If you decided to homeschool your kid with ADHD (or with a learning disability) and are still in search for perfect online curriculum, take a look at our list of 10 best online homeschool programs for kids with ADHD or learning disabilities. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a very common disorder with symptoms that usually appear before the age of six. According to data published by Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 11% (6.4 million) of children 4-17 years of age have been diagnosed with ADHD and around 237,000 children ages 2-5. The number of children diagnosed with ADHD is growing day by day, and 44% are regularly taking medication. The percent of children taking medication for ADHD varies from state to state with high rates in Louisiana 10.4% and low 2% in Nevada.
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Despite it is often described as “childhood disorder,” ADHD can continue through adolescence and adulthood as well although the symptoms really do begin in childhood. According to Healthline, there are three main types of ADHD: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive and combined. Persons with inattentive ADHD show symptoms of inattention and are easily distracted, but they do not show signs of hyperactivity or impulsiveness while persons with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD do not show signs of inattentiveness but are hyperactive and/or impulsive. Those with combined ADHD show signs of inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness as well. Symptoms of ADHD include: forgetfulness (even in everyday chores and activities), having trouble with organization, not following instructions, intruding and interrupting others constantly, having severe problems in waiting his/her turn while talking/playing, etc. These symptoms can range from mild to severe ones which impact everyday life, including school, work or social interactions.
Children with ADHD or learning disabilities can benefit a lot from online programs and homeschooling in general. Each child can work according to his/her own pace without school bells, background noise, and numerous distractions. You should definitely take a look at our recommendations for best online programs for special needs students on our list of 7 best online programs for special needs students because you might find some useful resources here as well. A lot of online study tools for children with ADHD offer shorter lessons so that the kids can take more rest in between the lessons and regain their concentration. Traditional classroom, on the other hand, can often be very boring and distracting for a child with ADHD. With well-structured lessons, online programs can help your child achieve much better results, acquire as well as retain the things he/she learned.
In order to compile this list of best online homeschool programs for kids with ADHD or learning disabilities, I’ve consulted various websites specializing in this issue as well as blogs where parents of children with ADHD or learning disabilities share their experiences with various online programs. These include Circle of Moms, Secular Homeschool, Learning Abled Kids, Bright Hub Education, Avko, Look We’re Learning and don’t forget to read the comments below the text. I’ve also advised Insider Monkey’s article 6 best homeschool curriculum and online resources for Asperger’s and high-functioning autism to see if some of these curricula offer separate programs for children with ADHD or learning disabilities. With some additional research and advice from above-mentioned websites, I’ve created this list of recommended online programs which are not ranked according to some specific parameter. The main reason for this is the fact that each program is different and only you as a parent can rate the curriculum properly in regards to your child’s needs. Pricing is also very individual since some programs include monthly fees, yearly fees and even separate fees per course. If you take for example curriculum solely for math, you will still need more money to complement this with reading and writing curriculum, so it is very hard to calculate exact cost. However, I’ve added prices for each program for easier orientation.
