they are for students with severe learning disabilities.
If a student has learning disability it does not mean that he or she cannot and should not get higher education. The law demands sensible accommodation for students with LD at colleges and universities.
LD students planning to enter the college or university need to have a good understanding of their own learning strategies and what helps them learn best. By doing some research and planning well for the transition, even students with learning disabilities can succeed in the college.
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