Speech Disorder Resources and Scholarships for College Students

Speech Disorder Resources

When an average student enters college, the challenges of learning things in a very different way becomes quite difficult almost for every person, yet when you have a learning disability and must cope with speech and language disabilities, it is even more challenging. The purpose of our guide is to help such students to find helpful hints and resources. We shall also provide a list of scholarships for students that have speech and language disorders. Turning to helpful resources, it becomes possible to live life differently and receive due help as you learn!

Speech and Language Disorders in College

According to statistical information, approximately 9.5% of American college students have a learning disability of some kind. The percentage of students with speech and language impairments is almost never separated from the rest since this kind of disability is usually related to some other condition where a student is placed into a certain category. Nevertheless, we have over 55% of K-12 students who are enrolled in Individualized Education learning because of specific speech and language challenges. It is sufficient to take stuttering and dyslexia as the learning difficulty to see how frequent this problem is for college students.

The most important is to make college help resources available and remind students with additional needs about legal protection and specific resources that they have a right for. Regardless if you are dealing with Auditory Processing Disorder or face the challenges of dyscalculia, you have a right to study in suitable learning conditions where you do not have to overcome mental challenges or learn without special equipment.

Understanding Speech and Language Disorders

When we talk about speech and language issues, it is important to understand that the range of communication, perception, and learning stands for more than dyslexia or hearing challenges. Let us review language-related conditions:

  • Auditory Processing Disorder. In simple terms, it deals with those students who cannot fully understand sounds when something is spoken.
  • Dyscalculia. It is also known to dyslexics, yet in this case, it means having difficulty processing Math.
  • Dysgraphia. It is a language disability that makes it difficult to write correctly. It ranges from handwriting problems to writing down things on paper by not knowing how to get it done.
  • Dyslexia. One of the most common language disabilities that makes it hard to identify the words because of a difficulty to recognize words and understand their order.
  • Language-Based Learning Disability. It stands for things like difficulty understanding spoken and written language, which makes it difficult to learn.
  • Expressive Language. It deals with the verbal perceiving of ideas, feelings, and emotions. Such students may have an overly expressive language disorder as they are not able to prevent themselves from expressive language. It does not speak of any intellectual disabilities.
  • Receptive Language. It stands for receptive language challenge, which stands for a difficulty to absorb or learn from the information that has been expressed verbally.
  • Specific Language Impairment. It is mostly diagnosed in children who have language skills impairment without any visual or auditory disorders. It is also known as the language delay.

In terms of speech, we are dealing with thoughts, feelings, and the use of a person's voice:

  • Aphasia. It relates to language difficulties when a person has damage to the brain. It can come from diseases, stroke, or some kind of injury.
  • Apraxia. It is a neurological speech disorder where the brain has difficulty coordinating the act of talking. The students with Apraxia know what they want to say but find it hard to do so in the correct order.
  • Dysarthria. It stands for any motor skills impairment or muscle weakness. It causes unclear or difficult speech results. It may occur simultaneously as the person is feeling nervous.
  • Dysphagia. It is not really a language disorder per se, yet it can have a negative effect on speech. It is a swallowing difficulty or even pain swallowing, which makes it hard to talk.
  • Stuttering. It is a fluency disorder when a person has disruptions in the flow of speech. It can take various forms.
  • Voice. It relates to specific sounds that are produced by the vocal cords, lungs, and the other mechanisms that are involved. It is a general impairment.

Impact of Speech and Language Disorders on Learning

As a rule, when a student deals with speech and language challenges, it makes it more difficult to pass through the courses and understand the information that has been provided. Since there are no general patterns for every condition and every student has his or her unique impairments, it is important to understand what issues must be faced.

  • The Practice of Taking Notes. When a person has problems with a spoken word, it makes it hard to take or write down notes. Additional help is required.
  • The Mental Side of Classroom Existence. The students who appear in the usual classroom will not feel safe enough to speak up in class, which results in fewer questions being asked or not really perceiving the answers that have been provided.
  • Lower Test Scores. When a student finds it hard to understand the written word to perceive some grading rubric or an exam, it will also affect the final grade.
  • Dealing With Stress. The most significant point is dealing with the mental side of one's disorder and participation in team projects. It is important to avoid nerves! As a solution, you can always contact professional essay writers and explain what kind of assistance you may need. Quite often, it will be something minor that will help you overcome the challenges on study without stress. 

Moreover, a student with a learning disability will feel emotionally turbulent, which may also require some additional help and guidance.

How Colleges Can Support Students with Speech and Language Disorders

While every school is quite different, it should start with several adjustments that you have a legal right for. Since we do not know that some resources are available, schools do not tend to provide any assistance. Therefore, know your rights and remember about providing your Individual Education Plan card, which will contain your learning requirements. See Disability Rights for College as you explore the legislative sides.

Here is what the colleges can do for students with a learning disability:

  • Special Campus Accommodation.
  • Altered Tests or Assignments.
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication Technology (AAC).
  • Speech-to-Text Learning Tools.
  • Extended Schedule for Tests.
  • Personal Note Takers.
  • Proofreaders and Editors for dyslexic and other kinds of students.
  • Speech & Language Clinics as offered by some colleges in the United States.
  • Special Verbal Tests.

Make sure to provide your documents that prove your disability and ask for accommodation services or any tools that you require.

Speech and Language Disorder Resources

Here are some helpful resources that will assist you as you look for help and consulting:

  1. National Association of Special Education Teachers. It has various information for the teachers and students in terms of educational resources from things like how to approach articulation to Aphasia.
  2. The Dyslexia Resource. It has a list of resources that discuss learning with the classroom experience and the success stories. It also has free resources to help you.
  3. Academy of Doctors of Audiology Directory. It is one of those websites where you can find assistance for any hearing impairments for your college course locally.
  4. Speech Pathology Masters Programs. It is a great guide to on and off-campus listing for college students with communication impairments.
  5. Center on Technology and Disability. It has helpful resources for the entire family, library, and webinars for college students with a learning disability.
  6. National Science Teaching Association. Their Communication Disorders technology includes various strategies and learning programs that can be used as the list to approach your school with testing and the field experience.
  7. Academic Services
    When you have a disorder, it's best not to ignore reliable research paper writing services as you can get simple proofreading, editing, and more. Do not let anything take your time or make you feel nervous as you can always get spelling and accuracy help.
  8. Association on Higher Education and Disability. It has great resources for college students with disabilities that go beyond learning impairments. It also deals with developmental disabilities like ADHD and Autism. It has great career resources.
  9. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. It has various learning, problem-solving, and adaptive resources.
  10. Center for Speech and Language Disorders. It has individual support for students and families. It has speech and language disabilities courses and stress management tips.
  11. The Cherub Foundation. It has information and community help for younger students in terms of support and care in the educational environment.

Now it is high time to seek additional assistance and financial help, which is why we shall include eight competitive scholarships that will help you as you enter college or continue with your education.

Scholarships & Grants for Students with Communication Disorders

Remember that you can apply for more than one scholarship and ask your college for financial help since they may provide financial assistance for your case. Here are some options to consider:

  • Moss Foundation: P. Buckley Moss Endowed Scholarship. If you are planning to make a career in visual arts and have a financial need, you can apply for this $1,000 grant. Deadline: March 2021.
  • RISE Scholarship. It is aimed at students who have language impairments linked to autism. This $2,500 award helps to fund your postsecondary education. If you are a high-school student, you are eligible. Deadline: June 31, 2021.
  • American Library Association Century Scholarship. It can give you an award of $2,500 if you are going to an ALA-accredited library school. If you have no accommodations, the ALA will provide you with additional funding. Deadline: March 1, 2021.

Of course, these are only the starting points to show you that scholarships help is worth trying to assist your college education!

Apps to Help Students Improve Communication

Do not miss the benefits of technology! Some of these apps may be known to you, while the others will be new. Take time to check them out:

  • Grammarly. While it is a famous app, it can help you eliminate grammar, spelling, and style mistakes free of charge as you copy and paste your text.
  • Text to Speech (Google Drive). It is the best free app for dyslexic or text impaired students. It helps in terms of expression and has a progress tracker.
  • TypeTastic! You can train your typing skills and help to boost your brain.
  • Snap & Read. It is a great web browser extension that will help you read various web pages and articles by highlighting the text as you read or having Google read things to you.
  • Predictable. This is a smart app that lets the software speak out the messages that you type.
  • RogerVoice. This app makes students that are hard-of-hearing have a phone conversation (text-call method).
  • Touch Voice Gold. It is an app that supports AAC devices for the speech impaired students. It helps to speak out one's needs in real-time.

The most important is to believe in yourself and reach for new horizons. You do not have a disability but the ability to do things differently. We are sincerely hoping that our guide will help you to find sufficient resources and scholarship help. Check one of the assistive applications for your mobile device, talk to your disability center, and learn differently!

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