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  • The Top Five Things High School Students With LD Should Do Before Graduation

    The Top Five Things High School Students With LD Should Do Before Graduation

    Are you a soon-to-be high school graduate? If so, congratulations! But if you have a learning disability (LD) or ADHD, there are a few things you need to do before you don your cap and gown. Read on to make sure you’re prepared for success in your post-high school educational journey.

    Learn about the differences between high school and post-secondary services for students with disabilities. (College is a whole new ball game…and you need to know why!)
    You probably already know that post-secondary education (college or a career/technical training program) is going to be very different from high school. But one thing you might not know is that your experience as a student with a disability will change too. Some students (and their parents!) are surprised to learn that there are no IEPs after high school.

    Instead, you’ll need to request help on your own—and some of the services or supports you might have depended on in high school may not be available at college or may be very different. Take time now to learn about the differences you will encounter so you can start strong and ready for success.

    Become an expert on your own LD.
    Do you know your areas of strength and weakness? Could you tell others what areas of learning your disability affects, and explain the impact it has on your performance in school or at work? Have you thought lately about what learning strategies or accommodations work best for you? Now is the time to become an expert on your own learning.

    Once you graduate, getting what you need in school or the workplace is on you: not your parents, special education teachers, or other school staff. The more you know about the way you learn and what supports you might need, the better prepared you will be to self-advocate. Before you leave high school, talk to your parents, teachers, tutors, and guidance counselors to learn more about your LD. (Reputable websites like LD.org can also help you get a grasp on the basics!)

    Gather your files. (Hey, no one said growing up would always be exciting.)
    You’ll need a file with all of the information related to your LD. Your parents may already have a file like this—now, it’s time for you to get involved! Get a big folder or a binder and make sure it contains your:

    • Psychological and educational evaluation records
    • Most recent IEP or 504 plan
    • High school academic records (transcript, standardized test scores including SAT or ACT results)
    • Medical records (if related to your academic progress—for example, if you take medication for ADHD)You’ll need some of these records to obtain accommodations or services in college.

    Also, as you move on from high school, it’s likely that you’ll be working with new professionals (like tutors, doctors, or therapists) who will want to know your LD history. Having all of these documents in one easily accessible place will make this time of transition go more smoothly. If you’re moving away from home for your studies, make sure to bring copies with you.

    You’ll need some of these records to obtain accommodations or services in college. Also, as you move on from high school, it’s likely that you’ll be working with new professionals (like tutors, doctors, or therapists) who will want to know your LD history. Having all of these documents in one easily accessible place will make this time of transition go more smoothly. If you’re moving away from home for your studies, make sure to bring copies with you.

    Get in touch with Disability Services at your college or post-secondary program.
    After high school, you must request any assistance you need for your LD…no one will “find you” and sign you up for services. Colleges and other post-secondary programs have resource centers on-campus for students with disabilities, which may be called “Office of Disability Services,” “Disabled Student Services,” “Special Services,” or another name. If you plan on getting accommodations or services in college, you’ll work with this office to arrange them. Before you arrive on campus, get in touch with the staff at your college’s Disability Services. Find out what specific services are offered. You’ll want to know where to go for help before you need it.

    To qualify for assistance, you’ll need to provide documentation of your disability. Be sure to ask for specifics on what documentation your college or program will require—they will have specific guidelines regarding the type and age of evaluation reports you submit. Work with your parents and high school guidance counselor to make sure your current documentation meets your college’s standards—and if it doesn’t, to obtain any new evaluation you might need.

    Be prepared to self-advocate.
    We can’t say it enough: once you graduate from high school, you take on the responsibility of speaking up and taking actions to get your LD-related needs met. This can sound overwhelming, but the good news is that many high school students already are strong self-advocates! If you’ve been attending your IEP or 504 meetings, talking to your teachers about any accommodations you need, and requesting extra help when you need it, you’re well on the way to developing the kind of self-advocacy skills that will help you in college and beyond.

  • The Right to Post-Secondary Education

    The Right to Post-Secondary Education

    What are my rights to post-secondary education as a person with a disability?

    All educational institutions have a legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodation, up to the point of ‘undue hardship,’ in order to ensure equity for students with disabilities. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the various provincial charters prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability, and post-secondary institutions have been mindful of the obligation to create an accessible environment dictated by these charters. Canadian colleges and universities are now beginning to articulate the rights of disabled students as they develop educational equity policy statements. It is recommended that disabled students contact their disability services office for more information: http://www.neads.ca/en/norc/edlink/

    Other organizations that can help clarify the legal aspects of disability accommodations include: ARCH Disability Law Centre, Council of Canadians With Disabilities and Reach Canada. ARCH is “a non-profit community legal clinic which defends and promotes the equality rights of people with disabilities through litigation, law and policy reform, and legal education.” You can contact ARCH at its Toronto office:

    Advocacy Resource Centre for the Handicapped (ARCH)
    425 Bloor Street East, Suite 110
    Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3R5
    Telephone: (416) 482-8255
    TTY: (416) 482-1254
    E-mail: archlib@lao.on.ca
    Web site: http://www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/

    Reach Canada is “an Ottawa-based voluntary organization that empowers people with disabilities to remove barriers in education, work and the general community.” Contact Reach at:

    Reach
    400 Coventry Road
    Ottawa, Ontario, K1K 2C7
    Telephone: (613) 236-6636
    TTY: (613) 236-9478
    Fax: (613) 236-6605
    Toll-free: (800) 465-8898
    E-mail: reach@reach.ca
    Web site: http://www.reach.ca

  • Campus Disability Services

    Campus Disability Services

    If you’re a student with a disability looking at your post-secondary options, we’ve provided a handy link to the NEADS website where you can access information about campus disability services all across Canada.

    NEADS EdLink is the most comprehensive Canadian directory of college and university disability service providers and links to service centre websites, with listings from coast to coast. Each entry provides current contact information for service providers at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The links to disability centre websites allow access to detailed information on accommodations, physical access, services and supports.

    Access the Campus Disability Services search engine via NEADS on their website.

  • Grants for Students with Disabilities

    Grants for Students with Disabilities

    Am I eligible?
    You are eligible if you:
    – apply and qualify for a Canada Student Loan;
    – are enrolled in a full-time or part-time program (minimum 32 weeks) at a designated post-secondary institution;
    – meet the criteria for students with permanent disabilities; and
    – include one of the following with your loan application as proof of your disability: a medical certificate, a psycho-educational assessment, or documentation proving receipt of federal or provincial disability assistance.

    What’s available?
    $2,000 per academic year (August 1 to July 31).
    This grant is available for each year of post-secondary studies, provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. This includes post-secondary studies beyond the undergraduate level. Grant money is issued by your province or territory of permanent residence at the beginning and in the middle of the school year.

    Since grant amounts are fixed, the amount you receive may exceed your assessed need.
    Example: If you qualify for the grant and you have an assessed need of $1,400, you will receive a $2,000 grant. In this case, the grant would cover your assessed need, so you would not need a student loan.

    How do I apply?
    The application process for this grant differs in each jurisdiction. To make sure you meet all the application requirements, contact your province or territory’s student financial assistance office.

  • Scholarships and Bursaries for Students with Disabilities

    Scholarships and Bursaries for Students with Disabilities

    You’ve got big academic dreams – they’ve got the funds!

    Scholarships are “free money” given to a student for their college education—unlike loans, this money does not have to be paid back. Many private scholarships are available that grant money to students based on their particular strengths, interests, disabilities and other characteristics or qualities. Finding this money can be the hard part, but we’re here to help. The following is a select list of scholarships particularly for students with learning disabilities.

    Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities Youth Achievement Award

    A $1,000 award for a student with LD and/or ADHD who has demonstrated initiative, talent, and determination resulting in a notable accomplishment in any field–including art, music, science, math, athletics or community service.

    The Marion Huber Learning Through Listening Award

    Three $6,000 and three $2,000 awards available to high school seniors with LD who demonstrate leadership skills, scholarship and a high level of service to others; must be a member of Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D).

    The Hal Hazelett Scholarship

    Two $1,000 scholarships for students with LD, one of which is designated for a student pursuing an education and/or a math degree. One ADD/ADHD scholarship will also be awarded.

    Incight Go Getter Scholarship

    A renewable $750 award available to high school students with physical, learning, cognitive, hearing, or vision disabilities.

    LD Resources Foundation

    Awards of assistive technology tools (ex. Kurzweil products, Dragon Naturally Speaking and MacSpeech Dictate, Franklin Dictionary) are available to college students diagnosed with LD and/or ADHD. Students must be enrolled at a college/university with the intention of pursuing an undergraduate degree.

  • Welcome to the New Community Living Pathway on JobsPeopleDo.com!

    Welcome to the New Community Living Pathway on JobsPeopleDo.com!

    JobsPeopleDo.com is proud to introduce our new Community Living Pathway, your link to the most up-to-date information for students with disabilities. Featuring scholarships, information on transitioning from high school to post-secondary and links to accessibility information for universities and colleges across Canada, it is our hope that this new section will become your one-stop shop for all the tools you need to succeed.

    The pathway to community leads to having a meaningful life in the community for people with disabilities that may involves things like employment, volunteerism, leisure, and further education.

    If you are a student with a disability who would like to contribute your advice, thoughts or success stories to the Community Living Pathway, please contact jasmin@jobspeopledo.com.

  • Tips to Help Students With LD Pass High-Stakes Tests

    Tips to Help Students With LD Pass High-Stakes Tests

    A growing number of students now take tests that determine whether they will advance to the next grade level. If students do not pass these tests, they may be held back one year, which can damage self-esteem, lead to frustration, and increase their chances of eventually dropping out of school. A growing number of high school students now take exit exams that determine whether they will graduate with a standard diploma. Students who do not pass these exams often find themselves with limited options after high school.

    High-stakes tests can have serious consequences for all students, but they pose a particular challenge for students with learning disabilities (LD). Due to their one-size-fits-all format, many parents and educators believe that standardized tests tend to reflect a student’s disabilities rather than his or her abilities. With so much at stake, it is critical that students with LD be well prepared and receive the support they need when taking such tests. Parents should not confuse high stakes tests with the tests given by the school to meet the requirements under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). These tests hold states and districts accountable for poor student performance, but do not require states to impose personal accountability on students.

    Reasonable Accommodations
    Students with learning disabilities, who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP), are entitled to appropriate accommodations while taking high-stakes tests.

    Accommodations are changes to testing materials and procedures that can help to “level the playing field.” The purpose of accommodations is not to give students with LD an unfair advantage over other students, but rather to assist them in demonstrating what they actually know.

    A student with dyslexia, for example, might know the answers on a multiple choice test, but not have enough time to read all of the questions. A reasonable accommodation for this student would be to receive additional time. Depending upon a student’s disabilities, accommodations can be made with regard to the setting, timing, or scheduling of the test, how the information is presented, what additional materials can be used and how the student is allowed to respond. An accommodation could be:

    • receiving extended time;
    • using a computer with spell-check;
    • listening to an adult read the instructions and/or test questions; or
    • taking the test in a separate room or with a small group.

    How Parents Can Help
    Parents should play an important role in helping their children navigate high-stakes tests. It is often up to parents to work constructively with the school to make sure that their children have every opportunity to succeed. Here are some tips for parents:

    • Talk early on with your child, your child’s teacher and the IEP team to determine which accommodations your child needs while taking high-stakes tests. (Note: Ideally, accommodations should be the same or similar as classroom instruction. However, some accommodations are only for instruction and cannot be used on state/district tests.)
    • Find out if there are any accommodations that your child needs that are not allowed by your state, district and school during high-stakes testing.
    • Make sure that your child’s IEP clearly spells out appropriate accommodations for both testing situations and classroom use. (Note: You should clarify whether your child will be permitted to use accommodations for testing that he or she has already been using in the classroom as part of everyday learning.)
    • Check to see whether your child has been taught the content and skills on which he or she will be tested.
    • This is important because sometimes students with LD have not had sufficient instruction in the general education curriculum upon which the tests are based.
    • Should your child fail a high-stakes test, make sure that there are multiple opportunities to retake it.
    • For a small percentage of students with LD, accommodations may not be enough to level the playing field. If you and the IEP team decide that your child needs an alternate form of assessment, work closely with school personnel to determine which type of alternate or modified assessment is best suited for your child.

    The Bottom Line
    No one test can accurately measure all of the skills, knowledge and abilities of a student. When students with LD take high-stakes tests, they deserve the same opportunities as other students to demonstrate what they know. When parents and schools work together, students with learning disabilities can have the support they need when taking tests that may determine so much about their future.

  • Transition Programs for Students with Disabilities

    Transition Programs for Students with Disabilities

    One of the best ways students can get a sense of what to expect when beginning a post-secondary program is to talk with people who have first-hand experience in such programs. These people may be instructors or administrators at the college or university you plan to attend, or they could be other students who have already made the transition to postsecondary school.

    Transition programs are available in many parts of the country, and offer students the opportunity to gather information on the post-secondary experience. There are also initiatives that assist in the transition from school to work, providing valuable opportunities in a workplace environment. Most of these programs are led by students, professors and others from colleges and universities, and some even give participants the chance to spend time living in campus dormitories. Transition programs other than the ones listed here may be available. Contact your local post-secondary institutions to ask if they offer such opportunities.

    Access information about high school transition programs on the NEADS website.

  • Campus Disability Services

    Campus Disability Services

    If you’re a student with a disability looking at your post-secondary options, we’ve provided a handy link to the NEADS website where you can access information about campus disability services all across Canada.

    NEADS EdLink is the most comprehensive Canadian directory of college and university disability service providers and links to service centre websites, with listings from coast to coast. Each entry provides current contact information for service providers at Canadian post-secondary institutions. The links to disability centre websites allow access to detailed information on accommodations, physical access, services and supports.

    Access the Campus Disability Services search engine via NEADS on their website.

  • Common Problems and Easy Solutions in the Workplace for People with LD

    Common Problems and Easy Solutions in the Workplace for People with LD

    Here are some typical job problems which cause difficulty for people with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia. They are followed by possibilities for reasonable accommodations:

    Job problem: You have severe difficulty reading.

    Possible accommodations:

    • Ask someone to read to you.
    • Have people read written notes on your voice mail.
    • Request that your boss gives you oral rather than written instructions.
    • Ask that important information be highlighted.Use a reading machine (like a reading pen).
    • Get voice output on your work computer through “read aloud” software installed on your work computer.
    • Have people talk to you instead of writing you letters.

    Job problem: Your reading problem is not severe, but it is still hard for you to read large amounts of material.

    Possible accommodations:

    • Attend briefings about the material.
    • Discuss the material with co-workers.
    • Obtain taped versions of documents.
    • Ask someone to tell you the key points.
    • Manage your work so that you have enough time to read what is required to get the job done.
    • Get information from drawings, diagrams, and flow charts.
    • Your supervisor, team members, or subordinates may be able to organize some information in this way.
    • Use voice output on your computer through “read aloud” software installed on your work computer.
    • Request shorter versions of documents.

    Job problem: You lose things frequently.

    Possible accommodations:

    • Organize your work area and keep it that way! Work with your supervisor and team to assure that common areas such as tool stations, files, and bookshelves stay neat.
    • Put important objects, such as keys, in the same place each time you use them.
    • Color code items.Keep things on shelves, bulletin boards, or other places that are visible; avoid storage in drawers or cupboards.
    • Attach important objects to where they belong. For example, you might tie your scissors to a hook bolted on your desk, or place important documents on your bulletin board so they do not get lost.

    Job problem: You have difficulty following spoken directions.

    Possible accommodations:

    • Ask people to tell you important information slowly and clearly and in a quiet location.Ask people to write things down.
    • Request that people follow-up their conversations with an email note.
    • Ask people to demonstrate tasks, and then watch you do it.
    • Take notes and ask your supervisor to review them, or write a memo that summarizes that information.
    • Repeat instructions back to people, making sure they verify that your interpretation is correct.
    • Tape-record important procedures and instructions so you can playback and review as needed.
    • Ask several people for feedback on how to do a task.

    Job problem: You have difficulty understanding the underlying message of what is said.

    Possible accommodations:

    • Ask people to talk to you directly and to be specific in their message.
    • Ask questions designed to draw out hidden meanings. For example: “Are you saying you disagree with me?” And, “It sounds like you are irritated because you think I did something wrong. Is that true?”
    • Come up with a hypothesis about what a person meant, if you find yourself in a situation where you think there is a hidden meaning. Then discuss the interaction with others and study the surrounding events to assess your accuracy.
    • Develop a relationship with someone who can let you know if a misunderstanding seems to have occurred. Either privately or within the conversation they can clarify the miscommunication.

    Job Problem: You tend to forget deadlines.

    Possible accommodations:

    • Obtain computer software that enables you to program reminders into your computer.
    • Use a voice organizer, signal watch, or program your smartphone to remind you of scheduled events. Some telephone voice mail systems have scheduling reminders that ring at a specific time and even play a reminder message.
    • Use a tickler file with a section for each month and a section for each day. Put follow-up notices in the file and review the file each day.
    • Ask your supervisor to remind you of important deadlines or to review priorities and deadlines on a regular basis.