When Service Members With Traumatic Brain Injury Become Students

The purpose of this paper is to explain which evidence-based interventions in study strategies have been successful in helping soldiers and veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) return to the classroom. Military leaders have specifically identified TBI as one of the signature injuries of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq with over a quarter of a million service members diagnosed with a TBI from 2000 to 2012. From the perspective of developmental education practitioners, this narrative examination reviews available research and government documentation to offer an understanding of TBI, effects of TBI on learning, and recommended approaches to provide these students the most beneficial learning experiences. The incorporation of effective learning strategies and appropriate instructional methods are critical in maximizing the learning outcomes of students with this kind of injury. Despite the attention that must be paid to each individual case, it may be beneficial to incorporate methods that have been proven successful, such as the use of graphic organizers and direct instruction.