RINE Research Journal 7: AD/HD

Noël Gregg's "Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Assessment and Accommodation" attempts to redress the imbalance in the literature surrounding learning disabilities and ADHD. As Gregg asserts, the majority of studies and associated literature on ADHD focuses on early childhood and the primary years, in the hopes that early intervention can correct the impact of the disorder on later life. However Gregg believes that the disorder is a lifelong condition that requires accommodation in secondary, tertiary and adult education as well, and her book focuses on these later years.

As Gregg's book also deals with learning disabilities, students with ADHD are not the primary focus, however as with many "Universal Design for Learning" principles many of her ideas apply to both categories.

One area in which Gregg asserts students with ADHD are being marginalised is in standard, high-stakes assessment such as college entrance exams, NAPLAN and the like. Much standardised testing both in America and Australia is still largely based on written work, so they do not accommodate students with ADHD well, nor do they reflect their whole ability (Gregg, 2009, p. 128). Multiple intelligences are poorly catered for in written exam situations, and the requirement for sustained focus in a stressful, silent exam environment is particularly difficult for students with ADHD. This is one area in which accommodations are yet to be made, although relatively simple changes to procedure such as allowing breaks in exam settings, would no doubt assist students with inattention problems.


Source:

Gregg, N. (2009) Adolescents and Adults with Learning Disabilities and ADHD: Assessment and Accommodation. New York: The Guilford Press.