Disability Resource Center

More Alike Than Different

DRC Learning Skills Program

The Learning Skills Program is designed to serve students with learning disabilities. These challenges can affect classroom performance, making it difficult for students to succeed without classroom accommodations and specific compensatory techniques, specialized instruction, or other support services.

Students may be referred by instructors, counselors, or community agencies. After an initial interview, individual diagnosis testing is conducted. Upon completion of the assessment, the student meets with an LD Specialist for an interpretation of the test results and receives recommendations to enhance academic success.

The program has three components: The Evaluation component includes: Guidance 557 - Learning Skills Evaluation.

The Instructional component includes:

• Guidance 558 - Learning Skills Laboratory
• Guidance 560 - Individualized Basic Skills Development
• Guidance 561 - Basic Writing Skills
• Guidance 562 - Directed Study Lab in Arithmetic
• Guidance 563 - Directed Study Lab in Algebra
• Guidance 564 - Directed Study Lab in Pre-Algebra

The Services component allows students with verified learning disabilities to request special services and accommodations, including priority registration, note taker services, and extended time on exams.

Referral
Students may be referred by instructors, counselors, community agencies or may refer themselves. An appointment is scheduled for an initial interview where the student and specialist can discuss any problems the student is experiencing in learning and decide whether further assessment is appropriate.

Evaluation and Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities
After the initial interview, an individual diagnostic evaluation is conducted by appointment. The evaluation includes an achievement component in basic skills, such as reading, spelling, math, and written language and a cognitive / perceptual component which includes auditory and visual memory and perception, and verbal and non-verbal reasoning abilities. Upon completion of the assessment, a diagnosis of the student's specific learning disability is made, if indicated. The Learning Disabilities Specialist makes recommendations for placement in the Learning Skills Laboratory, if appropriate, and/or in other college programs or courses. The evaluation, recommendations and suggested learning strategies are discussed with the student.

Student Educational Contracts
If, after completion of the diagnostic assessment, the Learning Disabilities Specialist determines that the student is eligible for the Learning Skills Program, the specialist develops a Student Educational Contract for the student. The Contract includes long term goals and each semester's objectives (college courses and/or student educational contract).

The Learning Skills Lab includes instruction in the following areas:
	Reading Spelling Writing Mathematics (Reasoning & Computation) Organization & Study Skills Learning Strategies & Techniques Other Academic Subjects as Needed

Instruction
The program offers four types of instruction:

• Small groups
• One-to-one tutoring
• Supervised independent labwork
• Support Classes

The instruction is based on the Student's Educational Contract and may include reading comprehension, spelling, writing, grammar, mathematical computation, application, learning strategies, on-line research, and word processing.