FAQ

It depends. The STEPP Program serves only students with documented learning disabilities who are eligible for services under the category of Specific Learning Disability (LD) through ECU’s Department of Disability Support Services. ADHD does not fall under this category based on the official criteria we use at the STEPP Program. Therefore, a student whose only diagnosis is ADHD will not be eligible to apply to the program. However, please keep in mind that some students may be diagnosed with ADHD in addition to a specific learning disability. In such a case, the student would most likely be eligible to apply to the STEPP Program. In most cases, a student who is eligible for the STEPP Program will have a diagnosis that uses one of the following terms: Reading Disorder, Dyslexia, Disorder of Written Expression, Dysgraphia, Math Disorder, or Dyscalculia. Some students with a diagnosis of Auditory/Visual Processing Disorder or Nonverbal Learning Disability are also eligible. However, please note that having one of the diagnoses listed here does not automatically guarantee that a student will be eligible for the STEPP Program. Furthermore, even students with clear-cut diagnoses of LD may or may not be a good fit with the STEPP Program’s supports.

*We most often get this question in regard to students with ADHD. Other disorders that we are commonly asked about include Autism, Asperger’s syndrome, Anxiety Disorders, Deafness/Hearing Impairment, Cerebral Palsy, and various medical diagnoses. Please note that the same answer applies to all disorders/diagnoses other than Specific Learning Disability.