Landmark College
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Founded in 1985 by Charles Drake, Landmark College is an accredited, residential, junior liberal arts college exclusively for students with learning disabilities - including ADHD and Dyslexia - with above-average intelligence. Landmark is located in Putney, Vermont, with about 450 students attending. Image:Campus 1.jpg
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Integrated educational approach
Landmark utilizes an "integrated approach" to the "whole" student, the goal being to teach students to master learning and study strategies.
Students at Landmark receive personal, directed assistance in their studies. Each student receives individualized attention from classroom instructors in courses tailored to meet their educational needs. The college offers courses for skills development, college credit, and an Associate Degree Program for individuals who have average to superior intellectual potential. Advisors meet frequently with students to review and guide their progress. All instructors are trained professional educators rather than teaching assistants or peer tutors.
Curriculum & instruction
Landmark College offers courses in anthropology, English, business, communications, humanities, philosophy, psychology, history, literature, math, science, foreign languages, theater, video, music, art, physical education, and other disciplines.
All courses are designed to integrate skills and strategy development. Classes are small, ranging from eight to sixteen students, and professors are accessible to all students. Students also access processes, tools, and other resources to aid in becoming more independent learners. After earning an Associate's degree from Landmark College, many graduates continue onto 4-year colleges and universities across the country.
For all entering students, the curriculum sequence begins with skills development courses, designed to address the key areas of writing, reading, communication, and study skills. Self-management, as well as the development of self-understanding and self-advocacy, is also part of this first-semester curriculum.
Initial courses are offered at non-credit and credit levels. Close to two-thirds of incoming students begin in non-credit courses, with most moving into credit courses after one or two semesters.
In addition to direct, personalized assistance from classroom faculty, academic support is available for writing, reading, study skills, math, science, and coursework planning and completion through Landmark’s Centers for Academic Support and Coaching Services.
Many faculty members have a learning disability as well, mostly ADHD.
Degrees & programs
A.A. in General Studies and Business
Landmark College offers A.A. degrees in either General Studies or Business Studies. These degrees satisfy requirements for the first two years of study at many larger, 4-year colleges and universities, and many students who complete an Associate's degree at Landmark transfer into competitive B.A. or B.S. programs.
Study abroad
The Study Abroad Office and Landmark College Country Directors offer study abroad programs in countries such as England, Ireland, Greece and Italy.
Faculty design and teach experiential courses within their disciplines that fulfill Landmark College core requirements, the goal being to allow students to apply their learning skills to real-life situations while immersed in another culture.
Faculty members offer academic support for students as advisors, mentors, and coaches throughout the programs abroad. These programs are open to Landmark College students who have successfully completed one semester at the credit level.
College Skills Summer Session
This program is designed to build the academic skills of students who are currently enrolled in a college or university and have completed some college-level coursework.
High School Summer Session
This program is designed to build the skills of high school students with learning differences or AD/HD through coursework, activities, experiential learning and development of self-understanding and self-advocacy courses.
Summer Transition to College Session
This intensive program is designed for students with learning differences—and their parents—successfully navigate the move from home to college.
Assistive technology
According to the Assistive Technology Act of 1988, assistive technology refers to "any item, piece of equipment, or product that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities."
Landmark College uses assistive technology to facilitate academic skill development and to enable students to fully access the educational program. Dragon Naturally Speaking, and Kurzweil 3000 are two such (computer) programs.
An example of the type of assistive technology used at the school is text reader software. This software enables users to:
- Hear text on computer screen spoken aloud
- Use a computer (synthesized) voice
- Scan or import text (aids decoding)
- Improve decoding and fluency
- Read back text that has been typed in (for revision of writing)
Landmark College Institute for Research & Training (LCIRT)
LCIRT is Landmark College's research, training, and dissemination arm.
LCIRT describes itself as "working to assure that high school and college systems, and educators, have the understanding and knowledge needed to help students realize their intellectual potential and creative gifts." LCIRT develops and disseminates educational research and theory-based teaching practices.