Los Angeles Southwest College
Disabled Students Programs & Services
“How to Accommodate Students
with Learning Disabilities”
Darlene Wooten, Coordinator, DSP&S
Stephanie Schleicher, Learning Disability Specialist
Types of Disabilities
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Visual Impairments
Deafness and Hearing Loss
Learning
Attention Deficit Disorder
Psychological
Head Injury
Communication Disorders
Autism
Mobility/Dexterity
Chronic Health Impairments
Role of DSPS
• Faculty support as well
as student support
• To preserve the integrity of the
curriculum, while keeping the
faculty and institution in
compliance
Verification of Disabilities
• The specific disability must be verified, and there
must be an educational limitation that precludes
the student from fully participating in general
education without additional specialized
services.
• Students need to disclose and provide
documentation from a licensed professional
stating the nature of their disability and the
functional limitations imposed by their disability
What is a Learning Disability?
A Leaning Disability is defined as a
persistent condition of presumed
neurological dysfunction which may
exist with other disabling conditions.
This dysfunction continues despite
instruction in standard classroom
situations.
Learning Disability Definition (cont.)
• To be categorized as a learning disabled a
student must exhibit:
– Average to above intellectual ability;
– Severe processing deficit(s);
– Severe aptitude-achievement
discrepancy(ies); and
– Measured achievement in an instructional or
employment setting
Characteristics of Learning
Disabilities
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Short attention span
Easily distracted
Disorganized; loses things
Poor reading and/writing ability
Reverse letters or numbers; trouble
w/sequencing
• Inability to concentrate
• Poor memory
Assessing Students for LD’s
• Achievement must indicate student has the
potential to benefit from instruction at the
community college
• Aptitude or ability component assesses the
student’s intellectual capacity to achieve in the
community college setting(>85)
• Processing Deficit – student’s with LD’s lack the
ability to acquire, manipulate, integrate, store,
and /or retrieve information in the same manner
in which most student’s perform these tasks
California CC LD Eligibility Model
Six assessment components:
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2.
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Intake Screening
Measured Achievement
Ability Level
Processing Deficit
Aptitude-Achievement Discrepancy
Eligibility Recommendation
Accommodations
• Appropriate accommodations established on a
case-by-case basis
• Test accommodations: extended time,
distraction free environment, scribes, readers
• Note takers, interpreters, closed caption videos
• Franklin Speller/Thesaurus, tape recorders
• Specialized adaptive technology (JAWS, Zoom
Text, Inspiration)
• Courses (LS) designed specifically for students
with disabilities
Legal Considerations
• ADA protects qualified individuals
– Elimination of discrimination against
individuals with disabilities
• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504
– Students receive approved modifications,
appropriate academic adjustments, or
auxiliary aids that enable participation and
benefit from college’s educational programs &
activities
Legal Considerations (cont.)
• California State Ed Code, Title V Reg
– Services or instruction must:
• Not duplicate those available to all students
• Be directly related to the educational limitations of
the verified disabilities of the student
• Be directly related to the student’s participation in
the educational program
• Support participation in educational activities
consistent with the mission of the college
OCR Cases
Accommodations
• University of South Florida
• State University of New YorkDelhi
Faculty Responsibilities
• Recognize need for universal access
• Provide accommodations established by
the DSP&S letters students provide
• Make referrals when observing students
you believe may benefit from assessment
• Maintain flexibility to accommodate
students with disabilities
• Understand the difference between
accommodations and modifications
Faculty Resources
• Darlene Wooten, Coordinator /CounselorX5481 SS102 [email protected]
• DSPS Website: http://www.lasc.edu/dsps/
• Disability Awareness:
http://www.lasc.edu/dsps/awareness.html