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Specific Disabilities

Information: Learning Disabilities

Definition:

• A comprehensive definition is offered by the Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities About Learning Disabilities:
  "The term Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) refers to a spectrum of disabling neurobiological conditions that prevent children and adults from processing and using information in a meaningful manner. These disabilities have a negative effect on a number of functions, including a person's ability to read, write, speak, understand spoken language, organize, plan, remember, etc. These effects manifest themselves despite average, potentially average, or even above average intelligence. Specific Learning Disabilities are life-long disabilities."

• Learning disabilities should not be confused with learning problems due to visual, hearing or other medical problems that may or may not have an effect on learning such as motor handicaps, mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages. Learning disabilities are unique for each individual and often a learning disability is very specific. Many individuals will have very good ability or even excellent abilities in some areas of learning, but have difficulty in just one area. The National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) used the term to refer to a discrepancy between a child’s apparent capacity to learn and his or her level of achievement

Types:

• Input - Difficulty with visual and auditory perception and the ability to receive information for processing by the brain.


• Organization - An inability to integrate, sequence, organize and therefore understand information obtained through input.


• Memory - A person with a learning disability can have difficulthy with working, short-term, and/or long-term memory.
  An example of working memory is one reading a sentence and retaining that information, while reading to the end of a paragraph, then pulling together the meaning of the full paragraph.

  Short-term memory is then continuing to read the full chapter, study it, and retain the information long enough to take a test successfully.

  Finally, long-term memory is one's ability to retain information indefinitely as part of a general body of knowledge.

• Output - Difficulty communicating information by means of words (language output) or through muscle activity such as writing, drawing, gesturing (motor output). An individual might have a language disability (also called expressive language disability) or a motor disability.

Causes:

Learning disabilities may occur concomitantly with other handicapping conditions (e.g. sensory impairment, mental retardation, social and emotional disturbance) or environmental influences (e.g. cultural differences, insufficient/inappropriate instruction, psychogenic factors) but is not caused by these factors. People with learning disabilities are often of average or above average intelligence, yet there appears to be a gap between the individual's potential or age level and actual achievement.

From Wikipedia Learning Disability page the following causes are cited. "The causes for learning disabilities are not well understood, and sometimes there is no apparent cause for a learning disability. However, some causes of neurological impairments include:

• Heredity - Learning disabilities often run in the family.
• Problems during pregnancy and birth - Learning disabilities can result from anomalies in the developing brain, illness or injury, fetal exposure to alcohol or drugs, low birth weight, oxygen deprivation, or by premature or prolonged labor.
• Accidents after birth - Learning disabilities can also be caused by head injuries, malnutrition, or by toxic exposure (such as heavy metals or pesticides).
• Behavioral Factors
• Social environment factors
• Cognitive Factors"

Characteristics:

There are many categories of Learning Disabilities and each is unique. The term Learning Disabilities is a broad term to identify this group of specific disabilities. For more on each of the specific learning disabilities, see the following website Learning Disabilitiies Association of America

Dyslexia

Dyscalculia

Dysgraphia

Dyspraxia

Central Auditory Processing Disorder

Non-Verbal Learning Disorders

Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit

Language Disorders

Complications:

Learning disabilities can sometimes be complicated by other disorders or disabilities, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders, visual or hearing disorders, or developmental disabilities.

Learning disabilities can impact reading, writing, math skills, receptive and expressive language processing, social skills, and more. Learn about the types of learning disabilities, diagnosis, and how to cope with learning disabilities.

Statistics:

Statistics-Learning Disabilities:
• Florida's Focus on Adults with Learning Disabilities: Facts and Statistics on Learning Disabilities and Literacy is developed by Rochelle Kenyon, Ed.D. September 2003.
• Washington University Do-It Program: Statistics: Enrollment in Postsecondary Education The number of students with disabilities attending higher education has increased. Source: An Institutional Perspective on Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education, National Center for Educational Statistics, Postsecondary Education Quick Information System, August 1999.

Awareness

• People are more alike than they are different.
• Identify and develop an appreciation for each persons strengths and accomplishments.
• Become aware of the effect on daily activities.

On-Line Discussion

More Information

Organizations that provide information about learning disabilities:

Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities 4900 Girard Road Pittsburgh, PA 15227 (412) 881-2263 provides information on learning disabilities and how they affect a person.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides professional development, advocates for individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice. This site offers information on individual learning disabilities under Exceptionality area. To access many of the articles, however, you need to be a member. Contact the CEC at 1920 Association Drive, Reston, VA 22091 or phone (703)620-3660.

Dyslexia Consultants.com offers a very comprehensive informational website on Dyslexia and other Learning Disabilities. They also offer a test for Dyslexia, solutions for Dyslexia, and many resources.

National Center for Learning Disabilities works to increase public awareness and understanding of learning disabilities (LD), conducts educational programs and services that promote research-based knowledge, and provides national leadership in shaping public policy concerning LD. Their informative website offers specialized information for teens and adults with LD, information and tips on living with LD, a listing of national and local LD programs and services, the latest LD news and much more. For more information, visit their website or call (888) 575-7373.

NOAH New York Online Access to Health, Learning and Developmental Disabilities page provides information and resources on the basics, diagnosis and symptoms, care and treatment, and types of learning disabilities and more.

References

• Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities
• Learning Disabilities Association of America
• Learning Disability from Wikipedia

For more on the topic of Learning Disabilities .

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[Updated December 31 , 2010]
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