Learning disabilities is a condition of struggles for many college students. It is a rather general term that can cover a lot of problems·problems with listening, thinking, math, speaking, reading, or writing. It could affect a person in their sensory processes or simply making sense out of information a bit more slowly than the average person (Nowicki 171). It does not mean that a person is retarded or handicapped because of cultural differences. It can be a challenge for the college-bound learning-disabled student from the point of decision through the process of taking SATs until the diploma is finally in hand. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss whether or not the SAT process is fair for the learning disabled student.
From the experience of this writer, the discrimination against a learning disabled student can be subtle, something rather hard to put your finger on. It comes from the students as well as the teachers sometimes, even though there are laws to protect the educational rights of the disabled students. Research shows that learning-disabled students need more encouragement and may have lower self-esteem and confidence in regard to academic tasks (Nowicki 171). That is true with regular schoolwork and with the SATs. Even normal ability students get very nervous before and during SAT tests, and the whole process can be a nightmare for the learning disabled students. It just seems like a system that sets a person up for failure.
The standard testing conditions cause problems for many people with disabilities. The tests are timed, making the disabled student very anxious. There are possible accommodations for the learning disabled student, but not everyone wants to be singled out or labeled in that way, especially with a background of struggle in connection with school. One hopes to make a fresh start in the college or university environment in connection with the test, and having different arrangeme...