Engaging Learning Disabilities in Higher Education

Engaging

Learning Disabilities in Higher

Education Underscoring the campus’s commitment towards inclusivity, staff at Cave Hill have received guidance on how they can better assist students with learning disabilities to reach their educational goals. Educational Psychologist Dr. Andrea Dennison explored the issue last April during a lecture hosted by the Office of Student Services on the topic “Disability Inclusion in Higher Education: Learning Accommodations”. The focus was

Dr. Andrea Dennison

on dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that, according to her, are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

“Unfortunately, in schools across the world, sometimes children who are slower to learn how to read or have difficulty with reading, even into teenage years … are mislabelled as being defiant or naughty or not very intelligent, when actually, it’s a genuine difficulty that they have with reading which we tend to call dyslexia,” she said.

Dr. Dennison, therefore, recommended several accommodations that lecturers can make to facilitate their students. However, she explained this does not mean giving them an unfair advantage over their peers, but rather, it’s about removing barriers to learning.

She also suggested giving the students information beforehand, particularly if a new topic is being introduced. Another recommendation is to adapt the way information is imparted to the student.

“For example, variety is the key. If you’re going to stand up and talk at students for an hour, they’re not going to respond as well as if you were having a more interactive element or a more visual element to it. [Further], a lot of text and reading isn’t great for students with dyslexia. And for students with ADHD, if you change the variety of what you do, that’s going to keep them engaged,” she said.

Dr. Dennison, who is also a member of the Barbados Society of Psychology, noted that there is a stigma against learning disabilities and mental health issues, and the organisation is working to change that.

“If you know there are students with learning disabilities or difficulties, try to be sensitive about that especially if you’re giving a group tutorial or doing a group reading activity; you’re maybe not going to go to the person with dyslexia first.”

“We haven’t really got a robust system yet here in Barbados for what I believe is most important, which is early intervention. Because if we can help parents and teachers at that early age, then that’s going to help.

“I don’t actually know if there’s a solution. I think part of it is on a wider society level – about having conversations about disability. And actually, we all have difficulties in some things, we all have strengths … But I think there’s also another conversation that may be needed at a higher level about helping persons, whether they’re children or adults; when they’re finding things difficult, to actually be able to seek the services and get the help that they need.”

She told the online audience, however, that she is encouraged by the signs of an increasing awareness of disability and mental health issues.

“I do sense that things are shifting. I’m not from Barbados, but I’ve been here nine years and I’ve certainly seen a shift in some things in relation to mental health; not a huge shift, but in my opinion, things, from what I observed, are kind of going in the right direction,” Dr. Dennison said. l