Other Health Impairments: ADD/ADHD

     I chose the article, Helping Students with Disabilities Transition to College, 21 Tips for Students With LD and/or ADD/ADHD, because a student with ADD/ADHD can be categorized under IDEA's Other Health Impairments category to receive special education services. The reason the author gives for the importance of this topic is the fact that statistics show an abnormally high percentage of students with ADD/ADHD do not complete any type of postsecondary education.  According to Connor, only 28% of these students manage to graduate, which is approximately half of the graduation rate for students without disabilities (Connor 2012).   
     The steps that Connor has listed are very practical and helpful steps to think about and take when making goals to be successful in a postsecondary school setting.  The steps are the following: 
(1) Be comfortable with the LD and/or ADD/ADHD classification
(2) Acknowledge Strengths and Areas of Need
(3) Learn About the College Disability Services Office
(4) Practice Making Decisions
(5) Read College Success Stories (6) Know Student Rights Before Attending College
(7) Know Student Responsibilities Before Attending College
(8) Take a College Course While in High School
(9) Participate in Precollege Academies (10) Develop Essential Skills
(11) Align Study Skills to Specific Classes 
(12) Make Connections Among Classes (13) Utilize Peer Tutor Services
(14) Use Informal Peer Mentors (15) Access Class Notes
(16) Evaluate Professor Before Taking Class (17) Use Benefits of Technology
(18) Consider the Benefits of Self-Disclosure (19) Take Responsibility for Your OWn Education
(20) Cultivate Individual Talent (21) Self-Advocate     (Connor 2012)

     This list seems long to list here but I feel it is very important because many of the steps that the article advocates are things that can be considered while the student is still in high school.  For instance, there are daily living or study skills goals that can be addressed within a student's IEP.  These goals I'm talking about can be responsibility and ownership of a student's learning, such as the student would be responsible for writing down assignments in a notebook and being accountable for them.  Students may be able to have a check in and check out to show they are doing this skill.  I will say that practicing these skills is so important because when the student's support is taken away, the student must be able to function in a school setting autonomously.
     A student can also work on issues of self awareness and acceptance if they receive social work services.  In my opinion, this speaks to numbers 1 and 2 that Connor listed.  If a student receives adequate support in school and at home, I would hope they would be encouraged to be comfortable with the diagnosis.  Rather than seeing it as a disability, it should be seen as a way that they process information differently (Connor 2012).  I believe it's possible to even work through this issue, as well as do an inventory of personal strengths and areas of need (which is #2 on the list).  Again, within a social work setting, this type of self analysis could be helpful for a student whose other health impairment is ADD/ADHD.
     I feel a challenge after reading about OHI in the textbook, the OHI website, and then Connor's article.  Teachers and parents have to work together to help students reach a point where they can feel, first of all, comfortable with their medical diagnosis.  Students and parents need to be made aware of the support networks that are available to them (there are a few websites and lists available in this article).  Finally, teachers of students with special needs and OHI, need to keep their student's futures at the forefront of their minds.  Even if we are teaching the younger grades, it's got to be The Essential Piece, when planning for these students to be successful.  What skills will they need when they leave me?  ...when they are years down the road.  I feel that we are laying the ground work and so helping these students and supporting them by providing practice in self management and even advocacy are detrimental to their success in the future.  

Connor, D. J. (2012). Helping students with disabilities transition to college: 21 tips for students with LD and/or ADD/ADHD.TEACHING Exceptional Children, 44(5), 16-25.