Dyslexia in the workplace: Implications of the Americans with disabilities act

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) insures greater accessibility of disabled persons to the workplace. This includes persons with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. The ADA requires reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, yet it is different in its mandates from many other federal laws addressing disability-related issues. This article reviews some of the critical provisions of the ADA as it applies to persons with dyslexia, outlines a procedure through which the employer and employee negotiate accommodations, and offers examples of typical workplace problems and corresponding modifications. Finally, some of the talents and strengths often associated with dyslexia are described, as is their potential value in the workplace.     

Persons with Learning Disabilities in the Workplace: What We Know So Far in the Americans with Disabilities Act Era

Abstract. Since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 and implemented in 1992, there has been little research to discover the realities of the workplace for adults with learning disabilities. There is a body of knowledge, albeit sparse in scope, that provides guidance for learning disabilities professionals, employers, and individuals with learning disabilities. Empirical studies are synthesized from the past 12 years to convey the perspectives of employees with learning disabilities and their employers. Issues that require further research are outlined.     

Adults with Learning Disabilities in the Workforce: Lessons for Secondary Transition Programs

Now almost 15 years after the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) data are emerging in the literature related to job entry and employment outcomes of adults with learning disabilities (LD). Although these data are derived from varying methodologies, they converge in three critical areas: Knowledge of the ADA, realities of workplace self‐disclosure, and the importance of self‐determination. This review presents findings in each of these areas. The messages obtained from adults with LD who experience the realities of the workplace can provide significant information for secondary programs that assist students with hidden disabilities preparing to transition to college or to employment.     

Factors associated with employment success among youths with learning disabilities

This follow-up study examines the employment success of young adults with learning and other mild disabilities. The study questioned the employee with disabilities, his or her parents, and the employer on a number of vocationally related items. A four-factor model is advanced to explain job success. The factors include job match and accommodation, social acceptance, work attitude, and special services. Participants in a total of 41 job situations were queried with 38 completed triads (employee with mild disability, employer, family). The method of constant comparative analysis was used to analyze the data. Although an aggregate of the four factors correlated significantly (p less than .01), job match proved to have the most significant (p less than .01) relationship with the outcome variable. The results are interpreted in light of the need to deliver and understand the types of supported employment services for adults with mild disabilities.     

Learning Disability and Career Entry into the Sciences: A Critical Analysis of Attitudinal Factors

The present study examined the perceptions of 140 parents and 323 teachers regarding career entry into science and engineering for students with learning disabilities. Parents' and teachers' perceptions were assessed on the following eight variables: (a) facility access, (b) expense of accommodations, (c) role models, (d) teacher understanding of students' academic needs, (e) length of learning time, (f) student aptitude and educational preparation, (g) career guidance, and (h) employer attitudes. Results revealed that parents, significantly more than teachers, feel that teachers do not make the necessary effort to accommodate students with learning disabilities and that employers in the science and engineering fields are reluctant to hire persons with learning disabilities. Implications of the results for rehabilitation counselors working with learning disabled students interested in science and engineering are offered.     

Pragmatic language skills of students with language and/or learning disabilities: a quantitative synthesis

A meta-analytic review of 33 studies investigating the pragmatic language skills of 3- to 12-year-old students with language disorders, language-learning disabilities, or learning disabilities as compared with the pragmatic language skills of nondisabled peers was conducted. The students with language and/or learning disabilities demonstrated consistent and pervasive pragmatic deficits in conversation compared to non-disordered peers (mean effect size = -0.52; SE = 0.06) across settings, conversational partners, age groups, and types of pragmatic skills measured. The pragmatic differences between the students with language or learning disabilities and control groups could not be accounted for by differences in study methodology or design. Furthermore, these pragmatic deficits appeared to be more attributable to underlying language deficits than to insufficient social knowledge. These findings are consistent with the perspective that students with learning disabilities can also be described as language disordered, and that children with language disorders experience a continuum of language failure that may be manifested in different ways as they progress through school.     

Access and perceived ICT usability among students with disabilities attending higher education institutions

An increasing number of students with disabilities are attending higher education. These students might face various difficulties coping with academic skills and with learning methods compared to students without disabilities. Integrating information and communication technologies (ICTs) in academic studies may be effective and constructive for students with and without various disabilities, as ICTs can provide students with adaptive ways to compensate for disabilities and enable them to improve learning. The present study examined students’ knowledge of and accessibility to ICTs and it examined students’ perceptions of the ICTs used by professors teaching in a face-to-face traditional postsecondary educational institute (in Canada) and a distance/blended learning higher education institute (in Israel). The sample included 309 Canadian students and 963 Israeli students who completed questionnaires regarding ICT usage, accessibility, and perceived use by professors. Findings reveal that Israeli students reported higher use and greater accessibility of ICTs and they also reported higher use of ICTs by professors. For both groups of students – those with and without LD/ADHD - accessibility to ICTs was predicted by self-reported knowledge and use of ICTs, professors’ ICT use, gender and nationality. The study’s findings and its implications are likely to be important for promoting access to ICTs for students with and without disabilities in both the traditional higher education modality and in distance/ blended learning contexts.     

The effect of task alternatives on vocabulary knowledge: a comparison of students with and without learning disabilities

This study used a two-part task format to (a) describe the vocabulary knowledge of 10- and 12-year-old students with learning disabilities and (b) assess the effect of task alternatives on their vocabulary knowledge. We addressed these research objectives by comparing the performance of 24 students with learning disabilities to an equal number of their normally achieving peers. Vocabulary knowledge was first assessed through a production task. In the even the student's response was inaccurate or incomplete, an identification task assessing the same vocabulary term was presented. Results revealed that, compared to normally achieving students, students with learning disabilities are (a) significantly less able to construct fully specified responses to production tasks, (b) comparable in their ability to use pictorial responses to demonstrate vocabulary knowledge not accessible in production tasks, and, (c) when equated in reading achievement, only 10-year-olds are significantly poorer in composite vocabulary knowledge.     

Phonological and morphological processing in adult students with learning/reading disabilities

A target group of college students with learning/reading disabilities was compared with reading-level (RA) and chronological-age (CA) contrast groups on several phonological and morphological computerized information-processing tasks. Results confirm the importance of accurate and rapid processing of simple lexical items to the automatic level. The target students were less accurate and took longer reaction time, as compared with their CA controls, though not with the RA contrast group, in deciding if pseudohomophonics sounded like real words and if pairs of words with different rime conditions rhymed. The target students showed both quantitative and qualitative differences in processing morphological words and morphographic letter strings, in contrast to some earlier findings. The integration of phonological and morphological knowledge is emphasized in working with adult college students with learning/reading disabilities.     

The postschool adjustment of persons with learning disabilities: current status and future projections.

Recent research on the adult status of individuals with learning disabilities was reviewed. It was found that learning disabilities persist into adulthood, that manifestations of learning disabilities in adulthood are different than in childhood, and that many adults with learning disabilities are not independent or self-sufficient. These findings are related to the changes American society is currently undergoing, particularly changes in the workplace. Implications for teachers are discussed.     

Employment self-disclosure of postsecondary graduates with learning disabilities: rates and rationales

One hundred thirty-two graduates with learning disabilities (LD) of a large, public, competitive postsecondary institution were surveyed to determine if they had self-disclosed their LD to their current employer and to provide the reasons for choosing to self-disclose or not to self-disclose. Based on a response rate of 67.4% (n = 89), the results indicated that 86.5% of the respondents were employed full time. Although nearly 90% of the respondents stated that their LD affected their work in some way, only 30.3% self-disclosed to their employer. Of those who had not self-disclosed, the majority reported that there was no reason or need to self-disclose. However, 46.1% reported not self-disclosing due to fear of a potentially negative impact in the workplace or due to a concern for job security. Specific rationales for disclosure and information related to the use of self-reported accommodations and strategies are presented.     

Conversational engagement of children with learning disabilities

This study was designed to characterize the conversational engagement techniques employed by children with and without learning disabilities while in a dyadic interaction. Engagement was defined and measured in terms of the degree to which utterances provided information and evidenced responsiveness to one's conversational partner. Sixty (30 with learning disabilities and 30 nondisabled) 9- to 13-year-old subjects participated. Analyses indicated that the subjects with learning disabilities (LD) could and did employ engagement-related techniques similar in levels of sophistication to those of their nondisabled peers, although they did so less consistently and frequently. Further, the relationship between affective measures and the engagement-related techniques used by the subjects with LD differed markedly from those of the nondisabled subjects. The results are interpreted from a motivational standpoint and suggest that future research should focus on the knowledge and application of engagement-related techniques of the children with LD, across settings and conversational partners.     

Social persistence following failure in boys and girls with LD

The response of boys and girls with or without learning disabilities to social failure was examined. Children participated in two dyadic interactions with experimental confederates: an unfriendly interaction and a friendly one. The children's behavior was videotaped, and they answered questions following each interaction. The children with learning disabilities were found to be hyperresponsive to both interactions: They felt significantly worse following the unfriendly one and significantly better following the friendly interaction. Limited evidence was found to suggest that girls with learning disabilities were more adversely affected by the unfriendly interaction. Several of the findings were consistent with the hypothesis that children with learning disabilities show a learned helplessness response to social failure. The implications of these findings for understanding the social behavior of children with learning disabilities are discussed.     

The Relationship of Locus of Control and Metacognitive Knowledge of Math with Math Achievements

The purpose of the research was to examine the correlation between locus of control and metacognitive knowledge in math and math achievement among students with learning disabilities. We examined 30 eighth grade pupils with learning disabilities and 30 other pupils all of whom studied in a heterogeneous class in a public school in order to better understand the extent to which the variables: metacognitive knowledge, locus of control and achievement in math differed in the two populations. The pupils answered three questionnaires: the first was designed to study the locus of control, the second, to investigate metacognitive knowledge and the third, to measure math achievement. The findings of this study indicate that the higher the level of the internal locus of control, the higher the use of metacognitive knowledge. Furthermore, higher levels of internal locus of control and higher use of metacognitive knowledge resulted in increased math achievement.     

Identifying English Language Learners with Learning Disabilities: Key Challenges and Possible Approaches

The need for effective approaches for identifying English language learners with learning disabilities is great and growing. Meeting this need is complicated by recent developments in the field of learning disabilities that are unrelated to the English language learning status, and by limitations in existing knowledge specific to the identification of English language learners with learning disabilities. We review recent developments in the field of learning disabilities concerning the need for earlier identification, the need for a more appropriate conceptualization of learning disability, and the need for more effective assessments and treatments. We discuss challenges to assessment and identification of English language learners with learning disabilities, provide examples of two approaches to meeting these challenges, and describe some remaining challenges.     

普通小学教师对学习障碍的认知情况的调查研究

采用自编《普校小学教师学习障碍认知情况调查问卷》,对251名接受过不同层次学习障碍培训的普通小学教师进行调查发现:普通小学教师对学习障碍认知的态度维度得分最高,知识维度次之,行为维度最低;普通小学语文学科教师对学习障碍认知的知识维度平均得分高于数学学科教师;普通小学不同教龄教师在学习障碍认知的行为维度得分上存在显著差异,从高到低依次为1-3年、4-6年、21年以上、11-20年;学习障碍专业培训对普通小学教师对学习障碍的态度、知识与行为均有明显影响。为此,可采取将学习障碍纳入我国教师教研或教师培训课程,为学习障碍学生创设良好的支持环境等措施,改善普通小学教师对学习障碍的认知情况。     

English Language Learners and Learning Disabilities: Research Agenda and Implications for Practice

Although little is known about learning disabilities (LDs) in English language learners (ELLs), there is a substantial knowledge base about the identification, assessment, and intervention of and for LDs in monolingual native English‐speaking students. Building on this knowledge, participants at an October 2003 National Symposium on Learning Disabilities in English Language Learners were asked to suggest research questions, priorities, and suggestions on how to build the necessary infrastructure to address critical research needs. In the discussions that took place, important themes emerged: (1) identification and assessment of LD and/or reading disabilities (RD) in ELLs (ELL/Ds), (2) understanding of the language and literacy developmental trajectories of ELLs, (3) understanding of the individual and contextual factors affecting outcomes, (4) the intersection of all of these areas with neurobiology, and (5) developing and testing the effectiveness of interventions for learning disabilities in ELL/Ds. These themes, and the research agenda that was forged around them, are presented. In addition, the practice implications of this agenda are presented, along with some suggestions for current practice while we await future research findings.     

Quality job indicators for individuals with learning disabilities

This study identifies the quality job indicators and employer training required to provide appropriate support for students with learning disabilities (LD) to obtain and maintain employment. A consortium of collaborators was established from a university and state workforce commission grant project, a school district and 55 employers. Employers were trained to implement the quality indicators identified in literature found to support students with LD in paid employment while attending high school. The methodology consisted of gathering qualitative data from employer surveys and interviews reporting experiences and examining data results. Participants included 56 students with LD placed with 55 employers who had been trained in implementing the identified quality job indicators. Fourteen of the 21 quality job indicators were reported to be implemented by at least 90% of the employers. The quality indicators implemented are related to time expectations, on-the-job training, retraining, problem solving, supervision, verbal and written communication, flexible scheduling, breaks and positive reinforcement. The employers reported training in the use of the quality job indicators was effective in providing individuals with LD positive support in the workplace.     

The effect of extra time on reading comprehension scores for university students with and without learning disabilities

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of extra time on the ability of university students with and without learning disabilities to complete a reading comprehension test under timed and extra-time conditions. The participants were 16 students identified as having learning disabilities and 15 normally achieving students, all attending the University of California. The Nelson-Denny Reading Comprehension and Reading Rate Test was used. Percentile ranks were obtained for reading rates on individuals, and for comprehension scores under timed and extra-time conditions. The major findings of this study were that there is a significant difference between scores obtained by students with learning disabilities and by normally achieving students under timed conditions and that there are no significant differences in test performance between students with learning disabilities and normally achieving university students when students with learning disabilities are provided extra time. Normally achieving students did not perform significantly better with extra time.