Alumni, Donors, & Friends

Since 1980, the Strategic Alternative Learning Techniques (SALT) Center has helped thousands of students pursue their dreams of a postsecondary education. Its unique brand of academic support services for college students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has led it to become the most comprehensive program of its kind. Students, parents, teachers and college counselors throughout the United States regard the SALT Center as the premier program for postsecondary LD and ADHD support. Using a comprehensive system of programs and services, the SALT Center serves more than 550 students who come from across the nation and several countries each semester. Employing a staff of more than 25 professionals and 100 tutors, the SALT Center provides individualized educational services, including learning strategy development and instruction, educational planning tutorings and interactive computer-assisted learning.

The SALT Center is dedicated to the empowerment of individuals with learning and attention challenges.

SALT's goals include:

• Provide individualized academic support and innovative services to enhance the academic achievement of enrolled UA students with learning and attention challenges.
• Provide academic support to the increasingly diverse community of postsecondary students with learning and attention challenges.
• Foster community-based programs designed to encourage student success and foster continuing education.
• Provide a national model of education transition support for students and families in culturally diverse communities.
• Create ongoing research projects to better inform practice and identify areas for future education intervention.

Only a small fraction of high school students with learning and attention challenges enroll in postsecondary study. The majority of these students enroll in vocational or two-year college programs. Of the small percentage of students pursuing bachelor degrees, most research shows inconsistent success rates. Few students with diagnosed learning and attention challenges actually graduate from college (NCLD, 2004). The experience of students with LD and ADHD associated with the SALT Center is much different. SALT student retention matches or exceeds that of other students enrolled at the University of Arizona.

Here’s what parents are saying about the SALT program:

"Thanks to your support, Courtney just finished her degree at the UA. We are grateful for the excellent support and your help in teaching Courtney skills to allow her to do more and more on her own during her years at the University."

"Thank you for all your hard efforts on behalf of my daughter and the other students. Amanda has done well her freshman year because of your help and her drive to succeed."

"The enthusiasm of each and every one of the staff gives me confidence that this is the right program for my daughter."

"I am so impressed by the SALT program that I feel incoming students who do not have a learning disability are at a disadvantage by not being able to participate."

"I have complete confidence in the SALT program and its ability to make a significant contribution to my son's success at the UA."

"I feel so blessed to have found such a comprehensive supportive program where Laura can truly believe her potential and learn and grow. The sense of compassion and 'community' as a supportive team on the part of each staff member is so impressive."

"I am so excited for my son to be in this program. Everyone seems to genuinely love what they do."

Last modified: April 04 2008 13:38:09.