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Learning Disabilities-Education and Resources

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Learning Disabilities Association: An Invaluable Resource

The Learning Disabilities Association of America provides a comprehensive website at ldaamerica.org. Individual sections of the site are designed for Teachers, Professionals, Parents, and Adult sufferers. The Association also provides active community outreach, public education, sponsoring scholarly research, and offering seminars and conferences.

Those who log onto the website for the first time should begin by clicking on the "Start Here" logo. This link leads to a series of pages that explain the basics of learning disabilities, diagnosis, treatment, and so forth. The pages are very positive and can provide reassurance to newly diagnosed adults with learning disabilities or parents of learning disabled children.

Beyond the basics, the Learning Disabilities Association provides a wealth of information on topics ranging from legal rights, to assessment and classroom issues, to workplace issues. A particularly nice feature in this section is dedicated to adults with learning disabilities. Learning disabilities were not always recognized in schools until a few years ago and even today, many children slip through the cracks. Large numbers of adults with learning disabilities have never been diagnosed. The Learning Disabilities Association provides information on learning disabilities tests for adults, as well as coping strategies and techniques for adults with learning disabilities. Practical information is provided on dealing with your learning disability at work as well as legal protections that may be in place under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The Learning Disabilities Association provides equally exhaustive resources for parents of learning disabled children. Parents can take a 4 hour self-paced training course on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This helpful course educates parents on the services that are provided under the Act and how to obtain them. There is also information designed to help parents determine whether their learning disabled children need special education programs or learning disability schools, or whether assistive technology within a mainstream classroom would be appropriate.

The Learning Disabilities Association website resources for Professionals offer discussion and information on all aspects of learning disability research. Specific learning disabilities are covered at length, as are related conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Additionally, information is given on the legal aspects of learning disability treatment, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

The website section for Teachers is invaluable. With the current trend towards mainstreaming, it is statistically likely that every classroom teacher will encounter learning disabled children in his or her classroom. Many teachers are unfamiliar with the recognition, assessment, and treatment of learning disabilities, yet it is often the teacher that first encounters the symptoms. The Learning Disabilities Association provides comprehensive information about specific learning disabilities as well as learning disabilities in general, which can help classroom teachers to become better providers and advocates for the students with learning disabilities in their care.

The Learning Disabilities Association's website is an invaluable resource for anyone whose life is affected by a learning disability. Learning disabilities are not currently curable but they are manageable, and information is the best tool. Visit the website at www.ldaamerica.org for information and support.

Contents at a Glance

Learning Disabled: How to Deal with a La...
Learning Disabled: How to Deal with a La...
Learning Disability Assessment
Learning Disability Assessment (cont.)
Magazine Subscriptions: Learning Disabil...
Adult Dyslexia Screening Online

Learning Disabled: How to Deal with a Label

You have just been diagnosed as learning disabled. Perhaps you are still in school and wondering what your friends will say. Maybe you are an adult who is used to compensating for your difficulties, and you are not entirely sure you want to change the status quo. No matter what your age or stage in life, you have suddenly been labeled and are no doubt dealing with questions and concerns.

The most important thing to remember is that the diagnosis of learning disabled in no way changes who and what you are. You are still the same person that you were yesterday, a person who happens to have a learning disability, not someone who is defined as learning disabled. Your learning disability has likely caused problems and concerns throughout your life, and now that it has been officially recognized you can take steps to minimize it's impact.

If you are still in school, you may worry that being learning disabled will isolate you from your friends. You may feel different and alone, and you are likely scared of being ostracized. You will hear many scary terms, from "neurological disorder" to "assistive technology equipment." There may even be discussion about sending you to a special school or a special classroom within your school.

There is no need or reason to be afraid. If you have been diagnosed as learning disabled, then you have probably already been through the scariest part - the learning disability test. At this point, your parents, teachers, and other professionals simply want to do what is best for you. You are now and will always be in the best position to be your own advocate. It is important that you understand exactly which specific learning disability you have, what causes it, and most importantly, how to treat it. A learning disability cannot be cured but it can be managed. With successful management techniques, many people with learning disabilities go on to lead productive and successful adult lives.

Learning Disabled: How to Deal with a Label ( cont.)

A learning disability is a neurological disorder, which means that your brain is structured slightly differently from other people. This difference causes you to process certain types of information in unique ways. The nature of this difference depends on the specific learning disability that you have. You may have difficulty reading written words, or perhaps you have trouble with your handwriting. Whatever your difficulties, tools and techniques exist to help you manage them.

Assistive technology equipment is a set of tools that help you manage your specific learning disability. A piece of assistive technology equipment could be a colored highlighter that you use to help distinguish similar looking words on a page. Or it could be a computer program that recognizes your voice and converts it to text. If there is a piece of assistive technology equipment that makes you uncomfortable, then there is no need to use that tool.

Speak up about your needs and desires. If you feel that you are adapting well within a normal classroom, feel free to say so. If you want to attend extra resource sessions with a counselor who understands you are learning disabled and can teach you coping strategies, make sure you voice your need. You are your own best advocate as only you know how you feel. Incorporate your learning disability as a part of who you are, but never let yourself be defined as "learning disabled." Focus on your strengths and learn to manage your weaknesses, and you will be in a great position both now and in the future.

Learning Disability Assessment

Learning disabilities can be quite insidious. Many children are never properly diagnosed, and those who are, often struggle for years before they are ever tested for a learning disability. This is truly a shame as learning disability assessment is the right of every child. Learning disabilities are covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and schools are required to provide resources including testing for children who suffer, or may suffer, from a learning disability.

Parents and students must advocate for themselves. Learning disabilities are usually caught informally, by noticing discrepancies between demonstrated intelligence and actual classroom performance. Often students with learning disabilities are creative and show obvious signs of intelligence, yet they struggle with tasks such as writing or math.

Students with learning disabilities may also claim to "hate school." The learning disability can cause frustration and anger, as well as ostracizing and social problems. An undiagnosed learning disability should always be considered as a root cause for behavior problems or under achievement.

Learning disability assessment is fairly simple but must be performed by a qualified clinician. School psychologists can administer learning disability tests, but are often overworked with a backed up caseload. School overcrowding means that there are not always enough resources to go around and children tend to be categorized, with the most serious cases given priority. If you have the money, you might wish to take your child to a private psychologist for learning disability tests.

Learning Disability Assessment (cont.)

Learning disability tests vary according to the specific learning disability for which the child is being assessed. A combination of standardized tests, both oral and written, along with hearing and vision testing are usually administered as an official set of learning disability tests. It is very important to ensure that the problem is definitely a learning disability as opposed to a hearing, visual, or other physical disorder.

A learning disability assessment allows children to receive a diagnosis of a specific learning disability, which is necessary in order to receive full benefits under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Based on the specific learning disability, your child will become eligible for individualized resources and special programs. Additionally, each specific learning disability has its own set of proven strategies for management.

It is important, however, not to be too caught up in labels. Ultimately, a learning disability is a very personal thing, and those who have learning disabilities must learn the strategies that work best for them. Learning disability assessment will provide your child with the resources he or she needs, but integration of the learning disability as simply a part of the child's life should be the ultimate goal.

Magazine Subscriptions: Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities Research & Practice

Journal Of Learning Disabilities

Learning Disabilities - a Multidisciplinary Journal

Adult Dyslexia Screening Online

Many people who have learning disabilities are considered stupid, slow, or simply unable to learn. These perceptions could not be further from the truth. In fact, many people labeled with "learning disabilities" simply learn in a way that is different from other individuals. There are many ways to learn and no one way is the "right" way. If you or a loved one has been labeled with a learning disability, don't give up hope. Plenty of websites can give you information on how to deal with social pressures and perceptions about learning disabilities. You can most likely even find ways faster or more efficient ways to learn new information. You will find plenty of tips and tricks to cope with the drawbacks of a learning disability. Click here for more information:
Adult Dyslexia Screening Online

Language Based Learning Disabilities

There are two basic categories of learning disability. One type is non-verbal, which includes such disabilities as dyscalculia and psychomotor difficulties, the other is language based. Language based learning disabilities include any disability that affects human language, from difficulty with reading comprehension to trouble distinguishing letters.

Dyslexia is probably the most well known language based learning disability, and may be the most common. However, dyslexia is not the only learning disability based on language. Often dyslexia is a part of a larger learning disability.

Dyslexia causes problems with written language. Students with dyslexia have trouble learning to read because they have difficulty in identifying both letters and phonemes. They may also have problems in writing due to a tendency to misidentify or reverse certain letters. This reversed writing is one of the best-known symptoms of dyslexia and is often the catalyst that leads to a diagnosis.

Students with learning disabilities that include dyslexia may also have trouble with numbers, as the tendency to flip or reverse letters may extend to multi-digit numbers as well. The number 1340 might become 1430 for example. Learning disabled children often have serious trouble memorizing their own address as well as those of others, as both the street number and name might be reversed or flipped.

Language Based Learning Disabilities (cont.)

Learning disabled children with dyslexia or other language based learning disabilities often have difficulties with short term memory. They may have trouble remembering instructions or following mathematical computations. Some students with language based learning disabilities may also have trouble processing information that is presented verbally. Auditory processing difficulties can lead to misunderstanding or misremembering things that are said.

Language based learning disabilities appear to be hereditary in many cases. Brain analyses have demonstrated that people with learning disabilities actually exhibit a slight difference in brain structure. This difference is what causes the person's difficulties. Therefore, children whose families have a history of learning disabilities should be closely monitored for signs of difficulty.

This does not mean that those without a family history are immune to developing a learning disability. All children should be watched for the following warning signs of possible language based learning disabilities: difficulty in learning to read; difficulty in expressing thoughts using age-appropriate vocabulary; difficulties with grammar; difficulty in properly pronouncing words; difficulty in organizing and planning. Other symptoms of learning disability include: letter or number reversal or misplacement; difficulty telling left from right; difficulty performing calculations; trouble remembering plot lines; telling time.

If possible symptoms of language based learning disabilities are noticed, it is important the student receive a learning disability test. A diagnosis is generally required in order for learning disabled children to receive benefits under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This Act ensures that students with learning disabilities, as well as those with other types of disability, are given the resources and tools necessary to achieve maximum success within the school setting.

Although language based learning disabilities can not at this time be cured, they can be managed. Many children with learning disabilities go on to lead successful adult lives. Adults should monitor the children in their lives for signs of a learning disability and intervene when appropriate. In this way, a learning disability can be integrated into the child's life and managed properly.

Children with Learning Disabilities - What Parents and Teachers Should Know

Children with learning disabilities often experience social isolation and low self esteem. Other children may taunt them for their inability to perform tasks that others find easy to learn. Parents are often reassured by the diagnosis of a learning disability, as it explains the child's difficulties. The child, however, may be afraid of the diagnosis and feel an enhanced sense of isolation. He may also begin to hide behind the disability, using it as an excuse for behavior problems and poor performance.

Parents and teachers must remain sensitive to the needs and feelings of learning disabled children. The possibility of sending learning disabled children to special learning disability schools does exist, and for extremely sensitive children or those with a severe learning disability this may be the best option. However, learning disability schools carry their own stigma and are generally not appropriate for mildly learning disabled children. Most often, mainstreaming is the best choice for children with learning disabilities that are mild or moderate in severity.

The question of how best to treat a learning disability is not easily answered. Usually the answer is as individual as the student is. Assistive technology products may be helpful in allowing the child to work around the learning disability. High-tech solutions such as optical character readers and voice-activated calculators can be expensive but worthwhile as learning disabled children advance in school. For smaller children, low-tech assistive technology products will often suffice. Assistive technology products should not, however, be considered the be-all end-all solution for students with learning disabilities.

Children with Learning Disabilities - What Parents and Teachers Should Know (cont.)

Remediation is often the treatment of choice for students with learning disabilities. Methodical teaching processes can gradually re-train the brain to some extent, as well as teaching the student strategies to use to work around the learning disability. An individual treatment plan should be developed with input from the teacher, student, parents, and school psychologist or other expert.

Children with learning disabilities must be taught to advocate for themselves. A learning disability can be managed but not entirely cured, so adults must keep in mind that students with learning disabilities will eventually become adults with learning disabilities. The sooner the child learns about the disability and managing it, the easier it will be to integrate the learning disability as a part of life.

Parents and teachers should remember that children with learning disabilities are not slow. Usually the IQ of a learning disabled child is at or above normal, and some are extremely intelligent. When remediating the learning disability it is important to continue to challenge the child intellectually. Intellectual stimulation can be the catalyst that sparks a learning disabled child to continue working through the disability.

Children with learning disabilities should be handled with tact and respect. These children often experience taunting and mean spiritedness from their classmates and may struggle with issues related to self-esteem. Parents and teachers should strive to understand and respect the emotional issues involved and manage the learning disability in a way that empowers and strengthens the child. Learning disabilities are not curable but are highly manageable, and allowing the child to take the lead in disability management will bring the best results.

How Can Disabilities Assistive Technology Help My Learning Disability?

Disability assistive technology can help those who suffer from learning disabilities to lead a more normal life. Learning disabilities can cause trouble in every phase of daily living. Children may have problems with classroom work, which can eventually lead to behavior problems. Adults may drive around lost due to an inability to follow directions, or may need help filling out employment applications. Intelligent people become frustrated and begin feeling stupid when they cannot do things that others do easily. Disability assistive technology can help.

For the most part, disability assistive technology was originally developed to help with other disabilities and has only recently been applied to learning disabilities. Low-tech assistive technology equipment includes such tools as highlighter's, while high-tech assistive technology products include special computer programs and other devices. Low-tech and high-tech assistive technology products are usually used in tandem to create a full range of assistive technology equipment that is personalized to the user's individual needs.

A big advantage of using disability assistive technology is that this solution acknowledges the learning disability and simply provides a workable alternative. Other programs attempt to "fix" the symptoms of a
learning disability and so may be difficult or impossible to implement. Assistive technology products allow the user to quickly adapt to a workaround and move on with his or her life. It is important to note,
however, that remedial programs should often be continued once assistive technology equipment is implemented. The disability assistive technology should be considered a means to an end rather than an end in
itself.

Assistive technology for students with reading difficulties is generally a combination of low-tech and high-tech products. A colored highlighter can be used to mark words that look similar on a page, reminding the student to carefully attenuate to the differences.
Software is available that will allow a computer to read back printed text on the screen, allowing students with reading difficulties to receive information orally. Similarly, pictures or DVDs may be used as an alternate means of providing information. Magnification or formatting changes may help students with learning disabilities differentiate text. Talking books or books in Braille may be another option.

How Can Disabilities Assistive Technology Help My Learning Disability? (cont.)

Assistive technology for students with problems in writing generally involves computerized word processing applications. Spell check, grammar check, and other formatting tools can compensate for difficulties in writing development, while the typewritten format eliminates handwriting legibility concerns. Outlining software and voice recognition software can be helpful as well.

Dyscalculia, or math-related learning disability, can be especially difficult to treat. Assistive technology for students with dyscalculia generally involves specialized calculators. Calculators are available that are voice activated, read back processing steps one by one, and
have large visual displays. Generally, a combination of speech synthesis, large font display, large buttons, and voice recognition will provide the most assistance.

Disability assistive technology, when used in tandem with remediation programs, has become an extremely popular means to assist those with learning disabilities. The remediation program helps to minimize the effects of the learning disability on the brain while the disability assistive technology helps those with learning disabilities minimize the impact on their daily lives.

Gifted and Learning Disabled: How to Cope (cont.)

Once the child is diagnosed as gifted and learning disabled, many options exist to manage their learning needs. Depending on the level of giftedness, the child may need extra resource attention or perhaps to skip a grade. Outside of school, the child should be given opportunities for enrichment from art classes to cultural field trips. Depending on the specific learning disability, coping strategies may include alternative presentation of information, assistive technology products, or specialized classes.

Research has shown that children who are gifted and learning disabled tend to do best in environments that accept their differences and provide assistance with the learning disability while simultaneously challenging their intellect. These children should also be given every opportunity to become their own advocates. Their high intellect will allow them to understand the ramifications of their specific learning disability and to develop strategies that allow them to cope.

Children who are gifted and learning disabled have an excellent chance to become successful adults. Once the learning disability is diagnosed, coping strategies can be integrated into the child's life. It is important to provide the child with a stimulating, intellectually challenging environment that includes support for the learning disability.

Gifted and Learning Disabled: How to Cope

People who are both gifted and learning disabled are often misidentified as mentally retarded or "slow." For those who are both gifted and learning disabled, life can be extremely frustrating. While the learning disability causes specific challenges in daily living, the most difficult aspect can be the integration of a self that includes both a high intellect and a learning disability.

What many experts fail to realize is that intellectual giftedness is an exceptional in its own right. Many gifted children experience difficulties that are reminiscent of those suffered by mentally retarded children, from social isolation to the inability to function in a normal classroom. Likewise, a learning disability can cause similar problems. Children who are both gifted and learning disabled face many unique challenges.

Parents need to be aware of the symptoms of both giftedness and learning disabilities. Children who are both gifted and learning disabled often show a large discrepancy between their expected performance and their actual performance on tests and other classroom activities. They may also show a high level of creative intelligence at home that is not reflected in their school grades. These children might also have behavior problems stemming from their frustration with their limitations. If your child shows these symptoms, a learning disability test may be indicated.

School officials can easily administer learning disability tests. However, bright children often slip through the cracks as overworked teachers and administrators attempt to provide help to students in a sort of triage system, dedicating resources to those who appear to need them most. If a parent or child feels that the child needs testing for a learning disability, the parent should become the child's advocate. Learning disabilities fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and all students have the right to take a learning disability test. Speak up, first to the child's teacher and then if necessary to the school officials.

Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities

Until recently, only Exceptional Student Education teachers were the ones teaching students with learning disabilities. Children with any learning difficulties were automatically placed into special classrooms and regular classroom teachers never encountered them. However, in recent years the push has been toward mainstreaming even children with severe disabilities. Combined with the recent increase in diagnosis of learning disabilities, this means that the average classroom teacher is now likely to encounter many children with different learning needs, including those with learning disabilities.

Learning disability schools and even colleges for learning disabilities do exist and may be an option for severely impacted learning-disabled children. However, as with any special school, learning disability schools and colleges for learning disabilities carry a number of disadvantages as well as the obvious advantages. Many of these schools and colleges are geared toward children with severe disorders such as autism and may not be the best choice for those with more mild learning disabilities. Learning-disabled children who attend special schools or colleges may develop self-image problems, seeing themselves as their learning disabilities rather than as whole people who happen to have a disability. Integration of self may be more difficult. Colleges for learning disabilities and learning disability schools should be considered as an alternative but not treated as the default choice for learning disabled children.

For these reasons, it is quite likely that the regular classroom teacher will find himself teaching students with learning disabilities throughout his or her career. It is important for the teacher to understand the particular challenges and issues inherent in teaching students with learning disabilities.

Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities (cont.)

The classroom teacher should strive to understand the specific learning disability with which a student has been diagnosed. Perhaps the most common, or at least the best known, learning disability is dyslexia. Dyslexia affects the ability to process written language. Another common learning disability is dyscalculia, which affects the ability to perform mathematical computations. Strategies for teaching students with learning disabilities vary according to the specific learning disability.

Be sure to involve students with learning disabilities as well as their parents in developing their individual educational plan. Most students with learning disabilities are familiar with their disability and develop strategies that work for them. Managing a learning disability in the classroom may simply involve new ways of presenting information, or it may require a significant outlay of resources and individual time. As learning disabilities are covered under both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the school system is required to provide needed resources. Be sure to ask for what you need, from time with the school psychologist to assistive technology equipment.

Teaching students with learning disabilities is challenging but ultimately rewarding. Learning disabilities are specific conditions that can be managed well through a combination of strategies. Classroom teachers should strive to provide learning disabled children with the resources they need to succeed while focusing on the child's strengths rather than weaknesses. In this way, the teacher can help the child integrate the learning disability as a part of his or her life rather than a reason to be pitied or ignored.

Amazon Books For Learning Disabilities

Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Problems (6th Edition)

No Easy Answers: The Learning Disabled Child at Home and at School

Different Brains, Different Learners: How to Reach the Hard to Reach

Specific Learning Disabilities: What You Should Know

Learning disabilities are often masked behind other symptoms, causing them to be misdiagnosed or simply unnoticed for years. Learning disabilities are often caught only vaguely, after other diagnoses have been excluded. Once there is suspicion of a learning disability, a learning disability test should be administered in order to determine the specific learning disabilities that one has. Specialized treatment for specific learning disabilities gives the best chance of success.

Perhaps the most well known of the specific learning disabilities is dyslexia. Learning disabled children with dyslexia struggle with the written word. Dyslexia affects the portion of the brain that deals with letter recognition and order. When writing, learning disabled children with dyslexia may reverse the order of letters or even write the individual letter backwards. This is the most commonly recognized symptom of dyslexia. However, students with dyslexia also have trouble learning to read, as their brains have trouble processing the letters within each word. Dyslexia is now usually caught in childhood, but many adults have slipped through the cracks and never been properly diagnosed. A learning disability test is appropriate for adults who feel that they may suffer from dyslexia or any other learning disabilities.

Coping strategies for dyslexia are numerous. Learning disabled children with dyslexia can be taught to read using a combination of positive reinforcement techniques, "word attack" in which difficult words are visually broken into syllables, "backtracking" in which one line at a time is read repeatedly until correct, visualization, and many other strategies. If your child's specific learning disabilities include dyslexia, take the time to educate yourself about the condition. Dyslexia is a common learning disability and much is known about its treatment.

Specific Learning Disabilities: What You Should Know (cont.)

Another of the specific learning disabilities is dysgraphia. This learning disability involves a difficulty with writing. Students with dysgraphia have specific problems with fine motor control, including handwriting. They may struggle to produce legible writing. Dysgraphia may initially be misdiagnosed as dyslexia since the two conditions share similar symptoms in writing. A learning disability test will be able to differentiate the two conditions.

Coping strategies for dysgraphia involve teaching the child the fine motor skills required for handwriting. Writing readiness activities must be practiced, from coloring to gripping a pencil. An excellent handwriting model should be provided and practice sessions should be made fun. With effort and support, children with dysgraphia can learn to write reasonably well.

Dyscalculia is a catchall term for any math related learning disability. As such, it can be difficult to specifically diagnose and treat dyscalculia. Sometimes dyscalculia presents concurrently with a language-based learning disability, and treating the underlying disability will assist with the dyscalculia. A learning disability test may help to sort out the learning disabilities and figure out exactly what is going on.

Other specific learning disabilities include Non-verbal Learning Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome. Both require highly specialized treatment and care, and the services of a professional are highly recommended.

Most specific learning disabilities can be diagnosed through a relatively simple learning disability test and, depending on the severity of the condition, can often be treated by a combination of efforts from the classroom teacher and the parents. Learning disabilities cannot be cured but they can be managed, and many learning disabled children go on to lead successful and normal lives. Understanding the nature of the specific learning disabilities that are involved is the key to success.

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