Development of an Organization-Level Model of Intervention for College Students With Learning Disabilities

PURPOSE: Challenges related to learning disabilities (LD) persist into adulthood and contribute to functional difficulties (Kreider et al., 2015). Despite available academic supports, interventions for occupational performance are needed. An organization-level model of intervention supporting undergraduates with LD was developed and tested.

METHOD: This implementation study used a one-group mixed methods design to test the model of intervention. The model was informed by social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) and includes personal-, interpersonal-, and institutional-level academic and health supports. Participants were undergraduates with LD registered with the campus disability office. Faculty and graduate students were enrolled as mentors for the undergraduates and were eligible on the basis of field of study. Institutional-level participants were administrators from academic and student service units. Recruitment strategies included campus listservs, email advertisements, flyers, and word of mouth.

A continuous process of action and analysis was used to evaluate factors affecting feasibility, acceptability, and implementation (Peters et al., 2013). Outcome surveys, focus groups, and implementation (e.g., recruitment) data guided model refinement. Field notes and meeting minutes were generated during group meetings, and meeting discussions were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were reviewed monthly and incorporated with annual survey and focus group data to guide model refinement.

Undergraduates engaged in monthly group meetings, biweekly one-to-one mentorship, disability office counselor appointments, and development of products to raise awareness of LD. Group meetings involved didactic content followed by facilitated reflection and experience and strategy sharing. Mentorship focused on professional development, communication about LD, and LD-informed academic advisement. Mentors also met as a group to discuss experiences regarding LD. University personnel met each semester as a faculty disability committee.

RESULTS: Personal-level changes included a shift in group meeting discussions to emphasize LD-related self-awareness and strategy development. Interpersonal-level changes included mentorship provided only by graduate students. Institutional-level adjustments included addition of student service providers on the faculty council, a shift in emphasis to cross-campus collaborations, and inclusion of disability within campus diversity initiatives.

Fifty-two undergraduates were recruited; 46 enrolled in time to participate for 2 yr, and 35 (76%) completed the 2 yr. Participants attended 92% of group meetings, 88% of meetings with mentors, and 77% of meetings with the disability office counselor; 69% created at least one product to raise awareness. Recruitment also included 52 graduate student and 36 faculty mentors. Thirty-two university personnel representing 11 academic and 9 student service units participated in the faculty committee; 30 (94%) actively engaged in committee activities.

For undergraduates who developed more than one LD awareness product, shifts toward more positive messages were observed in 76%. Graduate students with teaching assistantships reported greater understanding of students’ learning differences within their classrooms. Collaborations among faculty committee participants resulted in two training grant proposals incorporating supports for diverse learners.

CONCLUSION: The final model is a feasible model for campus-based intervention that is acceptable to students and campus stakeholders for supporting the performance and campus participation of undergraduates with LD. Research impact is in its contribution to informing organization-level occupational therapy practice.

References

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

Kreider, C. M., Bendixen, R. M., & Lutz, B. J. (2015). Holistic needs of university students with invisible disabilities: A qualitative study. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 35, 426–441. https://doi.org/10.3109/01942638.2015.1020407

Peters, D. H., Adam, T., Alonge, O., Agyepong, I. A., & Tran, N. (2013). Implementation research: What it is and how to do it. BMJ, 347, f6753. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f6753