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What Are Learning Disabilities? - Page 3

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By NCLD Editorial Team

LD In Adults

It is never too late to identify and get help for a learning disability. Finding out about a learning disability can be a great relief to adults who could not explain the reason for their struggles in the past. Testing for LD in adulthood is not uncommon, and seeking support and services (a legal entitlement through the Americans with Disabilities Act is key to leading a successful and productive life.

 

Accommodations and Modifications

Once a learning disability is identified, different kinds of assistance can be provided. In addition to specialized, explicit types of instruction, children with LD are entitled to have accommodations (such as extended time, readers, and note-takers) or modifications (such as abbreviated tests or alternate assignments) as appropriate. These guarantees are afforded to children with LD by law.

 

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997 and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, people of all ages with LD – children and adults – are protected against discrimination and have a right to different forms of assistance in the classroom and workplace.

 

LD Terminology

Disability

Area of difficulty

Symptoms include trouble with

Example

Dyslexia

Processing language

Reading, writing, and spelling

Confusing letter names and sounds, difficulties blending sounds into words, , slow rate of reading, trouble remembering after reading text

Dyscalculia

Math skills

Computation, remembering math facts, concepts of time and money

Difficulty learning to count by 2s, 3s, 4s, poor mental math skills, problems with spatial directions

Dysgraphia

Written expression

Handwriting, spelling, composition

Illegible handwriting, difficulty organizing ideas for writing

Dyspraxia

Fine motor skills

Coordination, manual dexterity

Trouble with scissors, buttons, drawing

Information Processing Disorders

Auditory Processing Disorder

Interpreting auditory information

Language development, reading

Difficulty anticipating how a speaker will end a sentence

Visual Processing Disorder

Interpreting visual information

Reading, writing, and math

Difficulty distinguishing letters like "h" and "n"

Other Related Disorders

Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

Concentration and focus

Over-activity, distractibility, and impulsivity

Can't sit still, loses interest quickly, daydreams

 


1
IDEA Part B Child Count, 2010; student ages 6-21http://www.ideadata.org/PartBChildCount.asp

 


This article was first made possible by a grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation.



 

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