Albright College - Academics, Learning Disabled Students


Student Support Services for the Learning Disabled Student
General Information Accommodations Disclosure Documentation Frequently Asked Questions Contact Information

General Information Albright strives to provide reasonable accommodations to all students with disabilities to assist them in reaching their fullest academic potential. Students requesting support services are required to provide documentation of a diagnosed learning disability, neurological impairment, or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The Office of Academic Support reviews the assessments on an individual basis and will make the final decision regarding accommodations. The documentation submitted must meet the requirements described below. top of page Accommodations Students with disabilities at Albright currently benefit from the following: Classroom Accommodations Extended time on quizzes and exams Use of a personal tape recorder to tape class lectures* Use of a personal lap-top computer and/or spell-checker for in-class writing** Quizzes/exams administered in a separate, distraction-free room Use of peer notes Other accommodations may be made based upon assessed need in accordance with Albright's educational and other standards * This list is not exhaustive Student must provide his or her own equipment Early Registration and assistance with course selection Recorded textbooks from "Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic" if necessary top of page Disclosure The existence of a learning disability and the need for accommodations is a confidential matter. In order to implement certain accommodations, a student's disability may need to be disclosed to faculty members involved in the implementation. Faculty will be notified ONLY if, each semester, the student signs an authorization form allowing the Office of Academic Support to release that information. Failure to provide authorization may curtail Albright's ability to implement a requested accommodation. top of page Documentation Albright strives to provide reasonable accommodations to all students with disabilities to assist them in reaching their fullest academic potential. Students requesting support services are required to provide documentation of a diagnosed learning disability, neurological impairment, or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The Office of Academic Support reviews the assessments on an individual basis and will make the final decision regarding accommodations. The documentation submitted must meet the requirements described below: THE DOCUMENTATION MUST COME FROM A PROFESSIONAL WHO IS QUALIFIED TO RENDER SUCH A DIAGNOSIS The name, title, professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification, area of specialization, employments, and state in which the individual practices must be stated in the documentation. The following professionals would generally be considered qualified to evaluate and diagnose a specific disability: psychologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, and other relevantly trained medical doctors. THE TESTING AND DOCUMENTATION MUST BE CURRENT Documentation is meant to provide information about a student's current level of functioning. Therefore, testing should have been completed within three years of enrollment. THE DOCUMENTATION NECESSARY TO SUBSTANTIATE THE DIAGNOSIS MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE Documentation must validate the need for services based on the candidate's current level of functioning in the educational setting. A school plan, such as an individualized educational program (IEP) or a 504 plan, is often insufficient documentation in and of itself but can be included as part of a more comprehensive assessment battery. A comprehensive assessment battery must include the following: Diagnostic Interview A specific diagnosis A clinical summary A rationale for each recommended accommodation SEE THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS TO DETERMINE SPECIFIC STANDARDS FOR LEARNING DISABILITIES (Section A) OR ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVE DISORDER (Section B) Documentation necessary to substantiate a LEARNING DISABILITY Assessments of aptitude, achievement, and information processing (Actual test scores from standardized instruments must be provided) Aptitude/Cognitive Ability Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) Woodcock-Johnson-III - Tests of Cognitive Ability Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test Stanford-Binet V Academic Achievement Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA) Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK) Woodcock-Johnson-III - Tests of Achievement Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) Information Processing Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude - 3 (DTLA-3) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-R Woodcock-Johnson-III - Tests of Cognitive Ability Documentation necessary to substantiate ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (AD/HD) AD/HD by definition is a developmental disorder with onset in childhood that manifests itself in more than one setting. AD/HD also maintains a chronic rather than episodic course. The report must present historical information regarding behavioral patterns and academic performance and should include the following: Approximate age of onset and date of diagnosis Criteria used to determine DSM-IV diagnosis Evidence of significant impact on academic and daily functioning Prior accommodations and treatments If not previously diagnosed or treated, what factors allowed for successful compensation There must also be a report containing evidence of current impairment. Diagnostic assessment must consist of more than a self-report of symptoms; an independent adult must evaluate the student and his or her symptoms. The report must contain evidence that symptoms currently meet DSM-IV criteria in their nature and severity: Report the symptoms evident in current functioning Provide objective evidence of significant functional impairment Symptoms cannot be explained by other psychiatric or cognitive factors Please remember the documentation must comply with standards set forth in sections I through IV. top of page Frequently Asked Questions Q: As a student with a disability leaving high school and entering Albright, will I see differences in my rights and how they are addressed? Yes, legal requirements differ from those in force during high school. For instance, while Section 504 requires school districts to identify an individual’s education needs and provide any necessary special education and related aids and services, colleges are not required to identify you as having a disability or assess your needs, and it must provide accommodations that ensure equal access to programs and activities only to those who make properly documented requests. Q: Do I have to inform Albright that I have a disability? No, only if you want the school to provide accommodations in response to your disability. While your disclosure is voluntary, keep in mind that requesting necessary accommodations may better your chances of succeeding in college. Once out of high school, you are considered an adult whose privacy is to be respected and who is responsible for understanding and making your own decisions. Even your parents will have limited access to your information, and if you want them to know certain things about your career at Albright, including the process of determining accommodations for you, you will need to sign a waiver allowing that information to be shared with them. . Q: What must I do to request an academic accommodation at Albright? You must inform the Academic Learning Center at Albright that you have a disability and are requesting academic accommodation by submitting official forms the ALC can provide you. You will be responsible for knowing and following Albright’s policies and procedures, which can be found in the forms you receive or at our website, www.albright.edu/alc. Although you may request an academic accommodation from Albright at any time, you should request it as early as possible. Some accommodations may take more time to provide than others, and it is up to you to ensure that you request services in time for them to be available when you want them. Q: What academic accommodations does Albright provide? The answer will depend on your disability and individual needs, all with the goal of ensuring equal educational opportunity. Determining specific accommodations is an interactive process that relies on several things: the clinical documentation you provide, your preferences as to what the accommodation should be, and the ALC’s determination of what reasonably satisfies both your needs and the nature of the academic course or program. Some common examples of accommodations are priority registration; reduced course load; extended time for testing; and adaptive software. Note that in providing accommodations, Albright is not required to fundamentally alter essential academic requirements or the nature of a service, program or activity, or to make changes that would result in undue financial or administrative burdens. Also, Albright need not provide attendants, devices, or services for personal use. Q: Do I have to prove that I have a disability to obtain an academic accommodation?** Yes. Albright asks you to provide documentation of a disability by a credentialed professional, for example a licensed psychologist, who is familiar with the history and functional consequences of the disability. A student’s past IEP may be helpful, but cannot be the basis of accommodation decisions in college, and even clinical evaluations may sometimes be too old to be of current use. Please see our website for more complete documentation standards, including tests we accept and use. Disability documentation used to request accommodations must both establish disability and provide adequate information on the current functional impact of the disability, so that it can be understood in relation to the college’s course and program requirements, testing methods, etc. Documentation of a specific disability does not translate directly into specific accommodations. Q: Who has to pay for a new evaluation if I need one? Neither your high school nor Albright is required to conduct or pay for a new evaluation to document your disability and need for accommodation. If one is required, you will have to pay or find funding to pay for an evaluation by an appropriate professional. If you are eligible for services through your state vocational rehabilitation agency, you may qualify for an evaluation at no cost. You may locate your state vocational rehabilitation agency through the following Web page: http://www.jan.wvu.edu/SBSES/VOCREHAB.HTM. Q: Once Albright has received the necessary documentation from me, what should I expect? Albright will review your request in light of the documentation and the essential requirements for the relevant program and will contact you to come meet with the staff to discuss your needs. The Academic Learning Center strives to complete this process as soon as possible, usually within a week, but keep in mind that at peak times of the semester—especially around orientation and the beginning and middle of the semester—the process may take a little longer. top of page Contact Information If you have questions, please contact the Assistant Academic Dean/Director of Academic Support, at 610-921-7662. top of page