In this episode I’m talking with Dr. Manju Banerjee, the Vice President of Educational Research and Innovation at Landmark College, one of the only accredited colleges in the United States designed exclusively for students who learn differently, including students with learning disabilities (such as dyslexia), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Landmark College’s mission is to transform the way students learn, educators teach, and the public thinks about education, and in today’s conversation, Dr. Banerjee tells us about how Landmark supports differently wired learners, is working with businesses to better understand neurodivergent employees, and introduces us to programs available for high school students to prepare them for the demands and expectations of college.
About Manju: Manju Banerjee, Ph.D. is Vice President of Educational Research and Innovation. Dr. Banerjee has over 29 years of experience in the field of learning disabilities, ADHD, and postsecondary disability services. She is a certified diagnostician and teacher-consultant on learning disabilities. She has published and presented extensively, both nationally and internationally, on topics such as: disability documentation and accommodations, technological competencies for postsecondary transition, online learning, and universal design. She has been and currently is PI/Co-PI on multiple federal, foundational, and NSF grants. She teaches a graduate level online course on Universal Design: Principles and Practice. Manju Banerjee is an editorial board member of the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability; LD: A Multi-Disciplinary Journal, Professional Advisory Board member to the Learning Disability Association of America, and a consultant to Educational Testing Service. She received her doctoral degree from the Neag School of Education, University of Connecticut, on the application of universal design to high stakes assessment.
THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE:
- The story behind Landmark College
- How Landmark supports students during the transition from high school to college (even if they’re not attending Landmark)
- Why Landmark doesn’t focus on accommodations but rather is grounded in a mindset of universal design (inclusive of individual differences)
- How Landmark meets their unique student needs and assesses their performance
- The 3 E’s of Landmark’s philosophy—student empowerment, unique and personalized ways of engagement, and empathy
- How Landmark is supporting businesses like Ernst & Young and Microsoft to better understand and support their neurodivergent employees
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- How to Navigate the High School to College Transition (podcast episode with Elizabeth Hamblet)
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