Return-Path: <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g12JVhu17683; Sat, 2 Feb 2002 14:31:43 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2002 14:31:43 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <5.1.0.14.2.20020202134528.00a61ec0@mail> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: clifwillard <clifwillard@home.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-ld@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-LD:3886] RE: NIFL-LD:3810 NO Support for phonetic X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: multipart/alternative; X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.1 Status: O Content-Length: 8752 Lines: 150 --=====================_4009874==_.ALT Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Isn't it nice to know what the problem is? It is a wise person who refers to a person with expertise in diagnosing ADHD as it can be difficult to sort out the other possibilities. Labels are really a vocabulary that defines a particular cluster of symptoms. The problem is that the definitions for many labels such as ADHD, Dyslexia, Reading Disability, Disability in Written Expression,... are so ambiguous that they can mean anything you want. Often the meaning of a label and the definition of that same label have little to do with each other or the disability at all. I have yet to have any come into my office and be able to tell me what a reading disability, ADHD, Disability in Written Expression actually is. Mostly they are defined in pejorative terms or euphemism. They mostly reflect a lack of understanding and often an attempt to glorify the disability so that they can accept it. Labels often are confused with symptoms and coping strategies rather that the definition of the disability. The most common I hear is, "I am Dyslexic because I reverse letters." People with Dyslexia do not reverse letters. Reversing letters is the meaning of Dyslexia to many. I think you would agree that there is absolutely NO benefit to having ADHD. The idea that it is an asset or gift as some insist is irrational. Who would get up in the morning and say to them selves, " I just can't wait to go to school so I can get into trouble, be laughed at by my peers, have teachers accuse me of not trying, experience constant failure, feel I have to be on the defensive all the time, and not understand why all this is happening to me." People may accept and adjust to their disability but having the disability is still disabling and everyone with it knows that. It is no picnic even with effective accommodating. That is not to say the achieving ones goals and being successful academically and post academically is not well within the grasp of anyone with ADHD or a Reading Disability. Many however are prevented from accomplishing such goals because of the choices made for them by uninformed educators, professionals, and those who determine eligibility criteria based solely on their own need for power, status, and need to control others in order to feel they are in control. So many hold themselves out to be the solution and are in fact become the very problem they say they trying to solve. I could not agree more with Marie. She is describing the solution that works and works well, not the problem. How refreshing. Just as in ADHD, the solution for most people with reading disabilities is accommodation and circumvention, not remediation. How many students would be denied a college education if they were not able to accommodate their reading with books on tape, computer screen readers, extended time on exams, and curriculum substitutions? Thousands graduate every year and are successful in their careers. Those who are not aware or are prevented from accommodating for no legitimate reason, usually fail, are unable to succeed to their potential, and arbitrarily denied the benefits of a college education. How barbarian. Clif NON ILLEGITIMI CARBORUNDUM At 10:15 AM 2/2/02 -0500, you wrote: >Clif: >I just replied to a previous posting where I stated a bit of my history >... being diagnosed 4 years ago. Shows how things have changed. Much of >what you said described me and many in the support group. > >I would like to add that the person making my diagnosis was a neurologist >who specializes in this area and I was refereed to him by my psychologist >who felt after 2 years of therapy things were just not right. I had >always been diagnosed as bipolar but certain tasks related to teaching and >life (organizational skills such as keeping a checkbook and getting tasks >done on time and multi tasking) she just felt was more than related to the >bipolar as when I was doing well I still had many of these problems. > >I have gone through many changes in my life since then and I have been >lucky through an adult support group to have made some positive changes. --=====================_4009874==_.ALT Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html> Isn't it nice to know what the problem is? It is a wise person who refers to a person with expertise in diagnosing ADHD as it can be difficult to sort out the other possibilities. <br><br> Labels are really a vocabulary that defines a particular cluster of symptoms. The problem is that the definitions for many labels such as ADHD, Dyslexia, Reading Disability, Disability in Written Expression,... are so ambiguous that they can mean anything you want. Often the meaning of a label and the definition of that same label have little to do with each other or the disability at all. I have yet to have any come into my office and be able to tell me what a reading disability, ADHD, Disability in Written Expression actually is. Mostly they are defined in pejorative terms or euphemism. They mostly reflect a lack of understanding and often an attempt to glorify the disability so that they can accept it. Labels often are confused with symptoms and coping strategies rather that the definition of the disability. The most common I hear is, "I am Dyslexic because I reverse letters." People with Dyslexia do not reverse letters. Reversing letters is the meaning of Dyslexia to many. <br><br> I think you would agree that there is absolutely NO benefit to having ADHD. The idea that it is an asset or gift as some insist is irrational. Who would get up in the morning and say to them selves, " I just can't wait to go to school so I can get into trouble, be laughed at by my peers, have teachers accuse me of not trying, experience constant failure, feel I have to be on the defensive all the time, and not understand why all this is happening to me." People may accept and adjust to their disability but having the disability is still disabling and everyone with it knows that. It is no picnic even with effective accommodating. That is not to say the achieving ones goals and being successful academically and post academically is not well within the grasp of anyone with ADHD or a Reading Disability. Many however are prevented from accomplishing such goals because of the choices made for them by uninformed educators, professionals, and those who determine eligibility criteria based solely on their own need for power, status, and need to control others in order to feel they are in control. So many hold themselves out to be the solution and are in fact become the very problem they say they trying to solve.<br><br> I could not agree more with Marie. She is describing the solution that works and works well, not the problem. How refreshing.<br><br> Just as in ADHD, the solution for most people with reading disabilities is accommodation and circumvention, not remediation. How many students would be denied a college education if they were not able to accommodate their reading with books on tape, computer screen readers, extended time on exams, and curriculum substitutions? Thousands graduate every year and are successful in their careers. Those who are not aware or are prevented from accommodating for no legitimate reason, usually fail, are unable to succeed to their potential, and arbitrarily denied the benefits of a college education. How barbarian.<br><br> Clif<br><br> NON ILLEGITIMI CARBORUNDUM <br><br> At 10:15 AM 2/2/02 -0500, you wrote:<br> <blockquote type=3Dcite class=3Dcite cite><font face=3D"arial" size=3D2>Clif= : <br> I just replied to a previous posting where I stated a bit of my history .. being diagnosed 4 years ago. Shows how things have changed. Much of what you said described me and many in the support group. <br><br> I would like to add that the person making my diagnosis was a neurologist who specializes in this area and I was refereed to him by my psychologist who felt after 2 years of therapy things were just not right. I had always been diagnosed as bipolar but certain tasks related to teaching and life (organizational skills such as keeping a checkbook and getting tasks done on time and multi tasking) she just felt was more than related to the bipolar as when I was doing well I still had many of these problems. <br><br> I have gone through many changes in my life since then and I have been lucky through an adult support group to have made some positive changes.</font><font face=3D"arial"> </font></blockquote></html> --=====================_4009874==_.ALT--
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