Posts – Page 19 – Learning Disabilities Association of America

Where can I go for low cost or free evaluation services?

Question:

I am an adult with learning disabilities. Where can I go for low cost or free evaluation services?

Answer:

Thank you for contacting the Learning Disabilities Association of America with your question.

Here is a link to an information page about individuals who have LD and need diagnosis, but are searching for low cost evaluation services. There is a section on TANF recipients which includes other state aid opportunities.

Another option is to see if you qualify for Vocational Rehabilitation Services. If you are considering training or education toward a career or are looking for a job and are having difficulty due to a disability, your state’s department of vocational rehabilitation services may support you. The information sheet also speaks to accessing that service.

Finally, if there is an LDA state affiliate or contact in your state, they frequently have resources and information for their state and local areas. Click here to find LDA contacts throughout the United States.

Nancie Payne, Ph.D. | President/CEO | Payne & Associates, Inc.

Dr. Payne was the President/CEO of Payne & Associates, Inc. She provided education, training and employment services and support to adolescents and adults who have cognitive, non-apparent disabilities. She, also, provided professional development and consultation to businesses and organizations. Dr. Payne served as President of the Learning Disabilities Association of America, 2014-15, her term cut short by her untimely passing..

What are the best classroom and tutoring environments for a child with dyslexia?

Question:

What is the best type of classroom for a student who is dyslexic? What tutoring programs work best with children who are dyslexic?

Answer:

Students with dyslexia should be placed in a classroom that is structured for multisensory, small group instruction. Most classrooms engage students through sight and/or sound. Information is presented in written and/or spoken form. Students in turn are asked to practice and share what they have learned using these two senses. Quite often students with learning difficulties are slow to process information using one sense. A multisensory instructional approach allows students to process information using a variety of senses: visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic; often times simultaneously. This will help the child’s brain to develop memories to hang on to as the student learns and applies concepts. Dyslexic students need repetition and differentiation. Therefore, off-grade level instructional and practice materials should be available. Opportunities to practice what has been taught should be plentiful. Students should be given many opportunities to engage in word work, writing, reading, and listening to reading.

Dyslexic students should also be tutored using a multisensory language approach. In a classroom, students participate in a variety of instructional settings; whole group, small group based on ability, small group based on academic strength or weakness. The tutoring situation should be done one on one or in a small group setting of a maximum of 2-4 other students. Tutoring for dyslexic students often continues as long as 2-3 years. Foundational reading areas should be the focus of instruction: phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary with a focus on word parts. Repeated practice is necessary for mastery. It doesn’t matter which program is used as long as the facilitator is certified to teach using that program.

Nancy F. English, M.Ed.

Nancy is an Instructional Coach for the Vestavia Hills City School System (Alabama). She is a National Board Certified Teacher and has a special certificate to teach students with dyslexia and students struggling with reading difficulties.

Is it possible my child has a learning disability?

Question:

My son is five years old and currently in preschool. He should be starting kindergarten in the fall. We have been working with him very hard on the alphabet and his numbers, but it does not seem like he retains much. Is it possible that he has a learning disability and what resources are there for a child that is not yet in the public school system?

Answer:

If you are concerned about your child’s learning ability, by all means have him tested. You can contact private psychologists or contact your county or state educators. It will give you some information and relieve your anxiety. At such a young age, the results of the testing won’t necessarily determine whether he has a learning disability, but could indicate a learning DELAY which just means he has some catching up to do.

To help him catch up, regardless of the testing results, make the learning FUN! If you don’t already have them, get magnet letters for the fridge and letters for the tub. Help him recognize the letters in his name first. Play the memory game with him using the alphabet. Start with just 5 or 6 matching sets. Play alphabet bingo with him. And most importantly be positive and have fun! Always tell him he’s doing a good job.

Jo Ann D. LoRusso, Ph.D. | The PreK Connection | Early Childhood Special Education Consultant

Dr. LoRusso has degrees in cognitive psychology and early childhood special education with a focus in learning disabilities and early literacy. She currently teaches early childhood special education courses at Delgado Community College in New Orleans, works as a special education consultant, and has over 13 years experience working with young children with various types of learning issues.

I am an adult struggling with books. Where can I get help?

Question:

I am an adult who has struggled with books for years. I so desperately want to read, but don’t know where to go for help. I am a visual learner and get distracted easily. I can draw any picture in my head and write poems and stories easily…but I cannot read. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer:

What you are describing is not uncommon and you are not alone. Reading is a really complex process, and while we are programmed to learn language as humans, we are not programmed to read. While most believe that the primary difficulty with reading is phonological awareness, that is, sound-symbol association, we are also learning that visual and auditory attention can play a significant role for some individuals with reading difficulties. Recent research by Dr. Matt Schneps, Director of the Center for Visual Learning at the Harvard-Smithsonian, shows that adjusting the display of print can make a difference. For example, he demonstrates that reading on an iPod (or iPad) where the text has been adjusted to 3 to 4 enlarged words per sentence, made a difference in both reading fluency and comprehension for some readers.

A suggestion to help would be the use of audio books, particularly, with the highlighting feature. The highlighting makes you focus on each word while you hear it being read out loud. Multi-sensory input stimulates different part of the recognition system of our brain and helps with the reading process.

Other resources include:

Learning Ally is the largest audio book lender in the country. They provide access to audio books for struggling readers.
There is a text-to-speech app called Voice Dream Reader. It will read digital text for you.
You might contact the Haskins Lab at Yale to receive more targeted intervention information.

Manju Banerjee, Ph.D. | Vice President and Director, Landmark College Institute for Research and Training (LCIRT), Landmark College, Putney, VT
Dr. Banerjee has over 28 years of experience in the field of learning disabilities, AD/HD, and postsecondary education, and is a certified diagnostician and teacher-consultant on learning disabilities. She has published and presented extensively, both nationally and internationally, on topics such as Universal Design for Instruction, disability documentation and accommodations, and technological competencies for postsecondary transition and online learning. She is an editorial board member of the Journal of Postsecondary Education Disability, Professional Advisory Board member to the Learning Disabilities Association of America, and a consultant to Educational Testing Service. She received her doctoral degree from the Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut, on the application of Universal Design to assessment practices.

Where can I get assessment information in college?

Question:

I spoke with my college adviser about being assessed for a possible learning disability, but I have not received a reply. Where can I get information about LD assessment needed to receive services from my college?

Answer:

Although it seems you made an appropriate request for guidance, an advisor may not have the information you need. You should contact the Disability Services office on campus. Should you have difficulty finding that office, the Dean of Students can give you contact information, location, etc.

Colleges and public schools operate under very different legislation. Public schools, under IDEAA, must provide assessment, appropriate services, and assure success. On the other hand, postsecondary education institutions operate under the Americans with Disabilities Act (as amended) and Section 504 (Subpart E) of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Under this legislation, postsecondary institutions must ensure access after a student has been accepted. Students must then provide documentation and must request specific services.

The task for a college services provider is not establishing the existence of a disability, but figuring out what can be provided to give a student appropriate access. For that they need documentation that gives specific information about strengths and needs. Most colleges have a set of guidelines for documentation and maybe even a list of psychologists in the area who provide the needed full psychological assessment. Although some colleges are not requiring real extensive documentation, you may want to get a full assessment to give them the best information on how to work with you.

Once you’ve provided comprehensive information about how you learn, and you have had an opportunity to discuss the report with someone in the Disabilities Office, you will be expected to request specific accommodations, such as extended time on tests or notetakers. If you have given the Disabilities Office appropriate documentation and you have made the request for services, the school must provide reasonable accommodations. The Disability Services office will be able to give you the specifics on which services are reasonable and on how to request those services.

Find out even more about this topic by clicking here.

About the expert:

Arlene C. Stewart, Ed.D.

Dr. Stewart is Director of Student Disability Services at Clemson University, Clemson, SC. She has worked in all levels of education with the majority of her work in the post-secondary area. A frequent presenter at state, regional, and national conferences, she is currently a member of LDAA’s Public Policy Committee and has been a LDA state president.

Is a Learning Disability Considered a Mental Illness?

Question:

If someone has a learning disability can it be considered a mental illness? We have a wonderful club in our city for those who suffer from mental illness. I have a friend who has a learning disability. I am curious if he can use their services.

Answer:

No, a Learning Disability is not a mental illness. Learning Disabilities are neurologically-based. They result from “faulty wiring” in specific areas of the brain. These disabilities will impact on an individual’s ability to process and to use information and, thus, can impact on this individual’s ability to be successful with reading, writing, math, and other learning tasks.

For more information on learning disabilities:

Larry B. Silver, M.D.
Dr. Silver, a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, recently retired from private practice. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He has more than 150 research, public policy, and clinical publications, including his popular book for parents, The Misunderstood Child, now in its fourth edition. Silver has been active in LDA since 1969 and served as LDA President from 2000-2002. He currently co-chairs the LDA Professional Advisory Board.

Where Can I Find an Affordable Option for Diagnostic Testing?

Question:

I am trying to find any resources to help my daughter. She is in first grade at a private school. Her teacher has expressed concern over my daughter’s grades, especially in reading and writing. I am trying to find the best route to get her tested. Everything I have seen is extremely out of price range. I am not sure if I am missing any resources that we can benefit from. Where can I go to get affordable testing?

Answer:

Teachers in the early grades are often the best predictors of which students are truly struggling and may need additional support to succeed academically. While there is a broad range of normal development when it comes to learning to read and write, teachers who are experienced with first graders usually have a very strong sense of which students need to be watched closely.

The first thing I would recommend is a meeting with the teacher to get more specifics regarding the teacher’s concerns along with some examples of work product that demonstrate those concerns. I would ask if there is a reading specialist at the school that could evaluate your daughter, and perhaps provide some extra one-on-one instruction to gain insight into her needs and to look for signs that further testing is needed.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act includes the Child Find mandate. Schools are required to locate, identify and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth through age 21. (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3))

The Child Find mandate applies to all children who reside within a State, including:

children who attend private schools and public schools,
highly mobile children,
migrant children,
homeless children, and
children who are wards of the state.

This includes all children who are suspected of having a disability, including children who receive passing grades and are “advancing from grade to grade.” (34 CFR 300.111(c)) The law does not require children to be “labeled” or classified by their disability. (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)(B); 34 CFR 300.111(d)).

If the private school your child attends cannot provide an evaluation, you should contact child find office of the local public school system your child would be attending, and request that they complete an evaluation to determine if your daughter has a learning disability. Such an evaluation must be provided by the local school system at no cost to the parent.

Robin P. Church, Ed.D.
Dr. Church is currently the Senior Vice President for Educational Programs and Executive Director of School Programs at The Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore; as well as Associate Professor of Education at The Johns Hopkins University.

Adults with LD: Evie Lindberg Story

Kodak 050512 Evie 010[1] Watch the success story of LDA member Evie Lindberg, a child with a learning disability who grew up to become an adult with a learning disability. Evie never gave up in school and with determination and help from her parents and teachers earned not only her bachelor degree but also her masters and doctorate while also a wife and mother. Evie is a true testimonial that you can attain success by never giving up!

Evie is seen in the center of the photo to the right holding her diploma for her Doctorate of Education degree.

Advocacy: The Beauty of Being LD

You cannot begin to advocate for your child with a learning disability (LD), until you recognize how you define him. Advocating effectively begins with recognizing your child for his talents, his gifts, his unique attributes, rather than his deficits. This is my personal story of such and I hope it can help you.

Two years ago, I presented a session at the LDA 49th International Conference entitled The Beauty of Being LD. The presentation itself consists of 8 Beatitudes I wrote outlining what I felt was beautiful about a child with a learning disability. I wanted others to understand that being a parent of a child with a learning disability can be a beautiful journey and a blessing.

It is a blessing each day of my life to be graced with my children. The diagnosis of my younger son does not define who he is. Each morning when he wakes up and each night as he closes his eyes, he is a blessing. He has a name. His name is not his diagnoses. His name is Charles. Charles is defined by his moral character, his fortitude, his graces, his beauty, the inward light that comes from within, his wisdom, and his inquisitive nature. He is not named for his disability. He is Charles and he is my son.

His disability is a part of him. And, because he is a beautiful child, his learning disability is a beauty in itself. It makes him a better person. It gives him tenacity. He is a fighter. He perseveres. He works harder than most children I know. There is beauty in his being LD.

On a lighter note, I needed a projector to show my powerpoint presentation. A dear friend, Joan Teach, had agreed to loan and help to set up her projector for the presentation. Joan refers to her projector and laptop, which she has strapped to a roll dolly for easier transport, as the ‘dog and pony show.’

Charles was my assistant for the presentation, standing at the entrance to the room and giving participants their handouts for the session. The session started without a hitch and was well underway. Joan snuck out the side. Charlie stopped her on the way out. I am halfway mark into my presentation when quietly from the back of the room the whispering starts, “Mom…Mama…Mom…!” Then, still whispering, but louder, my child continues to call my name.

He is then walking up to me, still whispering my name in a loud but hushed tone. I asked everyone to please forgive me for one second, as I focus my attention on my son. He tells me, “Ms. Joan left the room to go to a mental meeting and you have to watch her dog and pony until she gets back.” He whispers to me that there is not a dog and pony in the room. His literal interpretation came shining through. What tickled me so much was he knows what Joan calls the ‘dog and pony show.’ He has called it that himself. He has pulled this ensemble in previous cities and conferences before. The bigger point was that this moment was a shining example of a learning disability in action. But, more important at the moment was the child.

So, my question to you is do you allow the disability to define your child or is your child defined by the person he was created to be? Don’t limit your son or daughter by the label that is given him or her.

My son is my son – each morning and night. He is defined by moments of sincerity, inquisitive learning and thought, humor and laughter, his heart and feelings…by the moments that make his life. He has Aspergers and learning disabilities, but he is never defined by them. He is made more beautiful because of them.

I have a child named Charlie. He has disabilities. He is not limited by his labels, he excels because of them. They help to make him a more beautiful and refined individual. My child is beautiful, because there is beauty in his LD.

Dr. Analisa Smith is mother to Charlie and serves on the LDA Advocacy Committee as well as an active member in LDA South Carolina/em>

Early Intervention the Key to Success: A Mother’s Story

I had to chuckle when I received my son’s daily progress report a few years back. The PE teacher wrote, “Excellent Athlete”. Although that may not seem significant to most, it was a reminder of what the pediatrician told me 16 years ago when my son was 8 months old. He had diagnosed Brad with hypotonia, low upper body muscle tone. When I asked the doctor what does that mean long term, he said, “Well, he may not be able to walk and probably won’t be an Olympian!” If I had stopped there and given in to that prediction Brad would certainly not be where he is now, swimming with friends, playing high school football and other sports.

Brad’s hypotonia diagnosis morphed into many other challenges through the years, including speech delays, motor delays, and a myriad of learning disabilities. Although I was furious with the doctor and his prediction at that moment, I am so grateful for the early diagnosis and the early interventions that Brad has received.

We are our child’s best advocate and we cannot give in to what others say or think our child can achieve. It is not a matter of being unrealistic, it is having hope and helping our child be the best they can be. Knowing that we did everything we could to help our child succeed is all we really can do.

Today, Brad is a junior in high school and is playing football. I am pretty sure that the doctor would never have predicted that, but I am absolutely certain that without the help of many talented therapists and teachers throughout his early years and beyond he would not be where he is today-a happy, healthy, young man who may still have challenges, but is able to overcome obstacles in spite of them.

I am convinced that early intervention is the key to success. As parents and educators, we need to give our kids as many advantages as possible at an early age. Don’t delay.

Beth McGaw is the mother of Brad and serves on the LDA Board of Directors and an active member of LDA Texas.