The More You Know

As a freshman interested in neurology, I am curious in discovering how the brain affects students with learning disabilities. By researching more about individuals with learning disabilities, I found many issues within this community. The methods of communication within the community include its application/testing process, the one on one communication, and internal communication. Throughout my research I discuss these issues and relate them back to how the community could be improved. Learning disabilities appear to be a well understood topic in college, since many programs have been created to help students with these disabilities. However, there is still controversy over programs designed for learning disabilities, such as the placement tests that classify whether or not a student has a disability or not. The methods that have been used to test for learning disabilities in many individuals may be outdated and inaccurate. In a study titled “Learning Disability Documentation in Higher Education,” Richard Sparks and Benjamin Lovett discuss how “findings showed that although most students submitted a psychoeducational evaluation, fewer than half submitted a complete evaluation that included an IQ test” (Sparks and Lovett). Not only are the tests being distributed inaccurately, but they are also simply incomplete. The testing classification system is a vital genre to this community, as the test needs to be able to accurately represent students with learning disabilities. If IQ tests are not being submitted then there is a possibility of students being either wrongly classified as having a learning disability or vice versa, which could potentially affect how a student performs academically. More cases of misclassification within this community has been noted than more than just this one time.

Robert Weis conducted another test to discuss misclassification and documentation errors within the learning disability community. They state that in one of the tests administered, “27.3% showed uniformly low ability and achievement scores, suggesting possible misclassification” (Weis). If there has been evidence of possible misclassification on this one exam, then this could mean possible misclassification on other learning disability exams. This is a major issue within this community, since misdiagnosing a learning disability may cause lifelong social and academic complications for many people.

The testing/classification process, as stated before, is a vital genre within this community, as this process is what determines which individuals will receive extra academic help. Some of the tests that are given to young children to determine their basic reading, writing, and math skills. These tests include the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test, the Test of Mathematical Abilities, and more that are used to compare the scores between students with learning disabilities and those without (Patino). These test measure a wide variety of different skills ranging from phonological awareness, reading fluency skills, and more (Morin). The Woodcock Reading Mastery Test is used to help identify students with learning disabilities that may struggle with reading and can help to determine strategies to help accommodate these students. This test is split into 9 different subtests that focus on different reading skills. The subtests range from phonological awareness, listening comprehension, word identification, and rapid automatic naming to list a few. This test is given to a student to complete within a time limit, which eventually will determine a final composite score that can be used to compare the reading comprehension skills of students with and without learning disabilities. Throughout the years the test has been revised and changed to accommodate any misclassifications or errors that may have been present within the test.

However, misclassification could potentially end up being detrimental to the student’s academic success. Already only, “17 percent [of students with learning disabilities] get accommodations and support at the postsecondary level” (Morin). In order to improve this community the testing system needs to be improved to help these students or else they will lack the help they need to reach their academic goals. Only, “41 percent of young adults with LD complete postsecondary education within eight years of leaving high school, as compared to 52 percent of young adults without LD” (Morin). Once the testing misclassification is resolved these statistics will be able to hopefully increase, as the correctly classified students will be able to receive help from their postsecondary institutions. First, the issues involving the classification system need to be resolved then these individuals who are correctly classified as having a learning disability can begin to receive the help they need to adjust dealing with their disability in their daily life and their academics.

The specific definition of learning disabilities is one of the major issues that is affecting the classification and testing systems within this community. There are multiple definitions of learning disabilities and each vary either by a couple of words or by multiple sentences. Thus, it becomes difficult for the testing system to take into consideration all of these definitions to create just one, universal test to diagnose a learning disability. This dilemma has been an issue even in the late 1900’s, since multiple definitions for learning disabilities were established during this time. “At least 10 additional definitions achieved some degree of popularity”, states Henry Reiff in his article, “Definitions of Learning Disabilities From Adults With Learning Disabilities:The Insider’s Perspectives”. Not only were more than ten definitions published, but the different types of doctors who work with these individuals tend to relate their definition based off of their profession. For example, take the cause of what learning disabilities into consideration and determine if it, “is the construct of learning disabilities an educational, psychological, or social-political concern or possibly some complex combination of all these concerns?” (Reiff 114). A psychologist would attribute the roots of learning disabilities to brain dysfunctions, while a sociologists would attribute it to an individual's lack of social skills. In order for the testing system of learning disabilities to be accurate there must be a common understanding and definition of learning disabilities.

G. Lyon Reid provides a thought provoking statement explaining why there has been much difficulty on defining a common definition for learning disabilities. “An important part of the definition of LD is its exclusions: learning disabilities cannot be attributed primarily to mental retardation, emotional disturbance, cultural difference or disadvantage. Thus, the concept of LD focuses on the notion of a discrepancy between a child’s academic achievement and his or her apparent capacity to learn” (Learning Disabilities 54). This statement provides an insightful look as to how learning disabilities should be defined. Learning disabilities should relate more to academics and how well individuals can achieve in their academics instead of focusing on any background reason that may cause any mental handicaps. Once a common definition has been established the classification system will significantly improve and the community of learning disabilities will be accurately representative of those who are meant to partake in the community.

There appears to be a variety of reasons that can lead to an individual having a learning disability, thus making it hard to incorporate all of these causes into a single definition. “The etiology of learning disorders is not yet well understood” (Wiley 669), and the only common cause appears to be dysfunctions in the central nervous system. This information provides crucial evidence as to how the learning disability community can begin to create a common definition. The lack of a solid definition is hindering this community, and beginning with attributing the disability to problems in the central nervous system can lead to more research and discoveries. Once these discoveries have been made the genres within the community will be able to improve and be able to provide the necessary services for those with learning disabilities.

Continuing off of defining an accurate description of learning disabilities there are other challenges the community faces. A student with a learning disability can succeed well in their academics without any help from an outside source, however this does not appear to be the case in most situations. One genre that is underutilized is one on one communication with school counselors. In a delphi study conducted researchers state that, “as leaders and student advocates, school counselors can play an important role in ensuring that students with disabilities are academically well prepared for college” (Milsom and Dietz 321). Students with learning disabilities must be willing to take that extra step forward to receive help from outside sources, as their disability limits them achieving what they would to do, whether it be academically or socially.

Amy Milsom and Michael Hartley continues to write about this topic in another article, “Assisting Students with Learning Disabilities Transitioning to College: What School Counselors Should Know”. Throughout many schools and postsecondary institutions students lack the willingness to receive help from any counselor or advisor. One on one communication with a counselor can help with a student’s academic success, as they are willing to work with students with learning disabilities on a personal case by case basis. “With collaboration from special educators, school counselors can help students with learning disabilities determine and explore realistic future options and ensure that they complete the steps necessary to pursue those option” (Milsom and Hartley 436). Students with learning disabilities need to realistically plan what they can achieve in their future and help from a school counselor can assist with this objective. In another research study conducted by Kristen Lightner, she discusses her results and illustrates why reaching out for help at postsecondary schools is beneficial to students with learning disabilities. She discovered that, “students who sought services earlier performed better academically than students who postponed seeking services” (Lightner 145). Multiple studies have shown the benefits of communicating with a school counselor, especially with students with learning disabilities.

After diagnosing a student with a learning disability, there are typically many services that can be provided to accommodate and help those who need it. For example, on campus at Florida State University, the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) provides such accommodations to students who complete the application. After students complete the application, they will be helped on a student to student basis. These accommodations can range from extended time for test taking to having a note taker provided to a student if needed. One type of help that students with learning disabilities tend to underutilize is the one on one communication between a counselor and the student. As stated previously, studies have shown how this interaction between the student and counselor can lead to more academic success.

Following the studies I researched, I also decided to find and interview two members of the learning disability community. One question asked was, if you have discussed academics with a school counselor do you believe they have helped accommodate your learning disability into your academics? One of the participants Hannah LeBlanc, diagnosed with ADHD the summer before eighth grade, answered, “[Yes] I have an ADHD counselor… without my counselor I wouldn’t have received some of the helped that I did and that really would’ve hurt me, because I would just be sitting in class doing nothing”. Hannah Leblanc informed me in her interview that she has been provided with an ADHD counselor, which she meets with often in order to discuss her academics. “The counselor has really helped me academically and meeting with her once or twice a month allows me to make sure that I am still on track with all of my classes and everything”. To her benefit, Hannah utilized the resources in her university in order to succeed in her classes academically. This personal account on how school counselors provide help to students with learning disability highly demonstrates why more of the members within this community should take advantage of this type of communication. Unfortunately, there are students that do not take advantage of these resources and have a different kind of experience.

Another question asked during the interview was have you ever seeked help in school for your learning disability? The second participant, Brittany Gaddy, diagnosed with dyslexia at eight years old said, “No. But looking back I feel like I should’ve especially when I first was diagnosed with dyslexia, as it was hard for me to adjust to school during this time”. Although having different learning disabilities both students demonstrate different ways as to how they handled their own academic situation. School counselors do seem to provide help, even here on the FSU campus. Brittany Gaddy at the end of the interview when asked about giving advice to other students with learning disabilities gave her own insight on the learning disability and school counselor situation. “Don’t get discouraged because of your learning disability, and possibly seek help from a counselor unlike me.” Looking at research from older studies provides relevant evidence as to why going to a school counselor proves to beneficial. However, having stories from current FSU students and how their counselors, have or haven’t, helped with their learning disability provides more concrete evidence for how it affects the members within a small part of the whole community.

Another way this community communicates with each other is on online forums where a variety of topics are discussed. This type of communication allows for struggling members within the community to be able to communicate and give advice to others who are in similar situations. MED help is an online website that allows members within the community to discuss different standardized testing questions and also forums that ask for help for anyone who has a certain conditions like dyslexia. For example, there is a forum labeled, “Help with dyslexia-like condition”, where a member of the community, Jake, ask others for help on his personal situation (MED online). Later on in the discussion after others responded to the post, an MD doctor responded providing her own insight on the situation. Along with the forum, Brittany Gaddy stated in her interview, “honestly if I had known more kids with dyslexia, or any other student with a learning disability who was my age, I think I would’ve been able to adjust living with a disability more, as it would’ve made it easier seeing other kids adjusting to the same things I was and I wouldn’t

have felt like such an outcast”. From what the different case studies and information discussed from the interviews, communication between members of the community should be a more utilized form of communication. This type of communication would allow for those who have a learning disability to not feel like an outcast, such as Brittney Gaddy did unfortunately. The learning disability community has made many strides forward throughout the last couple of years, however there is still work to be done in order to continue to help those who are a part of this community.

Learning disabilities proves to be an interesting topic that still needs to be researched to truly understand how to better help this community. The genres within this community are essential to the success of the individuals within this community, as it affects their regular day by day life, as well as their academics. Now that more advanced research and information gathered from different sources are shedding light onto the different ways the community could be improved. From my conducted research, I would like to be able to begin to generate solutions for the social issues within this community.