Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

Danielle Koubek, PharmD

PGY1 Pharmacy Resident 

Children’s National Hospital

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a learning disability is defined as “a condition giving rise to difficulties in acquiring knowledge and skills to the level expected of those of the same age.” Learning and attention issues are brain-based difficulties in reading, math, organization, focus, listening comprehension, social skills, motor skills, or a combination of these. It is important to note that learning and attention issues are not the result of low intelligence or lack of access to quality instruction.

Learning and attention issues are more common than many people think. The National Center for Learning Disabilities reports that one in five children in the United States have learning and attention issues. Unfortunately, only a small subset of students currently receive specialized instruction or accommodations. In fact, only one in sixteen public schools have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for specific learning disabilities such as dyslexia and for other health impairments such as ADHD and dyspraxia. Students with learning and attention issues often don’t receive early or effective interventions. These students are often held back a year, which increases the risk of dropping out. Students with disabilities are also more than twice as likely to be suspended as those without disabilities. The loss of instructional time increases the risk of course failure and school aversion. Unaddressed learning and attention issues also lead to conditions that push students into the school-to-prison pipeline. A large study found that half of young adults with learning disabilities had been involved at some point in the justice system. Additionally, only 46% of working-age adults with learning disabilities are actually employed (National Center for Learning Disabilities). These shocking statistics prove that there should be more attention given to teaching students with learning disabilities.

A student’s disclosure of a disability is always voluntary. However, students with disabilities may feel nervous to disclose sensitive medical information. Often, students must combat negative stereotypes about their disabilities held by others and even themselves. For instance, a recent study by May & Stone (2010) on disability stereotypes found that undergraduates with and without learning disabilities rated individuals with learning disabilities as being less able to learn or of lower ability than students without those disabilities. In fact, students with learning disabilities are no less able than any other student to learn. These students simply receive, process, store, and/or respond to information differently (National Center for Learning Disabilities).

There are a number of strategies that educators can implement in order to establish teaching models that are inclusive for students with learning disabilities including:

• Writing a statement in the syllabus inviting students with disabilities to meet with the educator privately is a good way to start a conversation with students who need accommodations and feel comfortable approaching the educator about their needs

• Making sure that all students can access the educator’s office or arrange to meet in a location that is more accessible

• Arranging time on the first day of class to distribute a brief “Get to Know You” questionnaire that includes a question that asks if there is anything the educator should know about the student

• Not assuming what students can or cannot do with regards to participating in classroom activities – think of ways students can participate without feeling excluded

• Providing an easily understood and detailed course syllabus and making sure the syllabus, texts, and other materials are readily available

One of the common concerns that educators may have about making accommodations is whether they will change the nature of the course. Accommodations, however, are designed to give all students equal access to learning. When planning your course, consider the following questions (Scott, 1998):

• What is the purpose of the course?

• What methods of instruction are absolutely necessary? Why?

• What outcomes are absolutely required of all students? Why?

• What methods of assessing student outcomes are absolutely necessary? Why?

• What are acceptable levels of performance?

Answering these questions can help educators define essential requirements for students. When teaching a student with any disability, it is important to remember that many of the principles for inclusive design are considered beneficial to any student. One specific design methods is called universal design. This is a method of designing course materials, content, and instruction to benefit all learners. Instead of adapting or retrofitting a course to a specific audience, universal design emphasizes environments that are accessible to everyone regardless of ability. By focusing on these design principles when creating a syllabus, educators may find that most of their course easily accommodates all students (Hodge & Preston-Sabin, 1997).

Many universal design methods emphasize a deliberate type of teaching that clearly lays out the course’s goals. Providing an outline of the day’s topics at the beginning of the class period and summarizing key points at the end can help students understand the logic of the educator’s course organization and give them more time to process the information. Similarly, some instructional material may be difficult for students with certain disabilities. For example, when showing a video in class educators need to consider the audience. Students with visual disabilities may have difficulty seeing non-verbalized actions while those with disorders like photosensitive epilepsy may experience seizures with flashing lights or images and those students with hearing loss may not be able to hear the accompanying audio. Using closed-captioning, providing electronic transcripts, describing on-screen action, allowing students to check the video out on their own, and outlining the role the video plays in the day’s lesson helps reduce the access barrier for students with disabilities and allows them the ability to be an active member of the class as well as allows other students the opportunity to engage with the material in multiple ways (Burgstahler & Cory, 2010).

In summary, it is important to remember that disabilities are not always obvious or apparent to the naked eye. Being open and accommodating will ensure that all students learn equally and feel included. Often times, the curriculum provided to healthcare professionals neglects to consider that some students may in fact have disabilities. While the percentage of students with disabilities in the healthcare profession is typically smaller than general education, educators must still be vigilant and understand how to teach students with disabilities.

References:

1. Oxford Languages Dictionary
2. The National Center for Learning Disabilities. http://www.ncld.org
3. Picard D. (n.d.). Teaching students with disabilities. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved September 3, 2020 from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/disabilities/
4. May, A. L., & Stone, C. A. (2010). Stereotypes of individuals with learning disabilities: views of college students with and without learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(6), 483-99.
5. Scott, S. S. (1998). Accommodating College Students with Learning Disabilities: How Much Is Enough? Innovative Higher Education, 22(2), 85-99.
6. Hodge, B. M., & Preston-Sabin, J. (1997). Accommodations–or just good teaching?: Strategies for teaching college students with disabilities. Westport, Conn: Praeger.
7. Burgstahler, S., & Cory, R. (2010). Universal design in higher education: From principles to practice. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard Education Press.