Stan F. Shaw

Self-Determination: A Key to Success in Postsecondary Education for Students with Learning Disabilities

Self-determination should be a central organizing concept in postsecondary programs for all students with disabilities, including those with learning disabilities. The importance of self-determination is supported by numerous studies, including one by Sarver (2000), who found a significant relationship between the grade point averages of students with learning disabilities and their levels of self-determination. Interviews with students about postsecondary environments demonstrate that specific environmental factors and personality markers are important to postsecondary success. Characteristics of environments that support self-determination are discussed within the context of postsecondary education settings. These characteristics include self-determined role models, self-determination skill instruction, opportunities for choice, positive communication patterns and relationships, and availability of supports. Universal Design for Instruction, a new paradigm for college students with learning disabilities, fosters self-determination by offering students productive opportunities for learning.

Universal Design and Its Applications in Educational Environments

Universal design (UD), a concept from the field of architecture, is increasingly evident in discussions of approaches to enhance educational access for students with disabilities. Several emerging models of educational applications of UD—Universal Design for Learning, Universal Design for Instruction, and Universal Instructional Design—are discussed, with a call to the field for a collaborative approach to examine the efficacy of applications of UD to educational environments. Several critical areas for a research agenda are articulated, with caveats that the promise of UD for enhancing access not be undermined because of premature promotion of the concept before its validity is thoroughly examined.

Universal Design for Instruction A New Paradigm for Adult Instruction in Postsecondary Education

Postsecondary education has experienced rapid change in its student population. College students with learning disabilities (LD) represent a growing presence on college campuses across the country. Traditional means of meeting the learning needs of college students with LD through retrofitted changes and accommodations to classroom instruction have proven limited. Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) offers a new paradigm for approaching equal educational access. This article will describe UDI and discuss its implications for enhancing learning for students with learning disabilities and other diverse learners.

Promoting Access, Accommodations, and Independence for College Students with Learning Disabilities

This article focuses on the four primary issues that directly affect service delivery to students with learning disabilities in postsecondary settings, including (a) How are high school and postsecondary settings different? (b) How are eligibility and access determined? (c) How are reasonable accommodations determined? and (d) How can the independence level of college students with learning disabilities be fostered? Each of these issues will be discussed within the context of the students transition from high school, where Public Law 94-142 is in effect, to college, where Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies.

Operationalizing a Definition of Learning Disabilities

Past, present, and future concerns regarding the definition of learning disabilities (LD) are documented. Research on efforts to clarify the LD label is discussed, with a focus on the questionable utility of the discrepancy model. Finally, an approach to operationalizing the NJCLD definition of LD is presented and applied.

A Schoolwide Model for Service Delivery Redefining Special Educators as Interventionists

General and special education are confronting tremendous change resulting from legal mandates related to closing the achievement gap under No Child Left Behind and a focus on early intervention and prevention in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 2004. As a result, schoolwide intervention approaches are under rapid development, evaluation, and implementation across the country. Based on these approaches, the authors present a conceptual model for redefining special educators as interventionists who focus on the adoption and use of evidence-based, schoolwide academic and behavioral interventions. Examples of the roles and responsibilities for interventionists within the schoolwide model are provided.

Section 504 Differences in the Regulations for Secondary and Postsecondary Education

Secondary schools and postsecondary institutions differ in their obligations to students with disabilities under the regulations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This article presents several of the key differences between Subpart D, which applies to secondary schools, and Subpart E, which applies to postsecondary institutions. Implications of these differences for the transition process are discussed.

Practices and Attitudes of Postsecondary LD Service Providers in North America

A nationwide survey of 510 postsecondary LD service providers was conducted to determine (a) the types of interventions utilized by service providers, and (b) their attitudes toward the needs of adults with learning disabilities. The results of this study revealed that an educationally diverse group of professionals have been given the responsibility of developing programs and providing direct instruction to individuals with LD. The proliferation of services found in this survey is analogous to a “menu” of options, with little or no philosophical base. Findings suggest that service providers should be encouraged to utilize interventions that lead to self-determination and independence for adults with LD.

Making Informed Assistive Technology Decisions for Students with High Incidence Disabilities

individualized education program (IEP) team members throughout the country are struggling to make appropriate decisions regarding assistive technology (AT) for students with high incidence disabilities. Although numerous authors and organizations have developed tools to assist IEP teams when considering AT, the task can be overwhelming. Successful AT programs utilize preassessment, collaborative problem-solving, effective implementation, and systemic evaluation. Each of these issues present different challenges to special education teachers. This article is designed to simplify AT consideration for students with high incidence disabilities by highlighting several comprehensive resources that IEP teams can use to inform their decision-making process. Prior to our discussion of each resource, we identify barriers the IEP team may face when making AT decisions. It is our intention that the tools and resources presented herein should be used collectively by IEP teams to ensure that the AT needs of students with high incidence disabilities are addressed. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (Pub. L. No. 108-446, Part A, Sec 602, pp. 11–12) defines an AT device as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability.” Federal law mandates the consideration of AT when writing a student’s IEP. This means that it is a special education team’s responsibility to ensure that AT is considered for all students, including those with high incidence disabilities. This task can be overwhelming due, in large part, to a critical shortage of AT specialists who help IEP teams make decisions regarding assistive technology for students with disabilities (Edyburn, 2004). Research indicates that members of IEP teams often have limited expertise regarding the types of AT that are available to students because of a lack of adequate training for preservice teachers entering the field (Cavanaugh, 2002). Despite this, there has been little to no increase by school districts in hiring AT professionals who can plan and supervise the effective implementation of AT (Edyburn, 2004). In some cases, experienced special education teachers have limited knowledge of basic types of AT (Puckett, 2004). Even special educators who strive to stay current in the AT field have difficulty ascertaining current, appropriate information from the diverse resources that are available. For example, a special educator conducting

Competencies of Postsecondary Education Personnel Serving Students with Learning Disabilities

This paper presents the results of a survey designed to identify the needed competencies of both administrative and direct service personnel in directing and implementing postsecondary support programs for students with learning disabilities. Data were collected from a national sample of 299 practitioners. In addition to information about respondent characteristics, results include ratings for all items on the survey. Competency areas perceived as most desired by learning specialists were assessment skills, cognitive interventions, and instructional skills, while administrative personnel rated management/leadership skills as most desired. Implications for professional development activities are addressed. The need for strengthening linkages between secondary and postsecondary personnel to foster effective transition planning for students with learning disabilities is also explored.