FREE ESSAY ON WHAT IS DYSLEXIA

WHAT IS DYSLEXIA

Accommodating a Disability: Adults with Learning Disabilities
Tara J. Childers
University of Oklahoma
EIPT 6183, Dr. Greene
May 3, 1999
Whether we graduate from highschool or college we all hope to find a challenging career
that will propel us forward in today's society. For those suffering from dyslexia this
only adds to the frustration and fears associated with seeking employment. Many adults
with dyslexia or other forms of learning disabilities never disclose their disability in
interviews or once employed for fear of being discriminated against. Several
investigators have noted, however, that many persons with learning disabilities adjust
well to the demands and complexities of adulthood. (Greenbaum et al. 1996). The basic
cause of dyslexia is still not known, however, much research is being done to determine
the problems underlying dyslexia. In many cases, dyslexia is highly inherited. Studies
have shown a number of genes that may set the stage for its development. Characteristics
of dyslexia are now more apparent to educators than ever before. Early educational
interventions are helping individuals to manage their dyslexia.
There have been some studies that attend to accommodating persons with learning
disabilities in post-secondary and occupational settings. Only a few articles will be
reviewed having been found worthy of this subject. However, before reviewing the
articles, in order to gain a greater understanding of the types of learning disabilities
people face lets define one of the most significant learning problems: dyslexia.
A Type of Learning Disability: What is Dyslexia? 
The word dyslexia is derived form the Greek "dys" (meaning poor or inadequate) and
"lexis" (works or language). Dyslexia is a learning disability characterized by problems
in expressive or receptive, oral or written language. Problems may emerge in reading,
spelling, writing, speaking, or listening. Dyslexia is not a disease; it has no cure.
Dyslexia describes a different kind of mind, often gifted and productive, that learns
differently. Dyslexia is not the result of low intelligence nor is the problem solely
intelligence. An unexpected gap exists between learning aptitude and achievement in
school. Dyslexia is not truly a visual or auditory problem, but a language problem.
Dyslexia results from differences in the structure and function of the brain. People with
dyslexia are unique; each having individual strengths and weaknesses. Many dyslexics are
creative and have unusual talents in areas such as art, athletics, architecture,
graphics, electronics, mechanics, drama, music, engineering, and medical professions.
Dyslexics often show special talent in areas that require visual, spatial, and motor
integration. Their problems in language processing distinguish them as a group. This
means that the dyslexic has problems translating language to thought (as in listening or
reading) or thought to language (as in writing or speaking). 
After looking at what dyslexia means and some characteristics of this disability now lets
look at a study of learning disabilities in the workplace. Research by Greenbaum, Graham,
and Scales (1996) adults with learning disabilities in the work place indicate that most
adults adjust well to the demands and complexities of adulthood. The purpose of this
study was to identify occupational and social status of adults with learning disabilities
once after college. This study was conducted at the University of Maryland. Only
eighty-one students with learning disabilities received assistance from the office of
Disability Support Services during a twelve-year span from 1980 to 1992. In the study
conducted by Greenbaum, Graham, and Scales (1996), out of the 81 former students, 49
adults with learning disabilities agreed to be interviewed about their current employment
and social status. The study was based on increasing reports of adults with learning
disabilities in recent years and the questions about the efficacy of special education
services. As Patton and Polloway (1992) cited by Greenbaum et al. (1996) noted, the
scenario for many adults with learning disabilities is characterized by unemployment, low
pay, part-time work, frequent job changes, non-interaction with community, limitations in
independent living, and limited social lives. Several investigators within this study
noted persons with disabilities adjust well in adulthood years. Greenbaum et al. (1996)
found that a number of adults with learning disabilities were employed in white-collar
jobs (e.g. lawyer, urban planner, and real estate investor). Thirty seven percent of
adults with learning disabilities studied by Gerber et al. as cited by Greenbaum et al.,
classed as highly successful in their job, eminence within their occupation, earned
income, job satisfaction and education. Within all three studies, one factor for success
for adults with learning disabilities was the level of education. Persons with mild
learning disabilities who dropped out of high school are often employed at a lower rate
than persons with mild disabilities who graduated. (Edgar, l987; Hasazi, Gordon, & Roe,
l985; Zigmond & Thornton, l985). Persons with learning disabilities who graduated from
college are more likely to hold a professional and managerial position than persons with
learning disabilities who only graduated from high school. (Rogan & Hartman, l976, 1990).
The successful functioning of persons with learning disabilities was evident by
post-secondary education. Eighty nine percent of the students Gerber, Ginsberg, and Keiff
(1992) studied obtained a bachelors degree or higher. The current study examined the
occupations and social status of adults with learning disabilities who graduated from
college. 
Employment
Current employment at the time of the interview, 35 of the 49 participants was employed.
One working on graduate school part-time, 7 of the remaining 14 were engaged because they
were attending school full-time, 2 working on undergraduate degrees, and 5 were attending
graduate school. The occupations of the participants varied and included customer service
representative, bartender, medical researcher, reporter, camp director, bank teller,
salesperson, mechanical engineer, artist, botanist, corporate vice president, teacher,
embryologist, investment banker, paramedic, social worker, securities broker, line cook,
office manager, and so forth. Of the employed participants, 25 were in professional,
technical, or managerial positions; eight were in clerical and sales and two were in
service occupations. Eighty percent of adults with learning disabilities were employed
full time, in professional or managerial positions or occupations.
Job Satisfaction
Of the 35 employed, 33 were satisfied with their current employment. Even though most of
the participants enjoyed their jobs, 21 of the participants stated they would like a
different job. Reasons for wanting a different job included a) wanting to make more money

b) wanting a more challenging or interesting occupation. 
Social Status
All but one of the 49 participants was socially active. Social activities ranged from
going to bars, movies, and dinner, as well as sporting events. Only nine of the
participants said they were unsatisfied with their social lives. 
Disclosure of Learning Disability
Of the total of participants who had been employed, only nine indicated they had ever
disclosed their learning disability when interviewing for a job. The reasons for
disclosing their disability to their interviewers was a) they were not ashamed of their
learning disability and felt they had learned to compensate b) that their disability
would have an impact on their performance of the job. Most participants did not reveal
their disability when applying for their job. Reasons for not revealing their learning
disability was a) fear of discrimination and stigmatization b) no longer being affected
by the disability. The primary reason for not disclosing their disability was the fear of
discrimination. 
Impact of Learning Disability
Participants in the study by Adelman and Vogel as cited by Greenbaum et al. reported that
their learning disability affected their work and that they had devised specific
strategies for coping with their difficulties. Some of the strategies include taking
extra time to complete work, asking for additional help, carefully monitoring or proofing
own work. In the current study, participants were knowledgeable about their disability
and its effects on their lives. There were a total of 41 participants who had
difficulties in multiple areas such as, reading comprehension, organization, and note
taking. Eight indicated they had difficulty in only one area: reading (n=3), composition
(n=2), mathematics (n=2), or information processing (n=1). Participants typically
described their learning disabilities with the term dyslexia. What role did the
participants' learning disability affected their work environment; 39 participants
indicated that their learning disability affected them either at work or in other areas
of their lives. These areas included reading, writing, math, and memory. Adelman & Vogel,
(1990) as cited by Greenbaum et al. (1996) the most common problems centered on
processing, language, and math difficulties. The current study adds to a growing body of
work indicating that a learning disability is a persistent problem that does not go away
with age. 
Conclusion
From this study, we have found that education plays an important role in the future
success of a person with a learning disability as well as persons with learning
disabilities adjust well to the demands and complexities of adulthood. (Greenbaum et al.
1996) The study examined some of the difficulties and fears one may face in the work
place. The article suggests that self-awareness can help a person with a learning
disability by strengthening them to become the person they want to be. The article
however, does not address or suggest specific strategies one may use to achieve personal
goals. The article did cover how most participants were unwilling to disclose their
learning disability to their employer. People with learning disabilities have specific
rights according to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990. Revealing learning disabilities to an employer would allow accommodations
and adjustments for those people in the work place but the authors did not go into great
detail concerning discrimination issues. 
Moving to the second study, students with learning disabilities in education face a
similar task as that of adults in the work. According to Ysseldyke & Algozzine, 1990 as
cited by Barga (1996), it is estimated that five percent of young school aged adolescents
is considered to have some type of learning disabilities. Due to the passage of the Brown
v. Board of Education in 1954 schools are now becoming involved in assisting
disadvantaged students. Congress passed the 1973 Vocational Rehabilitation Act, which
focused on providing equal education for any and all students with learning disabilities.
This law mandates that students with learning disabilities receive supplemental services
while attending educational settings (Barga, 1996).
Today, the number of students in higher educational settings who have experienced some
type of learning disability has increased from .3 percent in 1983 to 1.2 percent in 1987
(Heath, 1992). This same survey found that students with learning disabilities in
postsecondary institutions have grown to over 20,000. From this we can clearly see that
students with learning disabilities are the largest group of students who receive
services that assist them with the learning process, especially at the college level
(Jarrow, 1987 as cited by Barga, 1996). Clearly, there has been a great increase of
students who are showing learning disabilities in the higher educational arenas. 
Students with learning disabilities have difficulty in reading, writing, and spelling and
with mathematical concepts. Often time's students are easily distracted, unfocused, and
have a hard time developing good time management skills. In addition, many students who
struggle with learning disabilities have great difficulty in understanding and following
directions and struggle with different aspects of their social situations that they
encounter. One of the most significant facts about these students is their alarming rate
of high school dropout. According to Lichtenstein, 40 percent of students with learning
disabilities drop out of high school, as opposed to the 25 percent without learning
disabilities (Lichtenstein, 1992).
The purpose of this study was to find out the factors that has enhanced the success of
students with learning disabilities in school settings and to explore how these students
managed their disabilities from kindergarten through college. This study was designed due
to the alarming number of students with learning disabilities who dropped out of school.
There were two objectives for this study. The first objective was to find out how
students with learning disabilities managed their disabilities while in school; and the
second objective was to find the methods of success. 
This study was conducted at an average sized, 4-year state university with an enrollment
of 9,000 students. The students for the study were identified with the help of the
director of learning disabilities clinic. The students were first contacted through a
letter that was written and generated by the director of the clinic and the researcher.
From the letter, four traditional and five nontraditional students with learning
disabilities were selected for this study. Selection was based on verbal response,
willingness to participate in this study, and availability of time. The age of the
students ranged from 18-45 years, with the median age being 27.5. The range of
disabilities varied widely from each person.
Data for this study was collected over a six month period of time and the collection of
the data consisted of conducting semistructured, open-ended, taped interviews; completing
classroom observations; reviewing academic files; and collecting other documents related
to the study's participants. The focus of the interviewers was on exploring the student's
history and educational experiences from kindergarten through their current schooling
status. The results indicated that the students experienced various forms of labeling,
stigmatization, and gatekeeping that created many of the barriers that they have faced in
their education. To gain a better understanding of these results I will define labeling,
stigmatization and gatekeeping.
Labeling is defined as "anything functioning as a means of identification or as a
descriptive term, formal or informal" (Barga, 1996). Basically, this means that when
someone comes into another person's presence, we label and categorize the individual
based on his or her appearance. From this study, students described labeling as a very
positive experience when it made sense out of their academic struggles and involved
getting help. On the other hand, labeling was negative for students when it created
conditions of being set apart from their peers and receiving differential treatment from
other people.
Stigmatization is defined as "receiving differential treatment based on others'
perceptions" (Barga, 1996). In this study, stigmatization took on several different
forms, depending on the context. At times stigmatization was evident through name
calling, accusations, and low academic expectations by peers and teachers. During the
college level, stigmatization was self-imposed or forced on the students. Gatekeeping is
defined as the "barrier process that serves to maintain the status quo of an
organization" (Barga, 1996). This was accomplished by either denying students with
learning disabilities access to a college goal or permitting access but on conditional
terms. 
The coping techniques that were found due to this study were of great importance. Coping
techniques are "behaviors or initiatives the student takes to assist in managing his or
her disability" (Barga, 1996). The first coping technique was benefactors. The
benefactors functions included providing emotional support and understanding, acting as a
sounding board for personal problems, helping with homework, and being an advocate on
behalf of the student. The second technique was self-improvement techniques, which
included taking longer breaks, seeking and initiating help at the university level, using
positive affirmations for motivation, and seeking situations that produced personal
growth. The final coping technique was study skills and management strategies. Use of
technology, relaxation techniques before tests, taping classes, maintaining a personal
day timer, and the amount of time devoted to study. 
From this study we can clearly see that students experienced labeling, stigmatization and
gatekeeping and the ways that they learned to cope with there disability was through
relying on benefactors, implementing self-improvement techniques, and utilizing
particular strategies and management skills to assist students with academics. The
results from this study have tremendous implications for schools and school
administration. The purpose of this study was fulfilled and it is of great importance for
the future of students with learning disabilities. 
In conclusion, the findings of research have shown similarities and differences in
accommodating persons with learning disabilities. Barga (1996) finding supports students
with learning disabilities has increased at an alarming rate and learning disabled
students continue to face challenges in the school environment. Greenbaum et al. (1996)
found after post-secondary education persons with learning disabilities adjusted well to
the complexities of adulthood even though those individuals rarely disclosed their
learning disability to their employer fearing being discriminated against. How can we as
a society empower persons with disadvantages to become more aware of their rights as
defined by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990? We should make every effort to inform students about services offered in schools as
well as their rights to those services. Employers need to become more knowledgeable of
their responsibilities to employees faced with learning disabilities. Both schools and
employers need to become more aware of discrimination, labeling, stigmatizations, and
gatekeeping that persons are faced with during their life as disabled. Due to these
negative outcomes, persons must avoid disclosing their disability to make it through a
school or work situation. However, disclosing is starting to become easier as the stigma
lessons, but unfortunately, discrimination is not yet cleansed from our country. Some may
wish not to disclose their learning disability, but by using positive terms to explain
what one needs can be another option. Example: I need Mary to proof my work before you
see it. That way we can both pay more attention to the content and not worry about the
way it is typed. Have you seen the XYZ software? It gets the computer to talk so that you
can hear what is on the screen. Since my job requires so much detailed reading, it would
be wonderful if I could hear it. Then there would be fewer errors. Regardless of the
strategy, one may take. An accommodation request must be well thought out, and the easier
it is for your employer, the more likely your success. As stated in the passage earlier,
participants of the Greenbaum et al. study indicated difficulties in multiple areas one
being organization. A strategy for helping organizational skills may include using a
daily calendar, keeping your work area clean of clutter, color code items, keep items on
shelves and bulletin boards. Use an alarm feature on your work computer so to remind you
of important meetings. 
Bibliography
Managing a Disability: Adults with Dyslexia
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