Students who have Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) in high school have modifications to their classroom settings. Throughout high school, students with IEPs usually receive individualized support from a case manager to complete homework and to work with teachers to pass their classes. Once these students graduate high school, they no longer have the same support in college. Students are on their own to navigate support in college and to utilize college resources.
One college option for students with learning disabilities is Landmark College. This school provides students a supportive learning environment and an opportunity to earn an Associate’s Degree.
What Landmark College Offers
Landmark is unique due to the school’s mission of helping students “create a strategic learning plan specific to [their] needs”. In addition to individualized learning, the school offers the most up-to-date technology to assist students with learning disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD). The teachers and professors have the experience with and interest in students with special learning needs. The environment is structured to promote educational success of the students.
Programs Offered at Landmark
Students attending Landmark can choose from one of four Associate’s Degree programs: General Studies, Liberal Arts, Business Studies, and Business Administration. Each program is structured to allow for the transfer of credits to a four year college upon completion.
When students enroll at Landmark, they do need to take one of four Points of Entry. This curriculum is designed to provide educational strategies based on the student's primary disability. The Language Intensive Curriculum (LIC) provides a framework for students with learning issues in the realms of reading and writing. The Partial Credit Curriculum (PCC) offers students skill development and introduction to assistive technology instruction. Some of these courses are non-credit based so that students are introduced to the best strategies for their success in credit courses. This path is ideal for students with reading disabilities and ADD.
The next two Points are Credit Curriculum and Extensive Function Curriculum. The Credit Curriculum courses provide students a starting point to capturing actual college credit. At the same time the students are developing their own skills and strategies for learning. Students in this curriculum usually are ready to start college credit courses with minimal support. The Extensive Function Curriculum is structured for students with ADD. Three areas are explored: “English Composition: ADHD Theory and Practice in the English department, Perspectives in Learning in the First Studies department”.
Assistive Technology at Landmark
Because the premise of Landmark is to support students with learning issues, the college has accumulated the best assistive technology for students with disabilities. Some examples include the Wilson Reading System, Kurzweil, Inspiration T, voice recognition, word predication, word processing, personal digital assistants, and Dragon Naturally Speaking.
Academic Support Services
Landmark prides itself on the academic support services it provides students. All students have an advisor whose function is similar to a high school case manager. Centers for Academic Support are areas where students can receive free tutoring in writing, reading, math, study skills and other academic areas. Finally, students also have access to individualized coaching services which provide support in the student’s most need areas. Examples can include organizing, prioritizing, and motivation.
Besides the academic features of Landmark, the school offers students similar elements of other colleges: dorms, study abroad programs, clubs, sports, and fine arts. The main difference at Landmark is the incredible focus it provides students on an individual level. The college meets the students where they are at and prepares them for college success by assisting them to develop needed skills.
Families interested in Landmark need to prepare for admission early. The college only enrolls around 100 new students a year. Students must take the ACT or SAT and demonstrate the ability to be college ready. Additionally, families need to be prepared for financing the education at Landmark. The 2008-2009 tuition, books, and room and board was estimated to be $50,000 a year. The school’s average aid to students in need was around $3,000.
Kerrie Troseth - Kerrie is a licensed school counselor who works exclusively with adolescents. As a school counselor she is trained in the areas of ...
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