This classroom study explored how to make positive psychology exercises more accessible to neurodivergent college students. Neurodiversity is an umbrella term for identities linked to autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodevelopmental differences. Students participating in the study engaged in weekly evidence-based activities to support…

The present study examined the academic self-efficacy (ASE) of undergraduate students with self-reported learning disabilities (LD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and comorbid LD + ADHD compared with non-LD/ADHD students at two time points, before the emergence of COVID-19 (pre-COVID) and during the pandemic (COVID-19). It also…

Data-based instruction (DBI) is a process of collecting and using student progress data to guide decision-making related to intervention intensity and individualization for students with learning disabilities (LD). However, effective DBI requires that teachers have a range of knowledge and skills across multiple domains. Past research has shown…

Our understanding of how active learning affects different groups of students is still developing. One group often overlooked in higher education research is students with disabilities. Two of the most commonly occurring disabilities on college campuses are attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disorders (SLD). We…

This study aimed to compare trait anxiety and test anxiety among Chinese undergraduates with typical development, high-functioning specific learning disabilities (SLD), and typical-functioning SLD, and to examine the mediating role of test anxiety in the relationship between trait anxiety and academic performance across these three groups. The…

The paper reports the first results of an experience of university teaching innovation in progress. It is based on multiple means of "Engagement", "Representation", and "Action & Expression" in the framework of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach. The action repeats, with some improvements, a previous…

This paper proposes the design of an instructional model, referred to as the universal genre sphere, for teaching academic writing in a manner appropriate to all learners, but developed especially with consideration for the needs of English as additional language students with or without diagnosed learning differences. Despite growing research on,…

Processing efficiency theory can explain the relationship between anxiety and academic success; however, its application to adults with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) remains unclear, especially in a nonalphabetic language, such as Chinese. This study investigated the effects of working memory and processing speed on the relationships…

EFL Learning is considered an enriching and rewarding experience for most 'normal' learners. However, for learners with neurological differences/learning disabled, it can be a stressful and unpleasant experience. Students with learning disabilities (SLD) are often mistaken for slow, behind, incapable, and failures as there is a lack of awareness…

The number of undergraduate students who report having at least one disability has been on the rise since the 1970s. With the advent of Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs), understanding how these students experience ALCs is critical to creating a fair and equitable experience for all students. This report examines one subset of this population:…

This study investigated the learning strategies that university students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) report using in the Chinese language context. Participants were 105 first-year undergraduate students with SLD and 134 typically developing peers. Three questionnaires about reported reading/writing difficulties, metacognitive…

Most of what researchers know about the challenges students with learning disabilities (LDs) experience during postsecondary education is based on experiences during face-to-face learning on campus. Less is known about challenges students with LD face during learning online--the mode of instruction students had to navigate during the COVID-19…

Purpose: This paper discusses the elements of successful university-level, cross-disciplinary course development using best practices to foster richer relational networks and to meet the complex demands of education and treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Design/methodology/approach: The three authors created and taught a…

The purpose of this paper was to explore the experiences of adult learners enrolled in a non-traditional undergraduate academic program. This project examined if students minimised their disability in the academic environment, thus not making use of institutionally available accommodations. Through an explanatory case study design, findings…

Students with learning disabilities are attending postsecondary institutions at a much greater rate than they have in the past. Although these students can receive accommodations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the graduation rate for these students is much lower than for their nondisabled peers. This data suggests that traditional…