Helping the learning-disabled prepare for college

As we head into mid-August, it's time to start thinking about students heading back to school or heading off to college.  USA Today earlier this week published a tremendous article about "Project Access," a program designed to help those with learning disabilities get prepared for college. 

Nationwide, programs like Project Access are blossoming.  As the article mentions, "the number of such programs has increased tenfold," since 2001. 

That's tremendous, as expectations are beginning to change.  Just because you have a learning disability doesn't mean you can't go on to college.  In fact, in our experience at Northwestern, the highest percentage of students helped by the Office of Services for Students With Disabilities (SSD) were students with learning disabilities.  Much of SSD's efforts were centered around providing extended time on tests, the need for a quieter work environment than the lecture hall, or any other accommodation.

The more comfortable these students feel in asking for help, the more successful they'll be in college and beyond. And that's precisely the goal of programs like "Project Access."