Lesson 12: Educational Supports
Attention
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:
- Discuss the relationship between education and vocational planning
- Identify ways in which our culture defines Learning Disabilities and how those definitions create barriers
Teaching
This is a great topic to be discussing here at KVCC. It is, in fact, one of our specialties! Not only is KVCC cheaper than most colleges in Maine, the support services for individuals with disabilities (any kind of disability) are second to none...however, it is not without it's challenges!
For this chapter I'm going to have you focus on the work that goes on at KVCC (and it's associated organizations and progams). This is a great opportunity to develop an understanding of how this really works!
Learning Disabilities and KVCC
I'll relate to you my own experiences in this particular issue. Prior to coming to teach at KVCC I was the director of a state-wide Independent Living program serving all manner of individuals with disabilities. My entire career, one can say, has been based in disability work.
When I was hired at KVCC I was well aware of the college's track record for exceptional services for person's with disabilities but I was in for some surprises. Once I was a teacher I become very committed to the idea of "integrity" and "consistency" in my classes. My class had to be "as good as" or better than the same classes taught at other colleges so that the credits would transfer. The battle was on, and remains to this day, of how do we balance the integrity and academic rigor of a college class AND best serve individuals with disabilities (particularly learning disabilities) who might be taking that class???
One thing that I began to observe was this...many individuals with learning disabilities maintained the belief that when they were having difficult learning something it was because of the disability. They also maintained that the concepts or skills would come easy to them if they did not have a disability (mostly by observing others more skilled than them). This is, in fact, very wrong. Much of what people learn in college is difficult because the concepts and skills are complex and difficult to master! Many people have trouble with them, disability or not. Some people are very good at college and they seemingly glide along, but most people struggle with one thing or another.
Making this distinction has been my quest in my various roles at KVCC. I advocate for a full understanding of the actual impact of a learning disability (many of which we don't really fully understand). I also advocate that we "push" our students to abandon a "helpless" approach to learning. Finally, I advocate for students to take risks and try new things and challege the supposed limits of their abilities (by this I mean all of us, not just those with disabilities). All in all, my efforts have been very rewarding!
Supported Education
For all the reasons many people want to pursue higher education, persons with mental illness want to pursue higher education (better jobs, more satisfying jobs, better pay, prestige, accomplishment, etc.)
Barriers in Supported Education
- Stigma
- Stress
- Symptoms and Side Effects
- Negative Expectations (from self and others)
- Financial Challeges
- Negative School Experiences
Programs at KVCC
The principle program to assist individuals with disabities at KVCC is the TRIO program located in King Hall.
Assessment
Possible Class Discussion
How do students with disabilities perceive the difficulty of class material? Is "difficulty" too often associated with disability instead of being attributed to the nature of the material?
Lesson 12 Quiz
- Reflect upon the relationship between increased educational demands and vocational rehabilitation