| High school personnel, as well as | | | | program as the student's postsecondary |
| students with learning disabilities and | | | | and career choices become refined. |
| their parents, are often frustrated in | | | | Special Skills For College-Bound |
| searching out a suitable postsecondary | | | | Students |
| setting that will afford opportunity for | | | | The postsecondary environment is much |
| success. While there are many | | | | less structured than most high school |
| directories of postsecondary college | | | | settings, requiring a great deal of |
| programs (Hartman & Krulwich, 1984), | | | | responsibility on the part of students |
| they often result in more confusion than | | | | to determine what to learn as well as |
| clarity. Since there is no consistent | | | | how and when to learn. Students with |
| pattern of programming for students with | | | | specific learning disabilities are often |
| learning disabilities at the college | | | | left confused unless they are |
| level, selecting an appropriate college | | | | specifically instructed in skills such |
| is often an overwhelming task. | | | | as evaluating courses, planning |
| Since there are many more colleges | | | | long-range study time, and interacting |
| seeking, or at least admitting, students | | | | with faculty. The high school setting |
| with learning disabilities than actually | | | | does not typically provide the |
| have well-developed programs, it is | | | | opportunity to practice such skills. |
| imperative that professionals help these | | | | Special educators, in collaboration with |
| students act cautiously during the | | | | content teachers and counselors, must |
| selection and application process. | | | | provide their students with simulated |
| Simply finding a "good" program or the | | | | college experiences that incorporate |
| one with the most services is not the | | | | these skills. |
| solution. A match must be made between | | | | Potential Areas of Interpersonal |
| the unique needs of the student and the | | | | Problems |
| characteristics of the college and its | | | | Students with learning disabilities |
| learning disabilities program (McGuire & | | | | often have serious interpersonal |
| Shaw, 1987). | | | | problems in the dormitories and negative |
| Developing An Appropriate Individualized | | | | interactions with professors as they |
| Educational Program (IEP) | | | | seek help or ask for accommodations. In |
| A critical element of an effective high | | | | the college setting, where students are |
| school program is determination of which | | | | expected to be independent and function |
| curricula and courses will be taken by | | | | as self-advocates, these problems soon |
| students with learning disabilities. Too | | | | become apparent. |
| often, these students are counseled into | | | | Many students with learning disabilities |
| a general studies curriculum that will | | | | are unable to perceive intuitively the |
| disqualify them from admission to most | | | | verbal and nonverbal cues that identify |
| 4-year colleges. In addition, many | | | | appropriate behavior in various social |
| students with learning disabilities | | | | situations. Families and teachers of |
| receive course waivers--often for | | | | these students often shelter them from |
| foreign language or mathematics--which | | | | potentially stressful or threatening |
| can significantly limit college options. | | | | social situations and thereby prevent |
| Course waivers may be necessary and | | | | them from developing the social skills |
| appropriate, but they should be provided | | | | they need to function successfully in |
| only when based on valid diagnostic | | | | the outside world. The frequent |
| data. Furthermore, all parties should be | | | | inability of these students to maintain |
| made aware of the implications of | | | | healthy and cordial relations with their |
| waivers for postsecondary education. | | | | friends and with adults reflects their |
| Although the college experience is often | | | | poor social skills development. |
| difficult for students with learning | | | | Characteristics of the Postsecondary |
| disabilities, pacing of a course of | | | | Institution |
| study has proved to be an effective | | | | High school counselors are skilled at |
| programming variable (Norlander, Shaw, | | | | helping typical students select |
| McGuire, Bloomer, & Czajkowski, 1986). A | | | | colleges. However, a student with |
| student who might experience frustration | | | | learning disabilities needs more diverse |
| and failure with a full college course | | | | and detailed information from high |
| load might be successful when taking | | | | school personnel than do typical |
| only two or three courses. Likewise, if | | | | students. Such a student needs to |
| high school personnel, parents, and | | | | investigate admissions procedures |
| students were open to planning a 4 1/2- | | | | carefully. How he or she compares to the |
| or 5-year program, the students would be | | | | typical entering student in terms of |
| more likely to leave high school with | | | | preparation and performance is critical |
| the skills, content, knowledge, and | | | | in preventing a frustrating and possibly |
| positive self-concept necessary for | | | | short-lived college experience. |
| postsecondary success. | | | | A number of academic considerations are |
| The individualized educational program | | | | also critical for a student with |
| or transition plan for a student with | | | | learning disabilities. The availability |
| learning disabilities should provide for | | | | of precollege courses, developmental and |
| an early determination of postsecondary | | | | remedial courses, and course waiver |
| goals agreeable to all concerned and | | | | provisions is essential information. The |
| specification of the curriculum, | | | | size of the institution itself, as well |
| courses, time sequence, and support | | | | as the size of classes (particularly the |
| program appropriate for realization of | | | | number of large lecture classes) may be |
| those long-term goals. The goals will | | | | especially important to a student who |
| require continual monitoring and | | | | has any of the social or interpersonal |
| adjustment throughout the high school | | | | problems noted earlier. |