Students Who Learn
Differently Overseas
PREFACE
This study was originally titled Children Who Learn Differently. But in recognition of the fact
that we continue to learn all throughout our lives, and the fact that people
who learn differently do not cease to learn differently just because they are
no longer children, the name was changed to Students Who Learn Differently. In 2010 the name was changed to Students Who
Learn Differently Overseas to more accurately describe its purpose and
scope.
For the purposes
of this study, students who learn differently (or LD learners) will refer to
those people who are most commonly described as having specific learning
difficulties/disabilities like dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia. These are students who are able, or
should be able, to be mainstreamed (taught in a normal classroom setting)
providing they receive the necessary accommodations. However recently information has been included that might
prove of value to autistic, Asperger’s, blind, and deaf students.
We would like to
take this opportunity to recognize those students whose learning abilities do
not fall within these parameters, such as students with exceptional ability who
might function better in programs or schools for gifted students, or those
students whose needs, be they mental or physical, often demand highly
specialized schooling or accommodations. Perhaps in the future another study
might be done that would explore the options available to such students in the
context of expatriate living.
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web version of this book has also been speech-enabled through the kindness of BrowseAloud.
In the autumn of 1997, a cover letter and questionnaire
were sent out to the then 64 member clubs of the Federation of American Women’s
Clubs Overseas (hereafter FAWCO. Of the 64 clubs surveyed, 32 responded and of
that number, 24 completed the questionnaire. In addition to the information
gathered as a result of this questionnaire, various organizations supporting
students who learn differently were consulted, seminars and conferences on the
subject were attended, and books, articles, websites and videos were
researched. The first
edition of Students
Who Learn Differently was presented to the 1998 FAWCO conference, which was
held in Athens, Greece.
In the autumn of 1998, another questionnaire was sent to
all FAWCO clubs, and the results were published in an Addendum to the original report in 1999
and presented at the FAWCO London conference.
Addendum
2000 was presented to the FAWCO conference held in Washington
D.C. that year. After the
conference, then Educational Support Committee chair Susan van Alsenoy walked
the halls of the Senate and House of Representatives Office Buildings,
hand-delivering the results of FAWCO constituents’ questionnaires to the
offices of their elected representatives.
In 2001, FAWCO’s Educational Support Committee initiated a
project to support mainstream educators, from pre-school teachers to university
professors, by providing simple strategies they can employ in their classrooms
to help learning-differently students. This project was completed in March
2003. Translations and details of this project can be found in “LD Support for
Teachers Worldwide” and “Project Translations”.
Students
Who Learn Differently Accepted by ERIC
We are delighted to announce that the original Students Who
Learn Differently report was accepted by ERIC, the U.S. Government, Department
of Education, Educational Resources Information Center. ERIC is a federally-funded, national information
system that provides information on a broad range of education-related
issues. Our study was accepted
under the Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education department.
Students
Who Learn Differently Overseas is a work in progress. Begun in 1998, the study has been added
to, corrected, and updated over the years. Due to the rapid growth both in this field and in modern
communication techniques, we apologize ahead of time if some of the information
presented is no longer current or if some of the links no longer work.
None of the products, programs or resource materials
presented in this study is endorsed by the Federation of American Women's Clubs
Overseas. Any opinions expressed
are the personal or professional opinions of individuals and do not necessarily
represent the views of FAWCO clubs or their members.
Students Who Learn Differently
Overseas
by Susan van Alsenoy, AWC Antwerp
Email: swl@fawco.org
Page created 10/29/99
EvE. Last updated 03/01/11 SvA.
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