Symposium Home | Introduction | Presentations
Speakers | Additional Resources 

On this page, you will find useful overviews of key points and issues, synopses of each session, and links to full powerpoint presentations (PPTs) as well as JAWS-reader accessible versions (Acc) for further information.  Follow along with the symposium schedule or click on one of the subject headings in the menu below to explore the wealth of valuable resources provided during this event by topic.  

Admissions Guidelines
Disability Service Personnel - Service & Supports
Documentation in Higher-Education
Exit Exams and Admissions Testing
Innovation and Technology
Legal Rights and Protections
National Longitudinal Transition Study Findings
Non-degree Learning Opportunities
Parents' Changing Roles in Postsecondary Education
Post-secondary Planning and Transition Strategies
Students with LD: personal accounts of the transition process 
Research on College Prep and Students with LD
Tech-Readiness for College

October 3, 2006 Tuesday

Opening Remarks: Preparing and Transitioning Students with Learning Disabilities into Higher Education 
Speakers: Kurt Landgraff, ETS/ Stevan Kukic, NCLD

Educational Testing Service (ETS) and National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) share the goal of expanding access to college for students with learning disabilities.  President and CEO of ETS, Kurt Landgraf, and NCLD Board member, Stevan Kukic articulate some of the challenges our nation faces in preparing and transitioning students, especially those with learning disabilities, from high school to college. Suggested areas for further exploration in order to improve college access and success for students with LD include:

• Equip high school personnel with the tools they need to prepare students for the college environment
• Ensure students have the social and life skills they need to handle postsecondary independence and the challenges associated with it
• Raise the level of expectation for the success of students with LD, and they will meet the challenge
• Educate university faculty on the needs of students with LD, so they can provide the necessary supports
• Continue quality research to find and implement the most equitable testing practices and accommodations in asessment situations 

The presentations below will address these issues and more, as well as propose solutions for increasing and supporting student success in post-secondary life.

Session I - Historical Context: The Evolution of Research on Students with Learning Disabilities in College and University Preparation, Access and Success (PPT)  (PPT-Acc)
Speaker: Noel Gregg, University of Georgia

Both the quality and volume of research on the preparation and transition of students with learning disabilities has been increasing steadily over the past three decades.  In addition to summarizing her research findings, Noel Gregg describes the trends and present condition of research on the topic of preparing and transitioning students with learning disabilities into college.  Her presentation covers the main characteristics of prominent research on the topic, prevailing research methods and noteworthy findings. 

Gregg describes what she considers to be the strengths and limitations of existing research, and where to focus future work to make greater strides in preparing and transitioning students to college.  Specifically, Gregg points to the concept of academic capitalism, which turned higher education into a business and students into consumers.  This transformation in academia means that greater collaboration between public and private organizations as well as between coprorations, government, and schools are essential for student success.  In addition, she proposes a wider variety of support programs be made available to service individual needs through networks of private and corporate systems.

Session II - The Progress and Status of Legal Rights and Protections in College Access (PPT-H) (PPT-P) (PPT-P, Acc)
Speakers: Salome Heyward, Salome Heyward & Associates and Diana Pullin, Boston College

State and federal laws play a vital role in the preparation and transition of students with learning disabilities from high school to college, as well as the quality of education they receive.  Recent legislation, such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), greatly affect students with LD as they transition from secondary to postsecondary education. There is a clear distinction between the legal protections availabl to students with disabilities in primary and secondary school and the rights and supports available to students in higher education. 

In this presentation, Diana Pullin focuses on secondary school preparation for transition, and notes the issues connected to accommodations, high-stakes testing, and supporting students without adequate transition plans as well as those students whose learning disability does not manifest until more advanced education levels.  Salome Heyward addresses issues in postsecondary education, and points out key areas of conflict related to documentation of a disability through colleges and universities, student ability to self-advocate for services, the changing role of parents, and the variable definition of reasonable accommodations across higher education institutions.  Together, Pullin and Heyward examine recent court cases related to transition planning, disability documentation, and the provision of accommodations for students with LD, and highlight the major areas of consideration for students' postsecondary success. 

Session III - Innovation and Technology: Two Key Ingredients for Improving Preparation and Transition to College (PPT) (PPT-Acc)
Speaker: Richard Varn, RJV Consulting

As with all students, the ability of students with LD to compete and succeed in college and the global marketplace depends upon the quality of their educational preparation and the systems upon which their education is built.  Today, more than ever, technology and innovation underpin the effectiveness of transition planning. Varn discusses how technology is reshaping the schools and education systems that students with learning disabilities rely upon for postsecondary preparation, and its impact on the university and college campuses these students will be entering.  Key issues that policymakers, educators, parents, and students must confront to close current gaps in access for students wil LD are also presented.

According to Varn, there are inherent advantages to technology in education.  Some of the steps we should consider when preparing students for future success are:

• Customizing and individualizing student instruction
• Democratization of access to tools, services, and supports
• Exploring a nonlinear educational process (self-directed learning)
• Collaborative learning (across boundaries, industries, and location)
• Differentiating roles and specializing educator focus
• Instant access to knowledge in all its forms (print, audio, video)

Next: Symposium Presentations Continued 

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