Number of disabled students in college increasing

by Matt Coughlin staff writer

The number of students attending college with disabilities has risen considerably.

The most recent study released by the American Council on Education from 1998 shows that 9.4 percent of college freshmen report having some kind of disability. That figure is up from three percent in 1978.

More students with learning disabilities are getting the attention they need as well.

Ten years ago, 15 percent of those reporting disabilities were learning disabled, compared with 41 percent in 1998.

Currently, Cabrini provides services for 83 students suffering from some kind of disability, 75 of whom are learning disabled.

While some argue that the term, "learning disabled" is overused, others explain that for every case of overuse there are other students who go undiagnosed as learning disabled.

"What's reported [tbe number of] students I have records on .is definitely not as many as there are," said Andrea Maneval, coordinator for disability support services.

While she agrees that at times learning disabilities may be overdiagnosed, Maneval explains that students at Cabrini must qualify for learning disabilities services.

To qualify, students must submit a copy of a comprehensive psycho-educational evaluation from the preceding three years, by a licensed or school-certified psychologist.

"I've had more students who have a disability and refuse to dis- . close it and therefore are not getting the help they need," Maneval said.

While not all students may be getting the help they need, awareness of learning disabilities is on the rise.

Since the 1970s, Congress has passed the Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with

Disabilities Act. These prohibit discrimination against those with disabilities and require educational assistance for those in need.

"Cabrini is really far ahead of other places I've seen the Disability Advisory Committee is a really active group," added general population.

The learning specialists work with learning disabled students to help them develop study and notetaking strategies, organization and time management, as well as help with writing and test-taking.

"We provide additional support so students with disabilities can learn to be more independent," Maneval said.

At Villanova University, two percent of the student population are learning disabled.

At Villanova, learning disability students are required to request aid at the beginning of each semester.

While currently there are approximately 100 students classified as learning disabled, there are 150 such students documented from last semester. Villanova provides services much like those at Cabrini.

In addition to learning specialists, Cabrini Support Services offers learning disabled students the use of assistive technology. One special technological aid that Cabrini uses is the Kurzweil 3000.

The Kurzweil 3000 is software technology that allows students to scan in their textbooks and read them along a highlighted screen. Simultaneously, the computer reads aloud the text.

"Students who have difficulty reading follow along on the screen and it highlights as it goes .learning using visual and auditory methods," Maneval said. While the support services department helps to provide the necessary accommodations for disabled students, they are not the only support that the students are offered.

The support services department provides learning specialists in addition to the tutors used by the

One option that Villanova offers is note-takers. "Another student in class would take the notes for the student," said Nancy Mott of Villanova.

''The disabilities support office is not the only person or place that works with students with disabilities, it is a campus wide commitment," Maneval said.