A College Program for Students with Traumatic Brain
Injury
In an academic environment, the residual effects of traumatic brain injury
(TBI) can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. College students with a TBI
face unique challenges and require individualized attention. CLE staff members
use a variety of effective interventions, based on each student’s degree of
cognitive function, to achieve the best possible results so that students with
special needs, such as TBI, receive the support they need to succeed in college.
Academic Support
Students with a traumatic brain injury can succeed academically with the
right support in the right environment. CLE provides the necessary support for students
with TBI to succeed in college, earn a degree or certificate and transition to
independent adulthood. CLE staff members help students with TBI manage their
time by breaking large projects into smaller tasks or, perhaps, helping them
create and manage a color-coded schedule of their responsibilities. A dedicated
academic liaison works directly with college instructors to advocate for
students’ needs, and adaptive technology, such as speech recognition software
and reading-assistance programs, helps students learn at their own pace in a
non-threatening atmosphere.
Independent Living Skills
Many students with TBI struggle with cognitive skills such as remembering
details and thinking abstractly. CLE independent living skills coordinators
help students gain independence by offering opportunities to perform basic
household tasks such as budgeting, cooking and keeping a tidy apartment.
Additionally, CLE creates individualized rewards that motivate students with
TBI to learn coping and independent living skills that last beyond their
college years.
Social Skills Support
Staff members at CLE provide opportunities for students to acquire social
skills. Whether visiting a museum or preparing dinner together, CLE students
experience college life in groups so as to encourage new approaches to problem
solving, conflict resolution and communication. For example, group discussions
allow students with TBI to form functional and age-appropriate responses to
questions and to get feedback on their progress from peers and mentors. Such
social experiences help students with TBI have a successful college experience
and transition to adulthood.