Helping Parents and Advocates Improve
Educational Results for Children with Disabilities
Helping Parents and Advocates Improve
Educational Results for Children with Disabilities
Pat Latham
Member, LDA Professional Advisory Board
We can all agree that excellence in education is a desirable goal. However, there is not a universal agreement on how to achieve excellence, what to measure, and how to measure it.
Some states are increasing the functional test performance required for a high school diploma. Does this mean that we will have a better educational system and a better educated citizenry? There is not a clear answer to this question. Does it mean that some students who now could graduate from high school will not be able to do so under the new higher functional test requirements? The answer is probably yes. Does it pose special problems for some students with learning disabilities? The answer is yes.
Let's explore two hypothetical situations illustrating the problems posed for particular students with learning disabilities.
Mathematics Disorder
Bob is a high school junior with a severe mathematics disorder. He does well in most other subjects and hopes to attend college that permits course substitution in mathematics.
A major problem has arisen. It is clear that Bob will not be able to pass the new functional mathematics test, even with the accommodation of extended time. He has difficulty recognizing numerical symbols, following sequential steps, and attending to multiple mathematical functions.
Certainly the higher standard will not result in an increase in Bob's mathematics skill level. His problem is not one of motivation. He has a true deficit. Further, it does not seem constructive to increase the requirements for high school graduation and thus prevent Bob from moving on to a higher education program in which he can succeed and pose a barrier for his entry into the workplace.
Expressive Writing Disorder
Beth is a high school junior. She has difficulty with the mechanics of writing, grammar and spelling. She also has difficulty attending to multiple functions simultaneously, such as formulating sentences, handwriting them, and attending to sentence structure, capitalization, grammar, and spelling. She is an excellent speaker, has good auditory processing skills, and does well on short answer and multiple choice tests.
For papers and long essay tests, she has been accommodated in high school by allowing her to dictate to a computer and then use a spell checker and a grammar checker. With these accommodations, her performance is adequate. Her high school counselor has told her that she will not be permitted these accommodations on her functional writing test.
Is she entitled to this accommodation? It depends on what we mean by writing. If we mean formulating and expressing thoughts in an organized manner in the form of sentences grouped into paragraphs, then the accommodation appears reasonable. It should not matter whether the sentences are dictated, keyed into a computer, or handwritten. Thus, Beth would be entitled to the accommodation of dictating to the computer. So would an individual with hand impairment interfering with handwriting and keying into the computer. However, if by writing we mean actually placing words on paper by the use of one's hands (handwriting or keying into the computer), then the accommodation of dictating may not be reasonable. In that case, Beth would be denied and so would an individual with a hand impairment.
Whether Beth would be permitted to use a spell checker or a grammar checker depends on whether or not the writing test includes testing grammar and spelling. Should the test include spelling? Should we deny a high school diploma to Beth because she has difficulty with spelling? It would appear most reasonable to view functional writing in the fundamental sense, thus allowing the full range of accommodations.
As to the more central issue of raising the bar for a high school diploma, surely there are alternative ways to promote excellence in education. The use of various levels of honors often has been a. way to motivate students to improve performance for a reward. Promotion of excellence in teaching and responsiveness to student needs should improve academic performance. However, increasing the number of students who are unable to obtain a high school diploma has serious ramifications. A greater number of students will be barred from postsecondary education, limited in the workplace, and driven to frustration and alienation. Clearly, such results are not desirable for the students or for society.
Pat Latham, JD, is the founder and president of a not-for-profit law center dedicated to providing information and education concerning the legal rights of individuals with learning disabilities. She is also a member of the LDA Professional Advisory Board.
Reprinted with permission from LDA Newsbriefs, May/June 1999
