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Poster P3

Friday stream 1-4 Session 16.10 - 17.25 Length 25 minutes

A non-reader who achieved a degree: a case-study of a student with severe dyslexia

Ann Cooke

Dyslexia Unit, University of Wales, Bangor e.a.cooke@bangor.ac.uk

Abstract

J. entered university as a mature-age student. She was unable to read or write, had severe difficulty with handwriting and was heavily dependent on a computer. She also had great difficulties with numbers. Her problems were essentially those of the surface, that is, the words and numbers on the paper. Whenever she was able to break through this barrier she became free to understand and work with the information beneath. Difficulties with phonology and with working memory for both phonological and visual information presented almost insuperable problems. When she began to make progress it came in bursts followed by long periods of consolidation. She developed efficient study habits and was very well-organised - but her coping strategies were constantly challenged by her difficulties with basic skills and despair about continuing obstacles. She obtained a Lower Second Class Honours in Psychology and is about to embark on a 2-year MA in Social Work. This case study highlights a number of issues concerning severely dyslexic students in Higher Education: provision of adequate study-support; the funding of that support; their entitlement under disabilities and equal opportunities legislation; and subsequently their prospects in employment.