Confirming the Need for Individual Accommodations for Students with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

College and university officials are seeking efficient methods for determining and documenting the accommodation needs of students with disabilities. Unfortunately, without information about the student's underlying intrinsic processing deficits, many educators are providing ineffective accommodation plans. Using the Learning Disabilities Diagnostic Inventory, we examined the accommodation needs of students with learning disabilities being served in a fee-for-service learning disabilities program. We found that postsecondary students with learning disabilities have a variety of intrinsic processing deficits. We document the necessity for student-specific accommodations based on processing deficits, promote student self-advocacy, and discuss the role of advisors in assisting students.