|
|
WHAT ARE LEARNING DISABILITIES?
| A learning disability is a lifelong disability that is the result of a lifelong, neurobiological disorder, that is developmental in nature. |
| Learning disabilities permeate every aspect of an individual's life, obstructing their ability to learn, develop appropriate motor, language, organizational and social skills and activities of daily living. |
| Learning disabilities are hidden disabilities. |
| Learning disabilities impede the ability to store, process or produce information. People with learning disabilities have trouble learning because their minds process words or information differently then people who learn normally. |
| Learning disabilities can affect the ability to read, write, speak, or compute math and can impair one's ability to build social relationships. |
| Deficits in basic reading skills are the most common and often the most debilitating forms of learning disabilities. Eighty to eighty-five percents of students with learning disabilities who receive special education and related services have their basic deficits in language and reading. |
| Learning disabilities can occur along with, and be complicated by, problems in attention and the development of social skills. |
| Learning disabilities have distinct characteristics and should not be confused with mental retardation, autism, deafness, blindness and behavior disorders. None of these conditions are learning disabilities. |
Current research indicates that individuals with learning disabilities are at a greater risk to experience problems such as substance abuse, suicide, depression, and significant psychiatric problems compared to the general public.
30% to 50% of all individuals with learning disabilities also have attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Emerging research is supporting a higher incidence of learning disabilities in both urban and rural areas, which is linked to environmental factors such as lead poisoning and poor pre-natal care.
WHO EXPERIENCES LEARNING DISABILITIES?
Approximately one out of seven Americans experiences some type of learning disability.
People with learning disabilities are generally of normal or above average intelligence. Their learning disability, however, creates a gap between ability and performance.
Learning disabilities often run in families.
Fifty percent of all public school students in special education have learning disabilities.
COMMON LEARNING DISABILITIES
DYSLEXIA:
A language based disability in which a person has trouble understanding words, sentences or paragraphs.
DYSCALCULIA:
A mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult time solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts.
DYSGRAPHIA:
A writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letters or write within a defined space.
AUDITORY AND VISUAL PROCESSING DISABILITIES:
A sensory disability in which a person has difficulty understanding language despite normal hearing and vision.
AREAS WHERE LEARNING DISABILITIES MAY BE PRESENT
Reading:
|
May have poor reading ability or poor comprehension.
|
|
May often misread information.
|
|
May have problems with syntax or grammar.
|
|
May confuse similar letters or numbers, reverse them or confuse their order.
|
Writing:
|
May have difficulty writing ideas and/or organizing thoughts on paper.
|
|
May reverse or omit letters, words or phrases when writing.
|
|
May have problems with sentence structure, writing mechanics and organization.
|
|
May frequently spell the same word differently in a single document.
|
|
May read well but not write well (or vice versa).
|
|
May have difficulty reading addresses, small print and/or columns.
|
Math:
|
May have difficulty with arithmetic, math language and math concepts.
|
|
May reverse numbers.
|
|
May have difficulty with time, sequencing and problem solving.
|
Language:
|
May be able to explain things orally, but not in writing.
|
|
May have difficulty telling or understanding jokes or stories.
|
|
May misinterpret language or have poor comprehension of what is said.
|
|
May respond in an inappropriate manner, unrelated to what is said, or only respond partially to what is said.
|
Auditory:
|
May not respond to sounds of spoken language, or may consistently misunderstand what is being said.
|
|
May be bothered by different frequencies of sound (i.e., music, vacuums, loud noises) or may be overly sensitive to sound.
|
|
May have difficulty in differentiating sounds that occur simultaneously.
|
Motor:
|
May perform similar tasks differently from day to day.
|
|
May have trouble dialing phone numbers of holding a pen/pencil.
|
|
May have poor coordination, be clumsy, unaware of physical surroundings or have a tendency to hurt his/herself.
|
Memory:
|
May be able to learn information presented in one way, but not in another.
|
|
May find it difficult to memorized information (i.e., phone numbers, days of the week or months of the year).
|
|
May have trouble learning about time.
|
|
May have difficulty organizing belongings.
|
Social:
|
May have difficulty with social skills.
|
|
May misinterpret non-verbal social cues.
|
|
May experience social isolation.
|
|
May not use appropriate eye contact.
|
WHAT CAUSES LEARNING DISABILITIES?
While there is no "cure" for Learning Disabilities and some Learning Disabilities cannot be prevented, a majority can be prevented from not using drugs, alcohol and smoking during pregnancy. The following are high risk factors, which lead to Learning Disabilities:
|
Pregnancy trauma, such as infection, lack of pre-natal care, prematurity, drugs, alcohol, smoking, some prescription medicines, bulimia, or anorexia.
|
|
Viral, bacterial and/or genetic injuries.
|
|
Abnormal development.
|
|
Any condition that involves the brain due to infection, injury or epilepsy.
|
|
Family history of Learning Disabilities.
|
IMPACT OF LEARNING DISABILITIES WITHOUT SUPPORTS & SERVICES
35% of students identified with learning disabilities drop out of high school. This is twice the rate of their non-disabled peers. (Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study, Wagner, 1991.)
|
|
60% of the adults with severe literacy problems have previously been undetected or untreated learning disabilities. (Source: National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center, 1994.)
|
|
Up to 60% of adolescents in treatment for substance abuse have learning disabilities. (Source: Hazelden Foundation, Minnesota 1992.)
|
|
62% of students with learning disabilities were unemployed one year after graduation. (Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study, Wagner, 1991.)
|
|
31% of adolescents with learning disabilities will be arrested 3-5 years out of high school. (Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study, Wagner, 1991.)
|
59% of females with learning disabilities will be mothers (many of them single) 3-5 years out of high school. (Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study, Wagner, 1991.)
|
|
