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By Dennis Pierce
12/16/14
As an occupational therapist and assistive technology specialist for
Florida'sAlachua County Public Schools, Elisa Wern works with students who
have various learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or a lack of
executive functioning every day.
Assistive technology "plays a critical role" in these students' success, Wern said.
Students with a documented learning disability are eligible for a variety of
supports and services, and Wern collaborates with each student's individualized
education program (IEP) team to identify the accommodations he or she needs
to be successful. These can range from adaptive papers and portable word
processors to operating system accessibility features, word prediction software
and screen reader technology.
Alachua County serves more than 29,000 students, and while Wern doesn't
know how many of these have a learning disability in particular, about 14 percent
of the district's population or more than 4,000 students are entitled to some
kind of support under an IEP.
That's a significant number. But if any of these students go on to college after
graduation, the chances are high that the supports they had in high school won't
exist for them in college.
This problem is made worse by the fact that many college students do not live at
home and therefore no longer have their parents advocating for their education.
What's more, the scope of services that colleges and universities offer to
students with learning disabilities varies widely. While the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 requires colleges to support students with learning
disabilities, colleges differ in terms of the resources they have devoted to this
challenge.
12/16/14
"It's still a bit of the Wild West out there," said Gray, describing colleges' focus on
the issue. "Some colleges and universities have been more responsive to the
needs of students with disabilities, but we hear from many students that the
kinds of supports they had in the K-12 system just aren't there."
What K-12 Schools Can Do
Gray urges high school guidance counselors to know which colleges and
universities are most responsive to the needs of students with learning
disabilities and which are not. Directing students with learning disabilities to a
campus where there is not as much awareness on the issue "doesn't really
make a lot of sense," she said.
Wern said he believes K-12 schools can help students with learning disabilities
prepare for college success by teaching them to be 21st century learners. That
includes making sure they are familiar with several technology tools and can
choose the best tools for the job at hand.
"Today's students are digital natives, and we need to teach to them with
technology," she said. "This is true for all students, but particularly true for