More students with disabilities heading to college

From The Commercial Appeal in Memphis:

Relics from Daniel Fendley's graduation ceremony neatly line the dining room table in this Germantown home. His diploma from Concord Academy, congratulations cards and mortarboard with its victorious purple tassel are all proof of an accomplishment that seemed impossible a generation ago.

Daniel, (pictured) like nearly 40 percent of the students at his small East Memphis school, suffers from an autism spectrum disorder. And Daniel, like millions of other members of the class of 2009, will begin college this fall.

Daniel prepares dinner for his father, Jeff, and brother every night. "It's harder to be sociable and friendly," he says. "Sometimes I don't always understand things."

Life after high school is a transition for any student, but college-bound graduates with autism, attention deficit disorder and other learning and behavioral disabilities face a unique set of challenges. Because of new technology, federal laws and increased awareness, colleges are helping students like Daniel rise to that challenge.

Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome in middle school, Daniel has an intellect that outpaces his social skills.

"It's harder to be sociable and friendly," he said describing life with Asperger's.

"Sometimes I don't always understand things," he added in a matter-of-fact tone.

Daniel says everything in a matter-of-fact tone. Expressing emotions does not come naturally for him. When his mom, Caroline, died of a rare blood disease in 2003, Daniel did not openly grieve. Instead, he stepped up to help with his little brother, Andrei, and took on much of the housework and cooking.

With his conservative manner, the quiet young man appears much older than his 18 years. But like a typical teenage boy, he is thrilled by tae kwon do and earned a black belt in the sport.

He also has a childlike fascination with maps. An excellent driver, the human GPS can give you precise directions from any two points in Memphis. And he is a whiz with numbers and computers. While in high school, he took college courses in accounting.

For Daniel, it has never been a question of if he would go to college but rather what college was best suited for his unique learning style, said his dad, Jeff Fendley.

"You know everybody wants their child to go to Harvard and that's not ever going to be in his plans," said Fendley. "He scored real high on his ACT and he wanted to go to the University of Memphis, but with the classes being so big, I thought Southwest would be a better place to start."

The incoming freshman has registered with student disability services at Southwest Tennessee Community College.

Each semester, 150 to 180 students register with SDS at Southwest, said department director Maxine Ford. Ford, who is retiring this summer, has been with the department since its inception and has witnessed its evolution.

"It started out with physical disabilities in 1975. Back then, they weren't diagnosing learning disabilities like they are now," she said.

Now, ADD is one of the most common disorders registered with the department, said Ford. She has also seen a "tremendous increase" among students with hearing impairments. And there is a sprinkling of students with high-functioning autism. For students with documented disabilities, their tuition includes a menu of extra services.

"Extended time on their tests, testing in a distraction-free environment, an interpreter and note taker for the hearing impaired, large-print tests and handouts, a reader for a test, tape-recorded class lectures -- these are some of the most widely used accommodations," said Ford.

Students with disabilities typically require more tutoring and take longer to earn their degrees, according to the University of California, Los Angeles, which tracks college trends nationwide. Its national freshmen survey found that last year 3.3 percent of college freshmen reported having a disability. In 1983, only a half percent of freshmen reported having a disability.

Disability education has continued to grow since the 1970s Disability Rights Movement. Because of reforms gained during that era, schools that receive federal funds must make provisions for students with handicaps.

Additionally, professors are slowly altering long-held teaching methods to ensure that class lectures and assignments are accessible. These adjustments may be as simple as printing handouts on light blue paper, because some autistic students with visual sensitivities find black text on white paper jarring.

To celebrate professors who are willing to adapt, the SDS department at the University of Memphis established the "See Me" Award last year. The annual honor is presented to a faculty member who makes extra efforts to assist students with disabilities.

Like many colleges, the U of M also has an organization for students with disabilities that provides support and camaraderie. Additionally, students can work with an SDS adviser who will help them throughout the semester.

Jenni Nettleton is one of the department's success stories. She was diagnosed with learning disabilities, dyslexia and ADHD in elementary school, but she is now working on a master's degree in Liberal Studies degree at the U of M and hopes to pursue her Ph.D.

Once told by a teacher that it was "useless" for her to go to graduate school, Nettleton wants to offer hope to students like Daniel, the other 13 recent graduates from Concord and young families just discovering their children's disabilities.

"I can proudly say I've always been on the Dean's List, and now carry a 3.97 GPA from this spring semester," said Nettleton. "At this point, there are so many things and so many people that can help, that there is no use in limiting your child."