LD Resources and Learning Centre

Colleges and Universities A-Z Colorado College
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<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>These are notes I took fall of 2008, so some things may have changed by now. However, I think it is a safe bet that the positive attitude towards LD students remains.</p>

<p>The Learning Center and the Disabilities Services Office are located in the well-lit and big-windowed basement of the library. *There are separate areas for the Writing Center and the Math Center, which has multiple rooms for tutorials and group work. *There is a comfortable and much used study lounge with floor to ceiling windows. *I was told that even some of the best writers use the Writing Center as they appreciate being able to read their work to someone and get educated feedback. *Apparently the Math Center is always buzzing with several groups of students working on math sets.</p>

<p>There is a computer lab with both Macs and PCs with sophisticated programs for Powerpoint, photoshoping, page layouts with photos, LD technology, and other. *The Tech Director was very friendly and acted like he has the most fun job in the world. </p>

<p>We were fortunate to meet with the Disabilities Director well ahead of the Orientation rush, and I really recommend this for anyone who can come early. *She is exceptionally warm and friendly and treated us like she had nothing else to do except talk with us and make sure S gets what he needs. She appeared familiar with S's file. *I am incredibly impressed. Threads on other schools have discussed road blocks that some schools put up to interfere with students receiving their accommodations. *At CC, it appears that the test results insure easy access to both accommodations and technology. *</p>

<p>The amount of technology available for LD students is absolutely mind-boggling, and CC appears to make sure it is available to students and that they get the assistance they need to use it. About 10% of CC students come with documented disabilities. *Overall, they tend to do very well, partly because students self-select for the Block Plan. *If students know they have difficulty absorbing material in a short period of time, they don't come. *The director said that a student with severe dyslexia would have problems because of the reading load, though they do have the tech for students to be able to listen to their reading assignments. </p>

<p>S has a mild written output LD. *He will receive use of his laptop in class and, if he feels he needs it, extra time for testing and a quiet testing space. *He is also eligible to have a paid student note taker. *I have encouraged him to use this service to assist him in learning how to take good notes, as this is not something he had to do in HS. </p>

<p>I'm not positive of the following details, but I think the director said S is responsible for communicating his needs to his profs. *She sends S an email showing the accommodations for which he is eligible. *He then prints this and gives it to each teacher at the beginning of the block, and they work out the details together. </p>

<p>The director said that she has had almost no problems with any of the faculty regarding acommodations. *She does training with them, especially new faculty. *Occasionally there is an issue with visiting faculty, but these get sorted out quickly. *The faculty are sufficiently sensitive that sometimes they refer a student to her if they feel the student is having undue difficulty. *Sometimes she discovers an LD that the student has not disclosed, sometimes it is just the intensity of the load that brings one out. *These students can then be tested and potentially receive accommodations. </p>

<p>The current LD tech avilable is science fiction material. *There is a "smart pen" which records a lecture as you write notes on *a special pad. *If you want to hear the material again, you just touch the pen to the note and it will playback only what was being said during the time the note was written. *Or touch the space between notes and hear parts of the lecture you believe you missed. *You can also draw a keyboard and then doodle music on it with the pen. And many more features. *CC uses the LiveScribe which they loan out to students or which can be purchased for about $200. I wish I'd had a smart pen, because I'm not sure about the notes I took after our meeting. Someone please correct me if the following info on tech is wrong. *All is available at CC, but I may not be correct on some of the details. </p>

<p>There is a program that will read you what you typed so you can do audial editing, which can be very effective for written output LDs. *You can even program in your own voice. They also have voice recognition programs so you can speak rather than write essays. *Apparently the profs use this more than the students! The Kurzweil 3000 can convert any book to audio. *They cut off the binding, feed it into the computer, and export it to your iPod. Then the book is rebound into a more open format that many students prefer. I think the Kurzweil 3000 can also show you screen text and highlight words as it reads to you, and also teach study skills. There is another program called (I think) Read and Write Gold. * It can read things that are not easily readable by computers (like text in a photo) and convert to audio. And there is more stuff that I can't remember. * Much is available on loan, and the rest is in the computer lab. </p>

<p>The students are offered sessions on all the tech aides, and of course help is available in the lab. The director also offers a course on how to read for different purposes, for instance, how much and what kind of info is needed for a class discussion versus a paper on the topic. *I sure wish I'd had this rather than believing I needed to read every single word! . </p>

<p>Although the students bid on their orientation First Year Experience, the person in charge also spends a lot of time looking through their profiles to make sure they are matched with a class and advisor who will give them a good experience. *For instance, they make sure that a reading LD kid does not take one of the heaviest reading load classes for their first experience. *I was really impressed with all the care that is taken to insure that the FYE chosen is one the students want and also one that matches their abilities.</p>

<p>The Director told me that CC is a great place to work, that the faculty is given lots of support. *Hopefully this translates into the kind of student support that was indicated in our meeting.</p>

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<p>PS</p>

<p>I don’t know where all the *** s came from, perhaps a function of the copy and paste. They are meaningless.</p>

3

<p>Canadian mom… I’m curious if you revealed your S’s LD on his college app. I know my S is going to fall in love with CC and we were hoping his chances would be good. He is a B, B+ student from a top 50 private prep school, with great SAT scores and a A LOT of EC’s with leadership that would fit into CC’s atmosphere. I’m worried if he doesn’t reveal his LD they might think he is just lazy based on his high SAT scores and not so hot grades. He does take challenging classes because he loves to learn, but never can seem to get that A because of his lack of details. Just wanted your opinion. Or anyone else’s for that matter.</p>

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<p>boys…of course you should disclose it because it presents the total basis on which the admissions committe can evaluate the chances for his success at CC. You will find them to be very accepting of that. Explain why CC is the right fit…nurturing, provide the right resources for your son to succeed and especially the value of the block plan so that your son can concentrate on one thing at a time without distraction. I think you will find the overall impression of the adcom very receptive…and if he is hooked on the school applying ED will strengthen his position. A total lack of enthusiasm for everything CC, plus lots of demonstrated interest might help. They also offer to ahve some frehman start in January after graduation. I beleive they ahve a harder time getting kids to take that option…so I would even offer to ahve him express an interest in a Winter start…might help him out and definitely helps the school out if they know they have a student committed to start at that time of year…not ideal for him, I am sure…but if it becomes his dream school, pull out all the stops to make sure he gets what he wants!</p>

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<p>Sorry about comment above…I meant he should show a “total boatload” of enthusiasm for everything CC…not lack of enthusiasm…glad I caught that!</p>

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<p>Thanks again flyboy!!! It does make sense to disclose so that CC can fully understand his capabilities. I think that if he is doing as well as he is at one of the hardest HS’s in the country with NO accommodations than he should do great at CC with all the help available. Also, if he does end up, like I know he will, LOVING CC than I’m sure he will make it known and also apply ED OR EA. He also wants to take a gap year, so I’m not sure if that would help, as opposed to starting in January, although I don’t think he would rule that out. He wants to spend a year getting his EMT, hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, traveling abroad, and maybe doing some medical volunteering. I think colleges are all for it nowadays. It looks like from the Naviance from his school, although there haven’t been a ton of applicants… at this school kids all want the ivy’s, that he has a pretty good chance of getting in, at least as it stands right now.</p>

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<p>5Boys…One last thing…the summer between my junior and senior year in HS, I came out and did a summer block to show my interest, show them what I was capable of and to personally test drive the block plan…all worked out perfectly as here I am! Good luck!!</p>

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<p>The summer school things sound great. I will have my S look into for next summer. Do they have anything during the summer school sessions when your not in class, where you could some outdoor activities? He would just HATE being in Colorado for a month:-))))</p>

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<p>5boys,</p>

<p>We did not reveal the LD, though I anonymously sussed out the LD centre as to their attitudes. However, my S sounds academically different than yours. GPA 3.4, SATs 690 + 720 + 650 = 2060. Consistent, good but not great, and though he went to a top prep school here, it would not have been known to CC. CC was a stretch for him.</p>

<p>I think he was helped by his being Canadian and also that his EC’s (high level sports, wilderness leadership training, top award in art) as well as his enthusiastic nature were so clearly demonstrable as a perfect CC fit.</p>

<p>If your S needs to explain the failure-to-A in algebra, writing about his self-insight after discovering the LD and how he uses this despite lack of accommodations might be good.</p>

<p>I hope your S will visit, so he can be very detailed in why CC is perfect for him. Also, ED1 gives a definite advantage that EA does not give. Check out the CD Set on admissions.</p>

<p>Flyboy’s idea on the Jan admit is interesting, but here is a caution. The CC orientation is TERRIFIC and might be particularly important for an LD kid. A weekend of events on campus, some with parents, then a 5 day service trip (your son will probably want one of the wilderness trips), followed by a 2 block FYE. These are really interesting courses taught to small groups, and the kids are helped to come up to collegiate speed.</p>

<p>However, if your S was deferred from ED (or even if rejected, which would greatly surprise me), an offer to do the Jan admit might up his chances again.</p>

<p>BTW, it amazes that his school is not required to give accommodations. Private schools here do.</p>

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<p>Thanks again Canadianmom! Yeah I have the same reservations about the Jan. admit. I know my S will REALLY want to do the wilderness orientation thing. I know that TK said his S said it was amazing. Hopefully he won’t have to worry about that and get admitted ED. Like I said, he is going to definitely defer for a year, so if he for some chance doesn’t get in ED he can tell CC about that.</p>

<p>I had already thought about how an essay about his experience with the successful 1 month summer school class would be great. It definitely made my S really sure about CC, although he will visit next year and sit in on a class so he can really understand the intensity of the block plan. I am still worried a little about the science classes for med school, but from some peoples posts so far, they have seemed to somewhat reassure me.</p>

<p>His private school does have to provide some accommodations; extended time, small testing setting, but they dot allow recorded devices for notes, which is really what my S needs. His teacher’s have been so helpful though; letting him do some stuff orally for extra credit, helping him after school with his writing and lab reports etc.</p>

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<p>As of fall 2009, the Disability Services office was distributing LiveScribe Smart Pens including media to Colorado College students free of charge for use in CC classrooms. How many were available, I do not know.</p>

<p>[Livescribe</a> :: Never Miss A Word](<a href=“http://www.livescribe.com/Smartpen/index.html]Livescribe”>http://www.livescribe.com/Smartpen/index.html)</p>

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<p>It is the COOLEST tech. If I were in school again, I’d definitely get one.</p>

13

<p>5boys,</p>

<p>Sometimes CC will arrange for an overnight stay as well as class attendance. Only for seniors, though, I think. I managed to arrange a private overnight for my son, which he really enjoyed. The overnights can give a kid a clearer impression of the school than visiting a class, because sometimes the classes they are allowed to attend are not ones that interest them.</p>

<p>Only caveat for overnights is that kids will often be offered drugs or alcohol . Interestingly, CC was the only school where my S was NOT offered these.</p>