Mull, C., Sitlington, P. L., & Alper, S. (2001). Postsecondary education for students with learning disabilities: A synthesis of the literature . Exceptional Children , 68 (1), 97–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/001440290106800106
Tags
Summary
Accommodation
Accommodations were not specified; instead, an overview of literature from 1985-2000 pertaining to the provision of services to students with learning disabilities in postsecondary settings was provided.
Participants
Twenty-six articles included in this systematic review were published between 1985 and 2000 and recommended or reviewed specific services or programs for students with learning disabilities in postsecondary education settings.
Dependent Variable
The 26 programs detailed in these articles were analyzed for their appropriateness as postsecondary education settings. A reporting form developed by the authors was used to complete the analysis. This reporting form assessed 11 factors including the definition of a learning disability, characteristics of adult learners with learning disabilities, type of institution, special admission procedures, assessment services, program accommodations, support services, instructional adjustments, instructional staff training, direct service staff training, and program evaluation.
Findings
This study found that 65% of the articles discussed test accommodations. Additionally, the use of computer software and assistive technology was discussed in 77% of the studies. Despite the majority of the articles discussing the use of accommodations, the issue of staff training was largely left out of discussion. These results suggest a need for increased emphasis on staff training in postsecondary settings to increase the implementation and use of accommodations for students with disabilities.