Get the education

you deserve.

College Bound With

Dyslexia and/or ADD/ADHD

Desired Outcomes For This Document

Students will:
1. Understand its Dme to take control of their
own future.
2. Be able to describe their disability and
accompanying accommodaDons.
3. Understand the laws and plans available for
students with disabiliDes.
4. Know documentaDon necessary to carry
forward their accommodaDons.

Who Steers My ship?

High School vs. College
High School
In high school your parents, teachers, administrators
and coaches advocate on your behalf. They organize,
coordinate, prioriDze and plan for you. Measurable
accountability and moDvaDonal systems are in place
to drive your success.

College
Now its your turn. The following presentaDon will
give you many of the tools necessary to understand
your disability then plan and prioriDze your college
success for yourself.

Why Is My Disability Important?

If you are like most students with dyslexia, ADD or ADHD, you hate
the label disability. Youd probably rather leave that label in a box,
under your bed, at home when you leave for college. Right?
Well, heres why that term is important to your future and the
future of others like you: Research and Money.
1.

Research Research is essenDal in learning more about dyslexia and

ADD/ADHD. Neurologic research to learn how and why peoples
brains behave dierently. InstrucDonal methodology research for
teaching that is benecial and results driven. Behavioral research
and research to support parenDng techniques, the list goes on and
on.

2.

Money For research to happen, there needs to be funding.

Dyslexia And ADHD Dened

The rst step toward college success is accep3ng your learning disability and
being able to dene your disability with accompanying accommoda3ons to
others.

Dyslexia Dyslexia is a language-based processing disorder that hinders reading,

wriDng, spelling and someDmes even speaking. Children and adults with dyslexia
have a neurological disorder that causes their brains to process and interpret
informaDon dierently. Dyslexia is not a sign of poor intelligence or laziness or the
result of impaired hearing or vision.
ADD/ADHD - A]enDon Decit Disorder (ADD) and A]enDon Decit HyperacDvity
Disorder (ADHD) are both brain-based condiDons that aect peoples ability to stay
focused on things like schoolwork, social interacDons and everyday acDviDes. The
biggest dierence is that kids with ADHD are hyperacDvethey cant sit sDll and
are restless. Kids with ADD arent bursDng with energy and disrupDng the
classroom. Instead, they oaen appear shy, day-dreamy, or o in their own world.

Governmental Oversight OrganizaDons

Do you know why or if you receive accommoda3ons and/or services for your learning
disability? If not you should. Here are the two governmental agencies who oversee
educa3onal disabili3es on your behalf:
The Individuals with DisabiliDes EducaDon Act (IDEA) is a federal law enacted in 1990 and
reauthorized in 1997 and 2004. It is designed to protect the rights of students with
disabiliDes by ensuring that everyone receives a free appropriate public educaDon (FAPE),
regardless of ability.
IEP Individual EducaDon Program - Each public school child who receives special
educaDon and related services must have an IEP. An IEP is designed for one individual
student. No two special ed. students have the same IEP.
The Americans with DisabiliDes Act (ADA) prohibits discriminaDon against people with
disabiliDes in employment, transportaDon, public accommodaDon, communicaDons, and
governmental acDviDes such as public schools.
504 Plan The 504 Plan is a plan developed to ensure that a child who has a disability
idenDed under the law and is a]ending an elementary or secondary educaDonal
insDtuDon receives accommodaDons that will ensure their academic success and
access to the learning environment.

If you dont know what which plan you have? Its Dme to nd out!

IDEA Or ADA? Whats The dierence?

Legisla3on

IDEA

Sec3on 504

Purpose

Ensure a free and appropriate educaDon

and related available services for
children with disabiliDes

Protects the rights of individuals with disabiliDes in

any agency, school or insDtuDon receiving federal
funds

Who its for

Students with advanced disabiliDes and

require special educaDon. Categories
include: AuDsm, blindness, deafness,
emoDonal disturbance, hearing
impairment, intellectual disability,
mulDple disabiliDes, mobility
impairment, speech or language
impairment, an/or traumaDc brain injury

Students with an impairment which limits major

life acDvity such as a]ending regular class
curriculums at school. DisabiliDes such as ADHD/
ADD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia.

Services and/or
accommodaDons

Special educaDon includes presentaDon

of materials, classroom sekng,
instrucDonal, and tesDng modicaDons
It may also include services specic to
the disability like transiDon services,
personal aid, physical, occupaDonal, and
speech therapy.

PresentaDon of materials, classroom sekng,

instrucDonal modicaDons, tesDng modicaDons.
Examples include: Audio or large print books,
preferenDal seaDng, visual and auditory classroom
prep, extended Dming on tests, oral tesDng,
addiDonal breaks.

Summary

IDEA allows students with more serious

life altering disabiliDes a]end school.
They typically require more extensive
services.

SecDon 504 is a way of leveling the playing eld. It

allows students with disabiliDes accommodaDons
to regular curriculum to keep them in regular
classroom sekng.

IEP Or 504 Plan. Whats The

dierence?

AccommodaDons For Success

When Im Dyslexic.
What the College can provide for you:

Tests:
Extra Dme
Scribe
Verbal quesDons/answer
TesDng in a separate and quiet place,
TesDng over several sessions

Courses and Lectures:

Audio books
Large print text
Copies of professor's lecture notes

Ins3tu3onal Disability Support Services:

Tutoring workshops such as:

study habits
Dme management
note taking
HighlighDng
Technology support such as:
Dragon
Livescribe

Speech to text for iPad

NEO2 Text Predict Work Processor

ALT and other academic tutors
What you can provide for yourself:

Choosing a College? Make sure it has:

Students with disabiliDes oces/services
Academic Language Therapist (ALT) specialist on
campus

Self Advocate:
Be familiar with all available resources
Keep track of and provide documents that your
disability aects your academic performance
Make use of professors oce hours

Record lectures
Ask classmates for copies of their notes
Join study groups
SDck to small classes as much as possible
Sit at the front of class/lecture
Choose an academic dorm
Time Management:
Keep working

AccommodaDons For Success

When Im ADHD.
What the College can provide for you:

Tests:
Extended Dme on tests and assignments
TesDng in a separate and quiet place
TesDng over several sessions

Lectures:
Permission to record lectures,
Audio-taped text book
Assistance with wriDng class notes
Reading assistance

Courses:
Wri]en instrucDons from professors
Priority registraDon with a professional in the
disability services oce
The possibility of class subsDtuDon within the
curriculum
Reduced course load

What you can provide for yourself:

Choose a college with:

Students with disabiliDes oces/services
ADHD/LC specialists on campus

Self Advocate:
Contact schools oce of disability and be familiar
with its resources
Provide documentaDons that prove your ADHD
status and proof that ADHD aects your academic
performance
Make use of professors oce hours

Accountability strategies
Find an academic that will check in with you
throughout the week to ensure success
Use A study buddy or study group
Time management and self care:
Use a calendar
Schedule Dme to, study, socialize and sleep
Avoid processed foods
Exercise
Get regular sleep

DocumentaDon Requirements For

College AccommodaDons

Diagnosis clearly stated - The diagnosis should be made by someone with

appropriate professional credenDals, should be specic, and should reference the
Diagnos:c and Sta:s:cal Manual of Mental Disorders
Informa3on current - The educaDonal evaluaDon and accompanying tesDng should
be no more than three years old
History of disability - Provide relevant educaDonal, developmental, and medical
history in support of the diagnosis and the funcDonal limitaDon
Diagnosis supported DescripDon of the comprehensive tesDng and techniques
used to arrive at the specic learning disability diagnosis. Provide the evaluators
full report
Func3onal limita3on described - Explain how the learning disorder impacts the
students daily funcDoning and ability to parDcipate in class
Recommended Accommoda3ons - Describe the specic accommodaDons
requested, and explain why they are needed.
For a complete list and more informaDon visit:
h]ps://www.collegeboard.org/students-with-disabiliDes/documentaDon-
guidelines/disability-documentaDon

Sources
h]p://dyslexia.yale.edu/index.html
h]p://www.add.org/?page=college_accommod
h]ps://www.collegeboard.org/students-with-disabiliDes/
documentaDon-guidelines/adhd
h]p://www.understood.org/en
h]p://www.pacer.org/publicaDons/adaqa/504.asp
h]p://www.understandingspecialeducaDon.com/13-categories-of-
special-educaDon.html
h]p://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/arDcles/
504_IDEA_Rosenfeld.html
College Match by Steven Antono
On Your Own by Patricia Quinn, MD and Theresa E. Laurie Maitland,
PhD

Get the education

you deserve.