Integration Factors Related to the Academic Success and Intent to Persist of College Students with Learning Disabilities

Despite increased enrollment, outcomes such as grade point average (GPA), persistence, and graduation rates for college students with learning disabilities (LD) continue to lag behind those of their nondisabled peers. Reasons for the differences vary but may include academic and social integration, factors identified as important to the success of college students in general. This research investigated the relative influence of background characteristics, precollege achievement, and college integration variables on the academic success and intent to persist of college freshmen and sophomores with LD. While academic and social integration were not unique predictors of college GPA, both integration variables were unique predictors of intent to persist. The findings suggest that beyond high school achievement and background characteristics, college experiences as captured by academic and social integration are promising constructs to help explain the persistence of college students with LD. Implications for future research and practices for high school and college personnel are discussed.     

Differences in transitional needs of high school students with and without learning disabilities

Studies investigating the post-high-school vocational status of individuals with disabilities have frequently found that these individuals are more likely to be unemployed, underemployed, or employed part-time, when compared to nondisabled peers. Transition programs are needed for adolescents with disabilities to facilitate their vocational success. The current study surveyed 80 high school students with learning disabilities (LD) and 80 nondisabled (NLD) peers to determine their transitional needs. Results indicated that (a) more students with LD than NLD students are involved in transition programs; (b) career goals were established by the majority of both groups; (c) parents provided most of the assistance in making career decisions; and (d) twice as many NLD students as students with LD wanted to go to college, while twice as many students with LD as NLD students wanted to enter the job market. More students with LD than NLD students were aware of vocational rehabilitation (VR) services, but the number was still below 50%. The majority of the information about VR services came from the school.     

A comparison of children with and without learning disabilities on social problem-solving skill, school behavior, and family background

The study compared 86 children with learning disabilities (LD) with 86 matched children without learning disabilities (NLD) on three domains of variables: social problem-solving skill, teacher-rated school behavior and competence, and family background. The children with LD and the NLD group differed on variables in all three domains. More specifically, the children with LD were able to generate fewer alternatives for solving social problem situations, showed less tolerance for frustration and less adaptive assertiveness, and had more overall classroom behavior problems and less personal and social competence in a variety of areas as rated by teachers. Children having LD also showed more family background difficulties (e.g., lack of educational stimulation at home, economic difficulties). The findings suggest the need for greater attention to social and behavioral remediation for children with LD and greater involvement of their families, in addition to the cognitive and academic remediation emphasized in existing curricula for children with LD.     

Subgroups of Attributional Profiles in Students with Learning Difficulties and Their Relation to Self‐Concept and Academic Goals

The aim of this article was fourfold: first, to determine whether there are significant differences between students with (N= 173) and without learning disabilities (LD; N= 172) in the dimensions of self‐concept, causal attributions, and academic goals. Second, to determine whether students with LD present a uniform attributional profile or whether there are subgroups of attributional profiles among students with LD. Third, to explore differences between these profiles on the dimensions of self‐concept, academic goals, perception of competence‐incompetence, persistence when faced with failure, peer relationships, and academic achievement. Fourth, to determine whether there are significant differences in the dimensions of self‐concept and academic goals between NLD students and the different LD subgroups. The results indicate the existence of two very distinct attributional profiles in students with LD (Helplessness Profile and Adaptive Profile). The implications of these data with regard to theory and research, as well as educational practice, are discussed.     

Lexical access in college students with learning disabilities: an electrophysiological and performance-based investigation

The purpose of this study was to compare the semantic processing abilities of college students with learning disabilities (LD) to those of their peers without learning disabilities (NLD) who were matched for age, gender, and intelligence. Participants were compared on results from the Test of Adolescent/Adult Word Finding (TAWF) and from event-related potential (N400) sampling to the processing of semantically incongruous sentences. The LD and NLD groups did not significantly differ in accuracy on the TAWF; however, students with LD demonstrated a significantly greater number of delayed responses. The LD group's N400 responses were significantly delayed at the Pz electrode site. Effect size indicators also revealed somewhat reduced amplitudes at Fz and Cz locations. The significant delays of the students with LD on standardized testing and on N400 suggest an inefficiency in the semantic processing of these individuals, in both automatic and attention-based aspects of lexical access.     

The socioemotional adjustment of adolescents with LD in the kibbutz during high school transition periods

This study examined several aspects of the socioemotional experiences (i.e., loneliness, social skills, reciprocal friendship, reciprocal rejection, and social status) of adolescents with and without learning disabilities in an Israeli kibbutz environment during school transition periods. The sample consisted of 106 students with learning disabilities (LD; 74 boys and 32 girls) and 101 students without learning disabilities (NLD; 62 boys and 39 girls) drawn from seventh grade (i.e., early adolescence) and ninth grade (i.e., middle adolescence). The results revealed that seventh- and ninth-grade adolescents with LD received more social peer rejection than did NLD group adolescents, and students with LD were judged by their teachers to exhibit lower social skills and higher behavioral problems than their classmates. No significant group differences were found on loneliness, but an age-related increase in loneliness feelings was noted, which was independent from group membership and gender. Gender differences on self-report, peer ratings, and teachers' ratings on social measures in favor of girls were demonstrated. The discussion focuses on the potential impact of school transitions and of the developmental environment provided in the kibbutz on adolescents' socioemotional functioning and adjustment.     

Social Attributions of Students With Learning Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine the social attributions of students with learning disabilities (LD) compared to those of nonlearning-disabled (NLD) low- achieving (LA) and average-achieving (AA) students. Ninety-two subjects partici- pated in the study; 32 students with LD and two matched control groups that consisted of 29 LA and 33 AA students. The results indicated that students with LD were likely to exhibit different social attribution patterns than did their NLD peers. They displayed a greater tendency to use external factors in explaining their social successes and failures, while attributing their successes to internal factors, than did LA and AA students. LA and AA students, conversely, were more likely to use interactional explanations of social events.     

LD status and achievement: confounding variables in the study of children's social status, self-esteem, and behavioral functioning

The purpose of the present study was to examine the role of achievement in explaining the poor social and behavioral functioning associated with LD status, and to evaluate potential gender differences in patterns of interpersonal functioning among youth with learning disabilities (LD) and nondisabled (NLD) youth. Thirty-two students with learning disabilities (21 boys, 11 girls) were matched with same-sex, same-race classmates whose reading achievement was low (LA) or average (AA), and these groups were compared on peer ratings of liking and disliking, perceptions of self-worth and social acceptance, and teacher ratings of conduct problems, anxiety-withdrawal, and attention problems. Students with learning disabilities were less accepted and less well-liked than children in the LA or AA groups and also perceived their self-worth and social acceptance to be lower than LA or AA students. Group by Sex interactions were apparent for several of the peer rating and behavioral variables, indicating that different patterns of social and behavioral functioning distinguished LD boys and LD girls from their NLD peers. The findings highlight the potential role of low achievement in peers' dislike of LD girls and suggest the importance of investigating well-defined subgroups of youth with LD in future research.     

Hope as a Mediator of Loneliness and Academic Self‐efficacy Among Students With and Without Learning Disabilities during the Transition to College

The transition to college often occasions excitement as well as elevated stress for students. The latter may be especially the case for those with learning disabilities (LD), who can encounter problems both socially and academically. This study follows students both with and without LD during the first month of college to explore the relationships between LD status and two outcomes: loneliness/social distress and academic self‐efficacy. In particular, we hypothesized that hope and optimism would mediate the relationship between LD status and these outcomes. The sample consisted of 344 first‐year undergraduates at the beginning of the academic year (Time‐1) and a month later (Time‐2). Results showed that LD status predicted Time‐2 levels of academic self‐efficacy and loneliness only indirectly, demonstrating that relationships between LD and loneliness as well as between LD and academic self‐efficacy are mediated by hope.     

Direct and indirect measures of writing for nonlearning disabled and learning disabled college students

Direct and indirect measures were used to compare the written language abilities of three groups of college students: two with learning disabilities and one without learning disabilities. Main effects were found for group, but not gender. Differences between nonlearning disabled students (NLD) and those with learning disabilities (LD) in writing were evident on both types of measures. Performance by LD students with disabilities in an area other than writing differed depending on the type of measure and often was no different from either of the other two groups. The combined use of direct and indirect measures appeared most effective for examining the complexities of writing produced by all groups.     

Students with learning disabilities in higher education: academic strategies profile

This study compared 191 college students with learning disabilities (LD) and 190 students without LD in four main areas: academic difficulties, learning strategies, functioning during examinations, and students' perception of factors that help or impede their academic success. Analysis of the personal data of students with and without LD revealed no significant differences between groups on grade point average, number of courses taken, and family status, but students with LD reported having more difficulties in humanities, social sciences, and foreign language than students without LD. Regarding academic strategies, students with LD devised unusual strategies and preferred additional oral explanations or visual explanations, whereas nondisabled students preferred more written examples. These differences indicated that students without LD used more written techniques than did students with LD. During examinations, the students with LD had difficulty concentrating and were concerned about lack of time. They experienced stress, were nervous, and felt more frustrated, helpless, or uncertain during examinations than students without LD. The implications for college students with LD are discussed.     

The success of college students with learning disabilities: factors related to educational attainment.

This study reports on the educational attainment of 62 college students with learning disabilities as compared to a sample of 58 peers matched on gender and ACT composite score (+/- 1 point or exact match). All students were native English speakers and were enrolled as degree candidates in a small, competitive, private, midwestern college. Groups were compared on age, high school preparation and performance, college grades, GPA at the end of each year of study, graduation and academic failure rate, and time taken to complete degree. Factors that may have influenced outcomes are discussed as are implications for college admissions officers, college students with learning disabilities, service providers, and academic advisors.     

Hope,optimism and loneliness among first-year college students with learning disabilities: a brief longitudinal study

The goals of the study were to examine personal resources and social distress during the first month in college among students with learning disabilities (LD) and to compare their experiences with non-LD peer. The sample consisted of 335 first-year undergraduate students falling into two groups: 85 students with LD and 250 non-LD students. Questionnaires assessed hope, dispositional optimism and loneliness. We hypothesised that, after participation in a single-session hope intervention workshop, the hope and optimism levels of both students with LD and without LD would increase, while their loneliness would decrease. However, after a month of facing the academic and social demands of their new college environment, we expected that the hope and optimism scores of students with LD would be lower than their peers without LD and that their loneliness scores would be higher. As hypothesised, both groups reported enhanced hope and optimism, as well as lower loneliness, immediately after the workshop. However, students with LD – but not their peers – returned to baseline levels of hope and loneliness after a month. Loneliness after a month predicted lower hope, after controlling predictors from the beginning of the year.     

The learning and study strategies of college students with ADHD

This study compared learning and study strategies of students with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to two groups: college students with learning disabilities (LD) and college students without disabilities. In addition, strengths and weaknesses within the ADHD group were examined on the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory, 2nd edition (LASSI; C.E. Weinstein & D.R. Palmer, 2002). The LASSI was also evaluated as a predictive measure for academic achievement for college students with ADHD compared to other students. Results indicate that several important differences may exist in the learning and study strategies of students with ADHD versus students with LD and students without disabilities. However, the LASSI may not be a useful tool for predicting academic achievement for college students with ADHD. Interventions for working with students with ADHD are given. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Academic Intrinsic Motivation and Perceived Academic Competence in Greek Elementary Students with and without Learning Disabilities

The aim of this study was to examine differences in intrinsic motivation and perceived academic competence as well as in their association between 5th‐ and 6th‐grade students with learning disabilities (LD) (n= 40) and their typically achieving peers. Participants were 980 Greek elementary students from the metropolitan area of Athens. As predicted, students with LD showed lower intrinsic motivation and perceived academic competence than students without LD almost across all subscales. Exceptions were noticed in intrinsic motivation concerning curiosity/interest and history subscales as well as perceptions of academic competence in the subjects of history and science. Support was found that among typically achieving students intrinsic motivation was positively and significantly related at a moderate level to perceived academic competence across all subscales, as opposed to students with LD, for whom few correlations were found.     

Success and failure of freshmen at university: a search for determinants

This study explores the relationships between achievement at university and self-reported characteristics of students and their social environment. Subjects were 240 college freshmen. They were interviewed twice. The first interview covered their social and study experiences during the first semester, and the second one dealt with the preparation of the final examinations in the first year. Determinants of academic achievement were selected on the basis of significant correlations (p<.01) with the grades obtained from the final examinations in the freshmen year. The findings revealed that midterm performance was most strongly related with final examination grades. Next in order were academic self-esteem, expectancies and efficiency of study strategies. Other personal factors such as study effort, interest in the study option, ability to understand lectures, prior knowledge and fear of exams were identified as moderate determinants; followed by external determinants such as help from others, information on exams and exam difficulty which were weakly associated with achievement. Unlike previous research, this study attempts to provide an overall framework of the characteristics that determine learning outcome based on the intercorrelations. Multidimensional scaling analyses revealed that characteristics are structured along two main dimensions: causal locus (internal vs. external) and control (controllable vs. uncontrollable). Overall, the findings corroborate the associations reported in previous studies on determinants of academic attainment. Similarities between the present data and attributional studies on causes of student outcome, as well as potential implications and limitations for remedial purposes, are discussed.     

Actively navigating the transition into college: narratives of students with learning disabilities

Students with learning disabilities (LD) are particularly vulnerable in making the school-to-college transition where they negotiate a complex constellation of challenges that include academic demands, social expectations, and emotional/personal growth. Although a substantial body of knowledge exists about college students with LD, it is largely predicated upon both extrinsic supports available to ensure a successful transition into college and ways to maintain that success. In contrast, intrinsic knowledge as the basis of agency exerted by individuals with LD to strategize for their own success has received comparatively little attention. This study uses narrative methodology guided by a theoretical framework of disability studies, to render three nuanced portraits of college students with LD. Participants demonstrate ways in which they manage to navigate the academic, social, and emotional/personal realms when transitioning into college. In doing so, they reveal instances of self-knowledge that are often hidden or overlooked, revealing numerous instances of agency.     

Executive Function Coaching for College Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: A New Approach for Fostering Self‐Determination

Given growing numbers of college students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or learning disabilities (LD), it is important to understand why these students choose ADD (“executive function”) coaching to enhance their academic success when more traditional forms of campus support already offer this help. Fifty‐four undergraduates with ADHD and/or LD participated in a study of their experiences with coaching. To better understand students’ perspectives on the manner in which coaching helped them minimize executive function challenges while addressing academic goals, a purposive sample of seven of these students participated in two interviews. All seven described highly self‐determined approaches to goal attainment that they associated with coaching. These students also reported that, in contrast to traditional campus services, coaching focused primarily on supporting their emerging autonomy, helping them develop and manage their executive function skills and promoting their self‐efficacy and confidence about future success. Findings are linked to recommendations for additional research and service delivery options.     

Virtual connections,personal resources,loneliness, and academic self-efficacy among college students with and without LD

The goals of the study were first to compare the social and academic well-being (loneliness and academic self-efficacy (ASE) among college students with and without learning disabilities (LD), as well as three personal strengths (hope, optimism and sense of coherence (SOC). The second goal was to identify the predicting factors to their loneliness and ASE. The sample consisted of 178 female students from the special education programme in a teachers’ college, divided into two subgroups: 59 students with LD and 119 students without LD. The following questionnaires were used: the loneliness scale; ASE; Internet and smartphone activities; hope, optimism and SOC. As expected, students with LD reported higher levels of loneliness and lower levels of ASE. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses showed that the use of the Internet for avoidance coping was a significant predictor for the loneliness and ASE. Results of the mediation analysis further demonstrated that LD was positively associated with online avoidance coping. However, hopeful thinking had a significant mediation effect between LD and online avoidance coping. Students with LD who have hopeful thinking were less engaged in avoidance coping than their peers, focusing attention on the importance of hope as a mediation factor.     

Perception of competence: risk and protective predictors following an e‐self‐advocacy intervention for adolescents with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of competence among adolescents with learning disabilities (LD) who participated in a virtual supported self‐advocacy programme within the risk and protective paradigm. The sample consisted of 374 adolescents with and without learning disabilities, students of the 7th to 9th grades, at 15 schools across Israel. The adolescents were divided into three groups, matched by age and gender: 111 adolescents with LD who participated in a five‐month virtual‐supported intervention, and two comparison groups: adolescents with LD (N = 115) who did not participate in the program and adolescents without LD (N = 148). The self‐perceptions of adolescents were assessed using the following questionnaires: basic psychological skills (competence and relatedness); hope and loneliness. Following the intervention, higher competence scores were reported by students with LD who participated in the programme. At that time (the end of the academic year), the predictors of the groups of students with LD for the competence measure were their level of competence at the beginning of the period, their belonging to the group who participated in the intervention, their loneliness and hope. Comparisons with predictors of the group of students without LD, and with predictors of competence at the beginning of the year, emphasized the importance of risk factors (loneliness) and the protective factors (hope) for students with LD. In addition, the results focused attention at the contribution of the participation in an e‐supported self advocacy programme for enhancing competence among students with LD.