I have a severe math disability. I have been tested at a JR. College twice, my undergrad school in California is small, private and has no learning disabilities services. I informed them of my disability and asked if it would keep me from getting my BA. They said no, now I find they don’t know what to do with me, and the re-testing took so many months that my student loan repayments come due next month!
what responsibility dose my school have towards me and is it true that there are no longer waivers for students with profound diabilities in math? the educational psychologist I worked with today went so far as admit that California is so inflexible and intolorent towards people with math disabilities that they might as well not go to college.
I am an older student, poor and diabetic and the stress of this has not been good for my health in the least. Being the only one in my family to ever go to college means I have no one that I can turn to for help, so any advice you could give me would be appreciated. All I want is a shot at a good life just like everyone else.
Re: Math waivers or accomodations ?
I don’t know if this will work, it’s just a suggestion, but could you maybe get in touch with your local Board/Department of Education, talk to them, explain your situation, see what they recommend.
I wish I could offer more in the way of advice; I go to community college here in NYC and a lot of the schools that are run by the CUNY system have Offices of Disabilities associated with them. I also know that as someone who has dyscalculia (and has taken beginning Math five times in the last oh, eight or so years) that it does help to be affiliated with an Office of Disability type of service.
Does your college have any type of Disabled Students Services, not LD service, but is there somewhere on campus where you could go to talk to people in the professional arena who may understand your situation?
The thing is: I don’t know if wavering of courses is legally allowed in states anymore; I think it used to be but I have a feeling that that is no longer the policy.
Re: Math waivers or accomodations ?
Check out www.wrightslaw.com and go to their “advocacy” section. I thought your question was interesting, since a few years ago I returned to college and also had great difficulty with algebra. It turned out I had been struggling with a severe LD in math all my life, but nobody “saw” it because I sounded so normal, so “smart” that everyone just thought I was being lazy or had bought into the idea that girls can’t do math. It wasn’t that simple, of course. Anyway, I was allowed to substitute some computer courses for the math requirement. On the wrightslaw website, there are suggestions on how to go about increasing your chances of getting a substitution course granted. I hope it is helpful to you.
You don’t say what your major is, but I assume it is not something like engineering, where you can’t reasonably “substitute” with another course. Good luck and hang in there! JJ
Re: Math waivers or accomodations ?
I was just wondering what your major was my-self. Though I must say I’ve never heard schools giving math waiver, but I have a foreign language waiver my-self.
Re: Math waivers or accomodations ?
Though language is different than math, atleast to a minimal requirement including. I think the standard is atleast college Algebra and high school Algebra 2.
Small and private does not mean it is exempted from the Americans With Disabilities Act. If they truly provide no services to students with disabilities, they would be in violation of that federal law. Do they have any physically handicapped students? I’d go see the Dean.
As a private college, it can choose what it wishes to waiver. I think they’re giving you the run around. Perhaps start by getting in touch with your legislators.
Good luck.