College or Vocational Training

College

Many high school guidance counselors have little information about college programs for students with dyslexia. Because of this, these students are oftentimes not encouraged to consider higher education or sign up for college preparatory classes. A poor or uneven academic record and/or standardized test scores may also discourage students from exploring college as an option. However, young people with learning disabilities, including dyslexia, are attending colleges and universities in record numbers thanks to a Federal law that requires all institutions of higher learning to make "reasonable accommodations" for students with learning disabilities. (Smith et al., 1997) Although these accomomdations are required, the range of services varies from school to school, so it is important to investigate the exact services available before applying to a college. A free booklet is available from the HEATH Resource Center (1-800-544-3284) entitled How to Choose a College : Guide for the Student with a Disability, published to help students assess their readiness for college and identify what to look for in a college or university.

Smith and Strick suggest the following guidelines to help parents and young adults assess their potential for the success in college.

• Students who have mild to moderate dyslexia and an average or above average intelligence should be encouraged to consider college.
• Motivated students with moderate to severe dyslexia can also succeed in college, but they will require more assistance.
• College will probably not meet the needs of youngsters who have significantly lower than average intelligence, major interpersonal problems, and/or very severe language, cognitive processing, or attention deficits.

Other suggestions include having more than one college in mind during the application process. Also, before making the final decision on which college to attend, by all means, get a tour of the campus. It is essential for the dyslexic student to visit prospective campuses during the academic year, in order to arrange to sit in on an introductory level class and talk with some of the professors. It's important to keep in mind that some professors are more accommodating to the needs of the dyslexic student. Consider prep college work through smaller community college classes. Take study skills classes first semester, and take 1-2 courses/semester for the first year to adjust to college life. Smith and Strick list some critical questions that need to be asked during your tour of prospective colleges.

Click here for advice on what kind of questions a dyslexic student should ask about college...

Vocational Training

It is not unusual for high school students to "not have a clue" of what they might do for a living, so in this regard dyslexic students are not alone. They are, however, more prone to not succeeding if they don't have a game plan at some point before graduation. Here again, a proactive approach by the parents and student is essential to the successful future of the dyslexic adolescent. It may be necessary to have a formal vocational assessment and/or professional career counseling in order to help the student focus their interests. Internships help students with SLDs experience what careers they like, or not, since many of these people learn best through actual experiences and application of learned information. Also, it's important to know what adaptive technologies may be useful to you and your learning style, such as Kurzweil or Arkenstone readers, taped textbooks, or notetakers in math. According to Smith and Strick(1997), when pursing vocational assessment, it is important to make sure your child receives a multi-disciplinary evaluation coordinated by a psychologist or counselor who is knowledgeable about learning disabilities. Such an assessment would involve interviews, hands-on activities, and observation in simulated job settings, as well as testing to measure student's aptitudes, interests, dexterity, and academic achievement. The department of special education in your local school district should have access or information regarding these assessment tests.

Susan's Story

It's 7 AM... your alarm has rudely awaken you from your slumber, and it's time to face the challenges a new day brings. Facing ordinary day-to day problems is a series of challenges for a person with dyslexia. Even the simplest of tasks, those which many people take for granted, like making a bowl of instant oatmeal, taking a new medication, or finding a phone number or address in the phone book can be monumental for a dyslexic person. Susan Hampshire, a British actress who is dyslexic, describes 'A Day In the Life of A Dyslexic' in her autobiography, Susan's Story. This entry from Susan's diary illustrates the magnitude of the irritations that are present every minute of every hour of every day in the life of someone with dyslexia.

Experience a day in the life of a dyslexic woman...

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