Towards Success in Tertiary Study
Learning disability

This resource has been written for students who have Learning Disabilities (LD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and who are studying or intend studying at tertiary level.

Strategies for successful study
Information and resources

Strategies for successful study

Tertiary study is challenging. It is important that students undertake a realistic study load and consider disclosure as institutions cannot meet individual needs without an understanding of the issues. Students can maximise their chances of success by developing a range of study strategies and by using the various services available.

Students may find it useful to explain the effects of a learning disability and the possible impact on study. For example:

• Poor memory and/or concentration skills
• Slower rate of information processing
• Additional time required to complete tasks
• Difficulty reasoning and problem solving
• Difficulty organising time and prioritising
• Difficulty with language: reading and writing (spelling, grammar, structure); following instructions and procedures
• Difficulty with numerical problems, sequences and calculations
• Social difficulties: mood changes; impulsive, argumentative or insensitive behaviour; reduced ability to sustain attention or grasp social cues; hyperactivity
• Low tolerance to stress
• Possible feelings of low self-esteem and depression.

“...Once I discovered that some famous people such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Hans Christian Anderson, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and Auguste Rodin had dyslexia, I finally felt that I was not alone, that I shared something with a group of exceptional individuals. It was a good feeling to be amongst such great company. It was a true turning point in my life...”

Preparing for study
Study techniques and tips

Preparing for study

• Consider preferred learning styles and strengths when choosing a course.
• Contact the Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) or Student Centre before the course begins to discuss special arrangements.
• Explore the available adaptive technology in the library, Study/Academic Skills Unit and Disability Liaison Unit.
• Create a timetable to map out assessment tasks (commencement and due dates) and exam dates. Academic/Study Skills Advisers can help set realistic goals and study plans.
• Set up efficient, colour-coded filing systems for each subject.
• Determine preferred study environment: a quiet area or space with background noise/music.
• Establish study routines: plan to study for short periods with frequent breaks; schedule difficult/complex tasks for optimum study times (e.g. mornings when most alert); alternate interesting with less interesting tasks; avoid distractions and focus on completion; work with a partner or a group.
• Maintain a life balance: allow time for socialising, exercise, relaxation and sleep.
• Expect peaks and troughs in the study year and focus on the positives.

“...I found myself spending most of my time rewriting and revising my written work in order for it to make any sense at all…and spent many long hours…deciphering masses of material... In retrospect, this has made me extremely organised and methodical...”

Study techniques and tips

Lectures and tutorials
Reading and writing
Exams
Dealing with stress

Lectures and tutorials

• Attend all lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions. Consider attending repeat sessions.
• Do preparatory reading for all lectures and tutorials. Make sure you access your subjects webpage for notes and announcements. Sit close to the front where there are fewer distractions.
• Find out what was covered in any sessions missed and ask lecturers about accessing copies of notes or other material.
• If organising material or writing quickly is a problem, explore support options through the DLO.
• Share notes with other students to check key points and fill any gaps.
• Reinforce new material: listen to recordings; review and rework notes within 24 hours; revise summarised notes frequently.
• Ask in tutorials for further explanation about anything missed or not understood.
• Be fully prepared for tutorial presentations: practise and time delivery; organise notes and highlight key points; prepare questions to stimulate discussion.

Reading and writing

• Source course outlines and booklists before semester begins: start reading early and selectively. Lecturers can indicate the most important texts and suggest less complex texts.
• Speak to the DLO to find out about accessible/alternative formats.
• Determine the purpose of reading before beginning. Break reading into manageable sections. Read actively and critically using the SQ3R technique: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Rewrite.
• Reading aloud can assist understanding and concentration.
• Record main points and bibliographic details at the same time.
• Share reading lists with others to cut down on reading.

“...I realise that it takes me twice as long as other students to do all the reading and assignments so I have to be really well-organised. I have everything I want to get done for the week in my diary and I mark things off as I do them...”

• Clarify the required academic style for written assignments. Ask lecturers and Academic/Study Skills Advisers for copies of model assignments. Concept maps and software such as Inspiration and Endnote can facilitate planning and referencing.
• Explore English language/literacy and/or ESL support: writing/grammar classes; online courses/tuition for example Online English grammar and OWL (Online Writing Lab).
• Enlarge vocabulary by using a Thesaurus and practise using new terminology.
• Academic/Study Skills Advisers can provide information and instruction about writing techniques and critically read assignments prior to submission.
• For subjects that require mathematical skills: devise a list of steps to follow in problem-solving tasks; put the problem into diagrammatic form if possible; use estimation to check the probability of answers.
• If unsure about lecturers' comments on essays, ask for further feedback.

“...Word meanings and spelling are my greatest problems. Many people have helped to correct and untangle my spelling and make sense of my sentences. I have no doubt that I will be carrying the dictionary around for ever and asking, ‘How do you spell that word again?...”

Exams

• Make arrangements early for any alternative assessments through the DLO.
• Early and regular revision is the most important factor in exam preparation. Allow extra time for difficulty subjects.
• Select relevant material and gear revision to suit exam style. Seek explanations for anything not clearly understood.
• Find different ways to understand, organise and remember material. Explore memory enhancement techniques such as Mind Tools.
• Practise reading exam papers; rephrasing or rewriting difficult questions (e.g. putting numerical problems into words); writing answers under timed, simulated exam conditions.
• Leave spaces between paragraphs in essay questions so that structural cues (e.g. linking words or topic sentences) can be added later if necessary.
• Follow up lost marks or lower-than-expected results with lecturers to improve future performance.

“...I’ve always had trouble structuring ideas in an essay, but show me a photograph and I can easily explain why some objects need to be in the foreground, and how shading is operating to manipulate the image. Images come to me laterally rather than linearly I guess...”

Dealing with Stress

• Pace activities and expect some tasks to take longer.
• Exercise regularly and practise relaxation techniques.
• Cultivate friendships: join clubs and study groups and online discussion lists. Reduce non-essential activities and focus energies on study.
• Consider part-time or distance education.

“...I had to cope with many long hours of painstaking work and at times doubted that I could achieve what I set out to achieve. It was frustrating to see other students in the same course completing tasks in half the time...”

Information and resources

All tertiary institutions offer student support services as well opportunities for extra-curricular and social activities. It is the student’s responsibility to make enquiries and follow up any issues.

Accommodations
Disclosure
Student rights
Resources

Accommodations

• assignment extensions
• provision of note-takers
• assistance in the library
• extended exam time, preferred seating, alternative venue
• alternative formats and use of adaptive technology
• alternative assessment arrangements

“...I was advised to get in touch with the Disability Unit when I started uni and they’ve been great… I was a bit unsure about telling lecturers that I’m dyslexic, but now I’m really glad I did; they’ve been really supportive and seem to appreciate someone who wants to learn...”

Disclosure

Many of these strategies can be implemented without disclosing the condition. However, the institution will not be able to provide special consideration or accommodations without the relevant information. Students may make arrangements themselves or speak with the DLO who can then facilitate special consideration or adjustments while maintaining confidentiality.

Student rights

Students who have a disability have rights under the Disability Discrimination Act. Students who feel their needs are not being met should discuss this with their lecturers or DLO. If dissatisfied, complaints may be first lodged through the institution’s internal procedures then taken to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Resources

Online resources are very useful and easy to access. Academic/Study Skills Advisers and Library staff can suggest and help source study-related information and references. Students may also refer lecturers and tutors to the Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) at their institution for further information and advice.

A list of peak bodies and peer support groups can be found in the White Pages under Disability Services and Support Organisations or by searching online.

Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education & Training (ADCET)

Disability Information Network Australia (DINA)

Disability Information Resource Centre (DIRC)

Opening All Options – resources for students who have a Learning Disability

Specific Learning Difficulties (SPELD) Victoria

Students with Learning Disabilities – Australian National University

Tertiary Initiatives for People with Disabilities (TIPD)

Welcome to UniLearning

Towards Success series

Original publication (68KB) (The University of Melbourne and Australian Catholic University collaboration) funded by the Commonwealth Department of Education Employment Training and Youth Affairs under the Victorian Co-operative Projects for Higher Education Students with a Disability Committee, 1997.
Written by Reem Al-Mahmoud, Patricia McLean, Elizabeth Powell, Janette Ryan.
Illustration cartoons by Michael Leunig (reproduced with permission from The Age and Michael Leunig).
Revised version funded by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations under the National Disability Coordination Officer Program, 2009.

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