Accommodations to Help Learners with Dysgraphia
Dysgraphia can manifest in the form of various challenges. Some symptoms may affect the mechanical action and output of writing due to impairment at a grapheme level, an allograph level, or a motor pattern level. Other symptoms primarily hinder one’s ability to spell and form words including letter identity error resulting in substitutions, additions, and omissions, and errors of letter position within the word (Crouch & Jakubecy, 2007; Ellis, 1988). Someone living with dysgraphia can experience any combination of these problems. Thus, the provision of appropriate accommodations must address the person’s specific areas of need in order to facilitate learning and productivity in both the school and workplace setting (Graham, Patterson, & Hodges, 1997).
Accommodations: provide alternatives to written expression such that the importance of writing on learning and expression in the classroom is reduced
Accommodations Available
Most of the accommodations below are written in the context of a student, however many of these accommodations can also be used in the workplace.
1. Apply methods to reduce the volume of writing tasks and the importance of the student’s writing speed.
· Provide more time for note taking, copying and in class tests/assignments
· Provide students with modified fill in the blank over heads/lecture notes, in either hard-copy (i.e printed sheets) or soft-copy (i.e editable word document) formats, such that the student is only required to write minimal amount of words and may be able complete notes in the same amount of class time given to their peers.
· Provide students with extra work hours to complete unfinished written work or seek for additional help in the form of “library time” or “independent studies”
· Allow the use of assistive technology to overcome difficulties in writing. The use of word processors alleviates hand-writing challenges as well as difficulties in spelling through the use of a Spell-Check feature. The following are a few examples of mobile and computer applications that can be used to aid the process of writing:
- Dragon - Speech-to-text application
- Evernote - Organization tool that allow for voice-recorded notes (see media page for demonstration)
- SoundNote - Recording application allows for simultaneous recording and typing
- Typ-O HD - A word predictor that reduces the impact of spelling errors
· Modify assessment of knowledge by offering alternative formats of tests and assignments. For example an oral exam or a visual presentation that eliminates the need for the ability to write.
· Allow abbreviations in writing such as using ‘b/c’ for ‘because’ to help with note taking and test writing.
· Request a scribe or a designated note taker to take notes during class so that the LD learner can concentrate more on the lesson that their impairments. A scribe or secretary could be appointed to a employee who requests assistance in meetings.
- A note taker could be a student in the same class who writes their notes on carbon paper or photocopies their handwritten notes for the student.
2. Accommodations to reduce the complexity of the writing tasks
· Break down written assessments into stages so that it does not seem like a huge task all at once (such as brainstorming, drafting, editing etc.).
· Encourage students to use a spellchecker or ask a peer to help proofread written work.
· Allow students to write in cursive if preferred by the learner
3. Provide alternative tools and resources to encourage legible writing
· Lined paper with larger widths to help keep writing within the lines
· Use large graph paper as a sensory guide to help align columns of numbers essential when completing math problems
· Use of visual organizers to assist in outlining and brainstorming for extended writing assignments
Accommodations: provide alternatives to written expression such that the importance of writing on learning and expression in the classroom is reduced
Accommodations Available
Most of the accommodations below are written in the context of a student, however many of these accommodations can also be used in the workplace.
1. Apply methods to reduce the volume of writing tasks and the importance of the student’s writing speed.
· Provide more time for note taking, copying and in class tests/assignments
· Provide students with modified fill in the blank over heads/lecture notes, in either hard-copy (i.e printed sheets) or soft-copy (i.e editable word document) formats, such that the student is only required to write minimal amount of words and may be able complete notes in the same amount of class time given to their peers.
· Provide students with extra work hours to complete unfinished written work or seek for additional help in the form of “library time” or “independent studies”
· Allow the use of assistive technology to overcome difficulties in writing. The use of word processors alleviates hand-writing challenges as well as difficulties in spelling through the use of a Spell-Check feature. The following are a few examples of mobile and computer applications that can be used to aid the process of writing:
- Dragon - Speech-to-text application
- Evernote - Organization tool that allow for voice-recorded notes (see media page for demonstration)
- SoundNote - Recording application allows for simultaneous recording and typing
- Typ-O HD - A word predictor that reduces the impact of spelling errors
· Modify assessment of knowledge by offering alternative formats of tests and assignments. For example an oral exam or a visual presentation that eliminates the need for the ability to write.
· Allow abbreviations in writing such as using ‘b/c’ for ‘because’ to help with note taking and test writing.
· Request a scribe or a designated note taker to take notes during class so that the LD learner can concentrate more on the lesson that their impairments. A scribe or secretary could be appointed to a employee who requests assistance in meetings.
- A note taker could be a student in the same class who writes their notes on carbon paper or photocopies their handwritten notes for the student.
2. Accommodations to reduce the complexity of the writing tasks
· Break down written assessments into stages so that it does not seem like a huge task all at once (such as brainstorming, drafting, editing etc.).
· Encourage students to use a spellchecker or ask a peer to help proofread written work.
· Allow students to write in cursive if preferred by the learner
3. Provide alternative tools and resources to encourage legible writing
· Lined paper with larger widths to help keep writing within the lines
· Use large graph paper as a sensory guide to help align columns of numbers essential when completing math problems
· Use of visual organizers to assist in outlining and brainstorming for extended writing assignments
(all references can be found under the References button)