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I think I have ADD or another type of learning disability. What should I do?
As I tackle this question, I need you to know that I have no special training in addressing disabilities, except perhaps reading disabilities, and even then, it is more in terms of how to help students make progress in reading, not in terms of identifying the disability itself.
So I will first mention our services offered by people with such training. The Office of Disability Services serves students with documented disabilities by providing appropriate accommodations. (*You can sign up for an appointment at room 222 D. D. Dougherty). Documented means that you have been tested and found to have a disability in a specific area that can affect your success in academics. This testing usually must be up-to-date (such as within the past 3 years). If you have not been tested or your documentation is out of date, the bad news is that you would have to pay for such testing yourself. Disability Services can refer you to people or programs that provide such testing for a fee, which ranges between $350-1200. (Sometimes, your parents' insurance may cover such testing if provided by a doctor in your area). Accommodations may include a private space for testing (good for those with ADD who are easily distracted), access to additional tutoring, etc. (You can learn more about the Office of Disability Services at www.ods.appstate.edu).
Now, let me talk about what you can do regardless of being tested or identified with a specific learning disability. Many of the study skills strategies mentioned on this website and taught in the classes or in one-on-one learning skills consultations can be helpful in overcoming a disability. If you have a disability, you may need to be extra conscious of finding strategies that work for you. It may take you more time and effort to achieve what others do more quickly, so you need to plan for that in setting up study schedules and study settings.
Organization is also key. You must organize your materials and yourself for maximum success. In a sense, you need to be just as committed to getting things set up for success as in putting in the effort to succeed. If you are easily distracted, you need to look for and find a place to study where you can focus. You need to find ways to pace yourself so you will stay on task. You may want to sign up for tutoring whenever possible, not so much because you don’t understand the material but because you need the tutor to help you stay focused on the work you need to accomplish. You may need to analyze if there are certain things that distract you or cause you to stop working (such as a distracting environment; time of day; physical state--are you hungry or tired?; worries; etc.).
Time management also plays a role. If you are easily distracted, or if you have to work harder to do specific tasks, such as reading or math, then you must plan your time carefully. You must put in more time studying than perhaps your peers do. If you are easily distracted, you may want to break up tasks as much as possible to tackle them in short bursts rather than try to work straight for 2-3 hours.
Feel free to sign up for a learning skills consultation to brainstorm with a learning skills advisor strategies that may help. We are not experts on learning disabilities, but we are aware of different strategies you can try, and we may be able to help you reflect on solutions that could work for you. (These learning skills consultations are free to all Appalachian students).
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