LD Online is a very large site and a good place to visit if you are starting out and want to get a broad perspective of different types of learning differences.
L.D. Online http://www.ldonline.org/
Schwab Learning
The Schwab Learning site is another very extensive general site dedicated to learning differences. Like LD Online, it can provide a good starting point for your studies.
Center for Alternative Learning
Dr. Cooper’s web site. It is also a good starting point. Included in Dr. Cooper’s site is a complete Characteristics of Students who Learn Differently study course. Registration for the course is free to PA ABLE practitioners.
All Kinds of Minds
The home base of Dr. Mel Levine and Schools Attuned, this site contains a wealth of information about Dr. Levine’s Neurodevelopmental model and instructional activities consistent with that model. Make sure you visit this site and spend hours moving around the various sections.
NIFL Literacy and Learning Disabilities Special Collection
NIFL LD Special Collection
This site contains a large number of articles and references. The content is oriented specifically for persons interested in learning disabilities in adults.
Learning Disabilities Association of America http://www.ldanatl.org/
Learning Disabilities Association of America
This site contains excellent articles designed for adults who have learning disabilities, but they would also be very useful to instructors.
American Council on Education, GED Accommodations
http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=GEDTS&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=12223
Do you have a student who would be eligible for, or benefit from, a GED test accommodation? This site provides the information you need.
Responsiveness-to-Intervention Symposium: What If LD Identification Changed to Reflect Research Findings?
This extensive article discusses the newest concepts being considered in the diagnosis of Specific Learning Disabilities. The Response-to-Intervention approach is seen as an emerging alternative to the significant difference between ability and achievement criteria. A very interesting article.
OVE: Office of Vocational and Adult Education: Learning Disabilities in Adult Education
This site contains a wide range of links to programs dealing with adults who have learning disabilities.
Responsiveness-to-Intervention Symposium
The National Research Center on Learning Disabilities sponsored this two-day symposium focusing on responsiveness-to-intervention (RTI) issues. The speakers, discussants, and participants assembled represented the wide diversity of individuals with a vested interest in LD determination issues. Included on the home page are links to papers presented during the symposium, PowerPoint presentations used by the presenters, and video of the symposium sessions, when available. Contains an extensive amount of information.
Math Area: Algebra
A wide rante of practice problem solutions that have an auditory component and rather clear graphics. Might require some monitoring and assistance, but a good attempt at on-line presentation of materials.
Comprehensive basic math activities.
Don’t let the initial screen keep you from digging into this site. It has a lot of different components ranging from flashcards to a downloadable math facts video game. There are a lot of tools inside this site that students can use independently and the screens and graphics are mostly neutral.
This site will be a bit advanced for ABE programming but may be helpful for GED, and will definately “open a few student eyes” in terms of what a real algebra course might involve. But, the article “How to suck up to your teacher” is worth visiting the site (and probably printing out the article for your students). This is another site with a lot of materials so you will probably spend a bit of time exploring the various links. Most are well described so you can sort out what might be appropriate, but look carefully and you will find some that are applicable to ABLE level mathematics instruction.
Area: Math Games
OK, so you students are really tired of math work sheets, or your tutors are looking for work with the students that is “fun.” Here’s a site that has a lot to offer in the way of “alternative” instruction. Try the Algebraic Reasoning or Troy’s Toys for enjoyable math instruction that has clear relevance for “real life” problem solving. Plan to spend some time trying out the various activities.
Area: Math Videos
Well, I followed my own advice and was trying out the links on the site above and found these video lessons. They have use for either student use or your own learning. Having just visited a classroom that was working on a math table, I thought the video of the same materials was very interesting. These could be used as the introduction to a lesson, that was then elaborated upon or explained in more detail, then replayed as a reinforcement.
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives.
This extensive site that provides unique visual manipulatives for use in the teaching of mathematics. Many different types of games and activities that could be used for group lessons or individual practice.
Frequently we statements to the effect “we need something to give to tutors because they don’t know where to start.” This site could be a real help because the material flows nicely and the tutor need only to use the site as a guide and then work through concepts with the student.
Many students need a lot of repetition and visual examples to help them to understand. This site fits the bill and a teacher or tutor can watch the video clips and then use similar activities in the classroom. Free, positive and entertaining...you can’t beat that!
Another free web site containing a short video lesson on basic fractions. Remember, the more different ways that a student sees a concept, the better chance they have of “getting it.”
OK, we all hear about “authentic” and “contextualized” instruction but here is a web site that really does both of those things. It is a woodworkers web site full of tables and tricks for solving fraction problems as they might occur if you were woodworking. Have some things I have not seen anywhere else.
