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[alexmegami]

Hey Serena (and everyone else, but especially Serena), I thought you might find this article interesting:

College and Down's Syndrome Kids?

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Comments

[kisekileia.livejournal.com]

I think it's important that in trying to extend the college experience to students with cognitive disabilities, colleges avoid compromise on their academic standards, and avoid giving credits and degrees to students who haven't genuinely learned the material. The situations described in that article sound like those possible problems are mostly being avoided, though, and the students are having a good experience and getting as much out of college as they are capable of without the colleges awarding them degrees that they haven't earned. The only situation described in the article that bothered me was the young man who was unable to read the material assigned, so his mother read to him and asked him questions. His ability to answer the questions suggests that he understood the material somewhat, but I'm a little wary of giving English credits to students who can't actually read the material.

When the Down's syndrome kids can genuinely learn the material, albeit with a lot of extra help -- something which, judging by the article, happens more than I would have thought would be possible -- more power to them. I have no problem with extra help like note-takers and extra time on exams -- I receive some of those things myself because of my anxiety and attentional issues -- as long as the student is actually learning and demonstrating his or her knowledge.