L INCOLN - Lincoln College student Stephen Calomino has struggled to pay attention, to turn in his work on time and to complete required readings. But he's an excellent student, and Lincoln leaders say he has a bright future ahead.

For Calomino, the challenge is real. As a child, he was diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder. On May 12, he expects to graduate with an associate's degree and a near B average. Calomino credits that success to Lincoln College's program tailored to students with his condition. "Before I found out about this program, I attended two different colleges, but not successfully," he said. ACCESS, which is short for the Academy of Collegiate Collaboration for Effective Student Success, started last fall, said Stephanie Gaddy, the program's director. Nearly all colleges and universities offer help to students diagnosed with attention disorders. What makes ACCESS different is comprehensive coaching of students, said Gaddy, who heads the office of disability services. "It's been amazingly successful, a very good surprise," Gaddy said. There were 16 students in the inaugural program last fall; 14 continued through spring. That kind of retention is gaining attention. The North Carolina-based Association on Higher Education and Disability wrote about the Lincoln program's success. Gaddy said she hopes ACCESS can become a national model. Cathy Heissler, an attention disorder expert who runs Bloomington's Learning for Tomorrow educational center, also thinks the ACCESS program will continue its success. Heissler works with children and adults who struggle with learning. Before opening her G.E. Road center, she worked at Illinois State University in Normal. Heissler spent a decade in ISU's disability office, heading programs for learning disabilities. That Lincoln's program is offered through a private college is unique, she said. "I think it's a great idea," said Heissler, noting she has an attention disorder and has earned a master's degree. "They'll be able to learn the strategies in a smaller environment, and then when they are ready, they can go on to a bigger university setting," she said. Lincoln College is home to about 700 students, while ISU, for example, enrolls about 20,000. National figures for the 2000-01 academic year show fewer than 3 percent of college students with disabilities managed to stay and complete a four-year degree, Gaddy said. Those who succeed tend to be older than 24 and have extremely low grade-point averages. They also carry more D grades and course withdrawals than other students, she said. ACCESS is proving it can reach that set. Students in the first ACCESS group are 18 to 24, and on average they've maintained GPAs near 2.5 on a 4-point scale - and they are sticking around. Attention disorders, like other learning disabilities, are hidden disabilities, Gaddy said. Some students never are identified, but the disorder is being diagnosed more often now. Lincoln officials hope this program can be a way for those students to find success as adults. "The whole goal of ACCESS is to get them out of the program," she said. At Lincoln, Calomino meets nearly every day with academic coach Jodi Thies. She helps him and others stay on track by developing individual goal programs. "We work on improving organization with a daily assignment planner - just one," Thies said. Strategies for studying, self-discipline and effective reading patterns are key, she said. Thies monitors ACCESS students' grades and class attendance as part of the program. For Calomino, Thies' coaching has helped him stay motivated to keep working. "People who don't have ADD don't really have any idea just how hard it is for someone like me to keep doing an assignment I'm not interested in. "You might not want to do your assignment, but for me, I really needed to learn how to make myself go back to the page and keep reading - maybe 10 times in 15 minutes," he said. This semester, Calomino took 18 credit hours; he's expecting mostly A's this term. Students diagnosed with attention disorders may not thrive in a traditional campus environment without support, but that doesn't mean they're a lost cause, said John Hutchinson, Lincoln College's president. "Often they are very intelligent, creative and intuitive thinkers," he said, noting their personality traits often add depth and curiosity to a college classroom. Attention, please Colleges and universities offer services to students with disabilities, including those diagnosed with attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The ACCESS program at Lincoln College builds on that, with features tied to assisting students with such disorders. Below are some facts: Definitions:Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by problems with attention and impulsive and overactive behavior. AD/HD or ADD?: The term now preferred is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or AD/HD. Of the condition's three subtypes - inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined - it is the inattentive type that is known commonly as attention deficit disorder, or ADD. The numbers: Experts say anywhere from 3 percent to 7 percent of elementary and secondary students have the condition; for adults the figure is 2 percent to 4 percent. SOURCES: Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Web site, www.chadd.org; Lincoln College staff; Cathy Heissler www.learningfortomorrow.com

Compiled by Michele Steinbacher