When Edward decided to do a career change at 39 and return to school for a nursing degree, he knew his learning disability would make the coursework more challenging. Edward read slower than other people and had struggled with reading since childhood. He had heard that schools now taught students how to use assistive technology to compensate for their disability, unlike when he went to school, where having a learning disability merely meant being pulled from class for tutoring. Edward immediately went for an updated diagnosis of his dyslexia at the university's Disability Services Office so he could use the accommodations he'd been using professionally in the classroom. As a returning student, he recognized the benefits that a service of this type offered.
Edward's previous career was in high technology, where he learned the right software product provided wonderful accommodations for his weaknesses. His comfort and understanding with the assistance available through technology was a great plus. Not only did he understand all the features of Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, he had a high comfort level with researching and applying new technology and software products as needed.
Edward knew that at his age, with his learning disability, the reading and writing demands of a nursing program would be tough. To help him handle the reading load, the Disability Services Office suggested he get audiotape versions of his textbooks. He found that his nursing textbooks on tape were helpful, but limiting. Nursing textbooks are designed to be read cover to cover as well as used as reference material. The linear nature of a book on tape restricted his use of its content. He did research online and found CD versions of his textbooks that allowed him to move around the audio version of the textbook as if it were a website built with links.
Edward's dyslexia did not affect his ability to express himself; in fact, he was often praised for his writing. However, it took him a long time to write because he struggled with spelling, grammar, and the organization of information. He made good use of software. To accommodate for his poor spelling, he not only used the Spell check on Word, but he also purchased a medical spelling dictionary that integrated with Word to help him with the myriad of medical terms he had to learn.
Over the years, Edward had found ways to organize information that worked for him. However, in college some of his professors required papers to be organized in specific formats. Because a change in formatting presented a barrier to Edward in his writing, he accommodated himself by starting his papers early and writing them in the organizational format that worked best for him. Then he would develop a template in Word that fit the professor's required formatting. When he finished writing the paper, he would place the text in the course-required format. He also used bibliographic citation software to make sure his bibliographies were in the correct format, whether MLA, APA, or Chicago, for the course.
All in all, Edward found that his instructors were amenable to the accommodations he suggested with the help of the Disability Support Services Office. Edward used his strength in working with technology to compensate for his weaknesses in reading, spelling, and paper formatting modifications to ultimately succeed as a returning student.
