Augustana College offers several tutoring services for students but this does not include specialized tutoring sessions for students with learning disabilities. Instead of offering specialized tutors, Augustana College should focus on universal learning that allows all students to learn and grow despite any learning disability. This would accommodate every student with the same tutoring services. Focusing on universal learning in tutoring promotes inclusivity allowing for every student to use the same services.
Specialized tutors might make students with disabilities feel alone and separated from the rest of their peers. Instead, universal learning would include proper training and accommodations to help tutors understand the struggles students with disabilities may face and how inclusive styles of learning can be incorporated within tutoring sessions. Lucas Street, director of the Reading Writing Center (RWC) works with training tutors on universal learning.
“We do train all of our tutors in some of the basics of accessibility and universal design for learning and how to work well with students who have learning differences or disabilities,” Street said.
At the RWC, students can receive extra help on essays and research. Students can also get help with breaking down and understanding readings for various classes in the center. At the RWC, tutors are also trained to understand learning disabilities and create a learning path that will help students succeed.
Once a tutor is hired, they go through a year-long training, including two training courses to better understand and accommodate all students. This training promotes universal learning and inclusivity. The way the center is set up allows for all students, including any learning differences, to get assistance with any reading and writing help they may need. At the RWC students are listened to and understood because of the training that tutors go through.
“We have several readings about working with students with disabilities and also just taking a more universal design approach. It’s like [asking], ‘Why don’t we have practices that work well for all students,’ rather than saying, ‘Oh, you have a disability, so I’m going to work with you this way’” Street said. “It’s better to try to have accessible practices that could work for anyone, whether or not they have a documented disability.”
Augustana offers several services to support students. These include Student Supports, which help students with classes that require extra assistance, as well as the Office of Advising and Disability Services which helps accommodate students with any kind of disability.
Sarah Persico is an Administrative Assistant at the Learning Commons. The Learning Commons oversees the RWC, Disability Services, academic coaching, advising and tutoring. Through the Learning Commons, Student Supports offers tutors and academic coaches who have undergone training to support students with learning differences.
“A lot of things that go for our students as well as our academic coaches who are also prepared to help some of those students with disabilities in mind. Whether it’s things like focusing or what’s a better reading strategy than what I’m currently using. So, right now we do have help with those barriers,” Persico said.
Many students aren’t aware of the services that Augustana has to offer. Every student at Augustana can set up appointments to meet with tutors at the RWC and with Student Supports through Starfish. These appointments are available and there to help accommodate students.
Senior Maddy Snyder, CSD major and disabilities minor, believes Augustana should advertise these services more to increase awareness.
“Sometimes Augustana has services, but they don’t advertise the services. Nobody knows about them,” Snyder said.
It’s important to listen to students with learning disabilities and understand what they need to succeed. If universal learning is or isn’t a helpful approach, it is imperative that Augustana takes students’ word and provides the necessary accommodations.
Snyder said she believes Augustana should have specialized tutors.
“I think that specialized tutors should be available for students with a variety of disabilities because, as we know, disabilities aren’t clear-cut. It’s not very black and white. It’s a lot of gray area,” Snyder said. “I think that having them available and also advocating and making accommodations for them.”
There is always room for improvement and new ways that Augustana can grow. Providing training on learning disabilities is crucial when it comes to providing sufficient tutors. Incorporating strategies that encourage universal learning is important to accommodate everyone. As always, Augustana must continue to grow and listen to students with disabilities to promote inclusivity.
“I have four children and three of them have disabilities, so this is very personally important to me as well,” Street said. “I would love to see Augustana as a whole become more inclusive of people with disabilities and create structures where anyone, any student, can succeed at Augustana because we have the right support in place.”
