Job Accommodation Network's
Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR)

People with learning disabilities might have difficulty with the cognitive or the physical process of writing. Accommodation ideas include:

Cognitive process of writing: People with learning disabilities might have difficulty organizing a written project, identifying themes or ideas, structuring sentences or paragraphs, or identifying and/or correcting grammar errors.

Use Inspiration software, a computerized graphic organizer

Use Texthelp Read & Write Gold, a software program assisting with spelling, reading, and grammar

Provide electronic/talking dictionaries and spellcheckers

Create written forms to prompt the writer for information needed

Allow the individual to create a verbal response instead of a written response

Permit use of reference books such as a thesaurus or dictionary

Use writing software to improve or enhance written documents

Physical process of writing: People with learning disabilities may have difficulty with the physical process of writing. It may be difficult to fill in blanks, bubble in dots, line up numbers or words in a column, on a line, or within a margin. Handwriting may be illegible.

Provide writing aids

Use line guides and column guides

Supply bold line paper

Permit type-written response instead of hand-written response

Allow use of personal computers, including Alpha Smart, Palm, Blackberry, or other tablet PC.

Use Inspiration software, a computerized graphic organizer

Use speech recognition software that recognizes the user's voice and changes it to text on the computer screen

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Accommodations are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If you need additional information or would like to discuss the information presented here, contact JAN directly.

SOAR is brought to you by the Job Accommodation Network, a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor.