Individuals With Learning Disabilities

– The term learning disability represents a fairly new concept- a disability that is not physically apparent and cannot be seen.
– In 1977, to comply with the Education for All Handicapped
Children Act, a “specific learning disability” was determined to mean a disorder that manifest itself in children’s inability to perform certain tasks in specified ways. This disability excludes children who have other disabilities that contribute to their learning delays. This definition remained largely unchanged in later legislation. Current federal criteria for diagnosing a learning disability includes:
• Student does not achieve at expected age and ability levels when compared to age-level norms on standardized assessment measures
– Current IDEA definition
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A team determines that a severe discrepancy is present between a child’s actual levels of achievements and their potential for achievement in one or more of the following areas
– Oral expression
– Listening comprehension
– Written expression
– Basic reading skill
– Reading comprehension
– Mathematics calculation
– Mathematic reasoning
The problems are not the result of sensory impairments, intellectual disability, emotional problems, environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage (exclusionary clause).
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IDEA definition:
Child does not achieve at expected age and ability levels
A severe discrepancy is present between a child’s achievement and potential in one or more of the following areas:
Oral expression
Listening comprehension
Written expression
Basic reading skills
Reading comprehension
Mathematics calculation
Mathematic reasoning
Student does not respond to Response to Intervention (RTI) strategies
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Foundation Phase Brain research conducted on adults with brain injuries
Transition Phase Scientific research applied to children’s learning
Integration Phase Legislation fostered educational changes based on research findings and introduced the new term learning disability in 1963.
Current Phase Educators face new challenges, and embrace new educational advances, to meet the needs of their students with learning disabilities
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Largest category of students with disabilities
The federal government suggested that approximately 2.35 million students ages 6 to 21 were identified as having learning disabilities
The federal government now counts preschoolers with learning disabilities
Since 2000, the number of students identified with learning disabilities has decreased
More common in boys, in 10-16 year olds
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– Acquired trauma to the central nervous system: Such as prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal injuries
– Genetic/hereditary influences: Family and twin studies seem to indicate that learning disabilities run in families
– Biochemical abnormalities: Current research does not support allergies or vitamin deficiencies as the cause of learning disabilities
– Environmental possibilities: Factors such as poverty, malnutrition, lack of access to health care and other factors may contribute to learning disabilities
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Disorders of attention
Hyperactivity
Poor motor abilities
Psychological process deficits
Information-processing problems
Lack of cognitive strategies needed for efficient learning
Memory difficulties
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• Metacognitive deficits
Oral language difficulties
Reading difficulties
Written language problems
Quantitative disorders
Success and failure attributions
Social skills deficits
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Comprehension
Decoding
Word recognition
Phonological awareness
Dyslexia
Spelling
Writing
Speaking
Organizing thoughts into words (written or spoken)
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Computational skills
Word problems
Spatial relationships
Writing numbers
Copying shapes, patterns
Understanding mathematical concepts
Dyscalculia
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 Lower self-esteem
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Poor self-concept
Frustration
Difficulty understanding and interpreting social cues and social situations
 Difficulty making and maintaining friendships and relationships
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IDEA requires a multidisciplinary evaluation:
• Tests are administered by trained professionals
• Tests are reliable and valid
• Tests are not discriminatory
• Tests are administered in the student’s native language
• A single measure cannot be used to determine eligibility
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Assessments are conducted to determine if a severe discrepancy exists between the child’s potential and achievement.
• Includes a variety of intellectual, achievement, and other assessments to determine the child’s potential and actual achievement.
• Discrepancies formulas and eligibility vary by state.
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States have the option to use a discrepancy model to determine eligibility or they may implement RTI strategies.
RTI is generally a process that increases the levels of instructional interventions provided in the regular classroom.
‒ Students who do not meet with success with intensive interventions may have a learning disability.
Provides instructional support without waiting for a special education label.
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– Assessment methods include:
• Norm-referenced assessment: An individual’s performance is compared to the performance of a normative group
• Criterion-referenced assessment: Measures a student’s ability to meet or master specific criteria
• Curriculum-based assessment: Assessment of the curriculum that the child has been taught
• Portfolio assessment: Displays student’s progress over a period of time
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Norm-referenced assessment
Criterion-referenced assessment
Curriculum-based assessment
Portfolio assessment
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Cognitive training
– Help students learn new ways to complete tasks and think about their learning (see Table 7.4, page 231)
Direct instruction
– Teacher-directed lessons that provide step-by-step explicit instruction
Mnemonic strategies
– Aids with recall by creating an association that is easily remembered
Learning strategies
– Teach students how to learn
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• Accidents and head trauma
• Chronic poverty
• Inadequate stimulation in home environment
• Inadequate maternal and child nutrition
• Low birth weight
• Maternal alcohol and drug abuse
• Oxygen deprivation
• Prematurity
• Prolonged or unusual delivery
• Rh incompatibility
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Transition planning requirements:
• Vocational training
• Preparation for post secondary education
• Employment possibilities
• Independent living
• Social skills
• Self-determination skills
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Supports and modifications needed for college success:
• Time management issues
• Organizational skills
• Self-discipline
• Self-advocacy
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Lerner and Johns (2009) offer the following recommendations for parents of children with learning disabilities:
• Become an informed consumer
• Be an assertive advocate
• Be firm yet empathetic in managing a child’s behavior
• Devote time and attention to their family members
• Make a life for yourself
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• Differentiating between cultural and language differences and learning disabilities
• Disproportionate representation of minority groups
• May need to improve identification, assessment, and evaluation practices
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• The use of technology has been a great benefit to people with disabilities including those with learning disabilities.
• Students with learning disabilities are increasingly making use of technology to assist them in achieving academic success including word processing, the internet, assistive technology, smartphones, calculators, organization and self-management helpers, note-taking devices
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Full Inclusion Movement
Equity of full inclusion
Moral imperative of inclusion
Often inadequate resources in full inclusion
Data suggest that full inclusion does not meet needs of all students with learning disabilities
Opposition by professional organizations and advocacy groups.
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