Student Resources
Student’s Role in Service Provision
In order to receive academic support services, the student must take responsibility in the following ways:
- Notify the Counselor/Coordinator of Student Accommodations of his/her disability.
- Complete the “Request for Student Accommodations” form and provide appropriate documentation of a disability.
- Request accommodations within a reasonable time frame. Some services may not be available at the beginning of the semester if sufficient notice is not given.
- Discuss requested accommodations with instructors as necessary. Although a student’s instructors will automatically receive an accommodation notice, the instructor will assume that the student does not require accommodations for his/her particular course unless the student specifically requests an accommodation.
- Contact the Counselor/Coordinator of Student Accommodations regarding academic difficulties and with questions or concerns regarding services.
Documenting a Disability
For students whose disability falls under the category of psychological, physical, health, visual, auditory, traumatic brain injury or mobility, a letter from a physician or therapist or a copy of a student’s high school IEP can meet the requirement for documentation.
For students with a learning disability, a copy of the student’s high school IEP or documentation from a testing provider can meet the requirement for documentation.
For students who suspect that they have a learning disability, but have never been tested, Eastern Illinois University’s School Psychology program can provide testing as a discounted rate. Please contact them at 217-581-6615. Additionally, your local Department of Human Services may be able to provide funding assistance for testing.
Transitioning from High School to College with a Disability
Services for students with disabilities at the high school level are governed by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), while services at the college level are governed by the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In short, IDEA aims to assure success while ADA requires the college to provide access. For a complete breakdown of differences, click here.
Classroom Strategies for Students with Disabilities & Difficulties
Attention/Concentration Problems
Definition
Difficulty paying attention or concentrating on one task for an extended period of time.
Observable Behavior
- restless, impulsive
- easily distracted
- perpetual motion (foot swinging, finger tapping)
- inconsistent performance
- limited organizational skills
- trouble getting started or finishing assignments
Strategies for Success
- use time management strategies
- use self-monitoring techniques during class lectures
- check notes with classmate
- organize study group for test preparation
- take untimed exams to allow time to reflect
Auditory Processing
Definition
Difficulty hearing or processing/understanding what is heard.
Observable Behavior
- distractibility – loses concentration due to noise in environment (i.e., ventilator, traffic, etc.)
- sustained listening is difficult, quick to fatigue
- studying in any high noise level room or library reading room impossible
- difficulty distinguishing non-verbal sounds (i.e., sonar, etc.)
- poor pitch discrimination and tonal memory in music
- difficulty detecting difference in words that sound alike
- misperceives message so may have misinformation in notes
- trouble with foreign accent of professor
- difficulty in rhyming, stress and intonation patterns in English poetry, etc.
- trouble with foreign language
- may get all parts of an instruction but in wrong order
- trouble recalling phone number, dosage of medication, formula, etc.
- very poor speller
- trouble recalling order of events (i.e., novel, history)
- may reverse order of syllables in pronouncing long words
Strategies for Success
- don’t schedule back to back classes
- choose more MWF classes (50 minutes)
- find an empty classroom for night study
- use textbooks on tape
- practice listening
- sit right in front of instructor
- check notes with other students
- sit in on classes a semester ahead to be sure professor is easily understood
- read and re-read
- check with other students
- write information and check
- study spelling of new terms
- develop sequence charts
Blindness
Definition
Total loss of sight
Observable Behavior
- unable to perceive shapes, words, or light perceptions
Strategies for Success
- use tape recorder in all lectures
- use taped textbooks
- test orally
- use voice activated computer for assignments
Deafness
Definition
Total loss of hearing
Observable Behavior
- cannot hear any sound
Strategies for Success
- sit in the front of the class
- communicate in writing
- contact the Counselor/Coordinator of Student Accommodations at least two months prior to the semester attending to arrange an interpreter
Expressive Problems
Definition
Difficulty expressing oneself in spoken or written form
Observable Behavior
- trouble in word retrieval (i.e., recalling words to use in speaking and writing)
- verbal expression can be disjointed
- has good ideas but poor ability to express them orally or in written form
- written language reflects poor grammar (i.e., subject-verb agreement; sentence formation is rather basic and awkward)
Strategies for Success
- use dictionary constantly; check confusions with another student
- be careful in selection of courses; preview text book before signing up for class
- try studying with other members of the class
- do several rough drafts
- use a pre-reading routine for text reading
- use a video-tape to practice oral reports
- create concept maps of the material to be learned (see the Counselor/Coordinator of Student Accommodations for an example of a concept map)
- use word processor with “spell check” software
- use a tutor to review assignments with you
- write and re-write
Fine Motor Problems
Definition
Observable Behavior
- poor handwriting, noticeable fatigue after lengthy note-taking
- may observe tension and tremor, awkward pencil grip
- may not be able to read notes at end of class
- can’t write as fast as professor can talk
- clumsy with equipment
- may have poor control of eye movements, so reading is very slow
- speech may be slow and a bit imprecise
Strategies for Success
- re-copy notes
- check with another student
- tape lectures
- take more MWF classes with shorter periods
- read and re-read
- use word processor for everything
- use lap top computer for note taking in class
Language Disorders
Definition
Observable Behavior
- Poor vocabulary and/or written language
- Difficulty with idiomatic language and double meaning of words, learning meaning of new words
- Very concrete thinker (i.e., literal interpretation of literature, etc.)
- Difficulty with abstractions, generalizations
- Difficulty with following events in a novel, seeing cause and effect
- Difficulty with subtleties of language (i.e. humor)
- When talking, difficulty organizing materials, flow of ideas poor or disjointed
- Does better on multiple choice test, poor on essay exams, needs extra time
- Difficulty with classification and categorization
Strategies for Success
- Use dictionary constantly; check confusion with another student
- Be careful in selection of courses; preview text before signing up for class
- Try studying with other members of the class
- Do several rough drafts
- Use a pre-reading routine for text reading
- Create concept maps of the material to be learned
- Use word processor with “spell check” software
- Use a tutor to review assignments with you
Memory Problems
Definition
Observable Behavior
- confused by oral directions, asks for repetition or watches other students
- rote memorization is a problem (i.e., poetry, periodic table, etc.)
- trouble recalling previous material to relate to new material being presented
- when problem is short term memory, has great trouble taking notes from professor who speaks rapidly and in lengthy sentences
- does better on frequent short quizzes than on mid-term and final
- may have trouble with multiple choice tests
Strategies for Success
- ask for help or watch closely
- use mnemonic and other remembering devices
- re-read notes before next class
- let the professor know when difficulty occurs
- study alone as well as with others
- use an electronic organizer
Visual Processing
Definition
Observable Behavior
- difficulty comparing and contrasting newly experienced visual information with each other or with known perceptions
- lacks speed in observing and understanding symbols on chalkboard, overheads
- may have trouble copying far point (on board) material into near point (notebook)
- confuses words that look alike-poor reader
- difficulty distinguishing object from its sensory background
- confusion when focusing on detail (i.e., painting, illustrations, statistical tables, slide presentation)
- part to whole relationship problems
- may have problem with small type or print or poor contrast (i.e., purple stencil-old manuscript)
- great difficulty when much information crowded into small spaces
- trouble labeling diagrams on test
- slow reader because she/he loses place on page
- difficulty with left/right orientation (i.e., following instructions in lab)
- clumsy, spills and bumps into things
- may have difficulty with math, knows rate computation, trouble with concepts
- poor alignment of numbers leads to careless mistakes
- poor spelling (i.e., same word spelled three different ways on the same page; unable to monitor own work)
- difficulty reproducing or recalling sequence of symbols (i.e., dosage of medication, phone numbers)
Strategies for Success
- check notes with someone else
- before class preview overheads, maps and diagrams
- study spelling of new terms
- ask questions when you are confused
- preview materials
- use pen not pencil
- when preparing illustrations or diagrams do a rough draft and have it checked
- read ahead
- use graph paper for math work
- use a code (i.e., elastic on left wrist)
- work slowly until entirely familiar with equipment; practice ahead
- use large pads of paper (18 x 24 inches) and draw pictures of math concepts
- write your own real life word problems for practice
- use different colors of pencils for each concept
- use flow charts for instructions
- make vocabulary list and practice spelling words
Calm App Free for Students
This month we celebrate and support those living with mental or behavioral health issues in an effort to help reduce the stigma surrounding many people living with these challenges.
Lake Land College believes in supporting the success of our students on both a personal and academic level, and we know that this all starts with their mental health and wellness. We have established these mental health resources for our students.
We are also excited to introduce the Calm app as our newest resource available to students at Lake Land College! Whether you have 30 seconds or 30 minutes, Calm’s diverse content library offers resources to suit your schedule and needs. Explore guided meditations and specialized music playlists to help with studying, stress, and focus, mindful movement video and audio, relaxing Sleep Stories, tailored content for children, wisdom-filled masterclasses led by experts, and much more.
Simply follow the instructions below to gain full access to Calm—the #1 app for mental fitness.
To get started:
- Visit this link: https://www.calm.com/b2b/lake-land-college/subscribe
- Sign up with your Lake Land College email address (or log in to an existing account)
- Validate your Lake Land College email address
Once complete, you can download the Calm app and log into your new account. Your Calm subscription gives you unlimited access to the full library of content at calm.com and in the Calm app.
If you have questions about accessing the Calm app, contact Student Wellness Center Manager at kbierman@lakelandcollege.edu or 217-234-5380.