Academic support model for post-secondary school students with learning disabilities: student and instructor perceptions

ABSTRACT

While post-secondary school students with learning difficulties confront many challenges, there is little research on methods of support. In the current study, the ‘adapted course’ model was qualitatively examined from the perspective of both students and instructors. The main goal was to explore how students and instructors perceived the instruction in adapted courses. Five pre-service students with learning disabilities (LD) and/or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and three instructors were interviewed. Responses were analysed using subjective analysis, with central content categories identified based on student and instructor statements. Six main themes emerged: (1) small class size; (2) emotional support; (3) adjusted teaching methods; (4) independent practice exercises; (5) instruction by modelling; and (6) instructor characteristics. The current study can inform pedagogical principles on which a support model for post-secondary students with LD can be based. It provides analyses of the effectiveness of one support model and presents the perceptions of both faculty and students. Moreover, the study provides an opportunity to learn about potential components of effective teaching-learning, not only in the specific context of adapted courses, but in any supportive learning situation (e.g. tutoring) or course.

KEYWORDS:

• Higher education
• inclusive education
• instructor
• model of support
• learning disabilities and/or ADHD

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Orly Lipka, PhD, is a lecturer at the department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa Israel and a member at the Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the study of learning disabilities. She holds a Ph.D. from The University of British Columbia, Vancouver Canada. Her research interests include literacy interventions, learning disabilities, diverse learners, teacher training, students at risk at the post-secondary educations and models of support at the post-secondary education.

Alona Forkosh-Baruch, PhD, is senior faculty at Levinsky College of Education and a researcher at Tel Aviv University School of Education. Her research focuses on the intersection between the information era and education, including social media in education, ICT in K12 and higher education (including teacher education), innovative pedagogical practices using technology, and educational transformations in the information era focusing also on inclusion of students with special needs.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Levinskey College, Israel.