From priority course registration to extended time for exams, the Office of Disabilities at Keene State College offers several services to students with learning disabilities.
Approximately 180 students are approved by ODS to receive the services offered, but, according to Director of ODS Jane Warner, only about half of the students put these services to use, according to Warner.
Warner said she works with ODS students at accommodating to the way they learn in the classroom. Most of the students Warner works with suffer from issues with spelling, writing and organization, she said.
“It’s a big difference, high school and college,” Warner said. She said a lot of students with learning disabilities have more personal attention in high school that a college just can’t offer. For example, Warner said high school students have actual humans to take notes and discuss them one-on-one with students.
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“With over four-thousand students it’s impossible to give them the services they received in high school,” Warner said. But, according to Warner, ODS still works to provide services to help ease the way students learn.
Shelby Pierce is a senior at KSC and utilizes the majority of services provided to her as a student with learning disabilities. Distraction-free environments, Livescribe pens, extended time on tests and alternative textbooks are just the beginning of the services Pierce receives to help overcome her disabilities.
“I probably would not be in college if it wasn’t for these services,” Pierce said. “Once I saw how much better I did in class with these services, I realized [ODC] was the best resource,” she said.
“A lot of students are hesitant – I was too!” Pierce said. Pierce encourages students with learning disabilities to use the services they are approved for, “Don’t be hesitant, get over that wave of insecurity.”
“Once I saw myself getting good grades, I got this tingly feeling and remembered ‘I can do this’,” Pierce said.
Popular services used by eligible students include Livescribe pens, screen readers, alternative text and extended time for exams, according to Warner. Of the students with learning disabilities, approximately 60 of them are approved for alternative text but only half of those students utilize the service, Warner said.
Assistive Technical Coordinator Alyssa Marinaccio said roughly 20 students utilize the Livescribe pens. These pens are made to help students who struggle with note taking. Students are able to speak directly into the pen, record a lecture and write notes. At their own leisure, students have the ability to listen to what they’ve written and hear what they have recorded.
After three years as AT Coordinator, Marinaccio said she has seen a dramatic increase in the amount of technology used by ODS students.
“As the technology improved, more students became independent,” Marinaccio said. She said these services help to make every student feel equal. According to Marinaccio, ODS uses a program called “Read Write Gold.” This program is designed to help students with services such as on-text reading, researching and spell check for written work.
“It’s a way for students to feel like they’re not left out,” Marinaccio said about the Read Write Gold program. Marinaccio said the program is free for any student to download, whether they have a learning disability or not.
“I’d like to see more professors have the program,” Marinaccio said. She said classrooms would be more successful if the program had a universal design. “The more experience, the better,” Marinaccio said.
Warner said ODS “helps remove the stigma” students with learning disabilities tend to receive. “Everyone has to find their way,” she said.
Aspire Academic Counselor Chris Hrynowski also works closely with students with learning disabilities. “Students are left on their own a lot more in college than in high school,” she said. Hrynowski said she works with students to find their niche. “Some think they can do it on their own, but some also come back for support,” she said.
Hrynowski said she often helps students with scheduling issues. “A lot of students get overwhelmed, they need to be able to see their required tasks week by week,” she said.
“Students are independent, we try to reach out to them but they can’t be forced,” Hrynowski remarked about students with learning disabilities that do not utilize the services available to them.
If you ever feel overwhelmed, academic counselors are available at TRIO and Aspire. Students who think they are eligible for learning disability services are encouraged to apply at ODS.
MacKenzie can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com
