Chapter 5:Learners with

Learning DisabilitiesCritical Concepts

Karen Stewart

IDEA 2004 DefinitionA disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes

involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen,

speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations.

Includes Does not Include

• Perceptual handicaps• Brain injury• Minimal brain dysfunction• Dyslexia• Developmental aphasia

• Learning problems as a result of

• Visual, motor, hearing disabilities

• Mental retardation• Emotional disturbance• Environmental, cultural, or

economic disadvantage

Five Components of the Definition

• Disorder in basic psychological processeso The theory that the individual does not process information as

efficiently or effectively as otherso The presence of disorders in processing can be inferred only from

observation of learning behaviors

• Language componento Deficits in receptive and expressive languageo Difficulties in language processing

Five Components• “The imperfect ability to…” clause

o If the student has the ability to function at an acceptable level, but fails to do so even after adequate instruction.

• The inclusion clauseo One of the diagnoses listed in the definition is not a requirement to be

identified as having a learning disability

• The exclusion clauseo If a student has not had the opportunity to learn, the learner may not

be identified as having a learning disability.

Prevalence• Individual state prevalence range from 1.88%-

5.93%o Rate of identification is affected by state and district criteria

• Identified as having a learning disability:o Each year 4-5% of all studentso 50% of students in special education

Prevalence• Age distribution shift:

o Prevalence among 6-11 year-olds decliningo Prevalence among 12-17 year-olds increased

• Why?o Awareness of LD concepto Improved screening procedureso LD label has less of a stigma than other labelso Creation of developmental delay categoryo ASD category added to IDEA 1990 allowed for more appropriate

labeling as ASD instead of LDo Use of LD label to replace remedial classes that no longer exist due to

budget cutso Court cases questioning the use of certain standardized instruments in

making disability diagnoses for minority students

ConditionsIntrinsic Factors Extrinsic Factors

• According to the DSM-IV-TRo Genetic differenceso Brain injury

• Prenatal• Perinatal• Post natal

o Biochemical imbalanceso Unspecified brain differences

• These factors can account for the problems displayed, but it is unclear to what extent they account for underachievement.

• Environmental toxins• Environmental Problems

o Child abuseo Neglecto Lack of early stimulationo Inadequate or inappropriate

instruction

• Food and environmental allergens have also been named as potential factors, but there has not been support through research.

Characteristics• Characteristics are heterogeneous

• Can be divided into two categorieso Developmental learning disabilities

• Disability in functions that are usually considered prerequisites to successful academic learning

o Academic disabilities• Problems in the more traditional areas of school learning, such as

reading, written language, spelling, mathematics• Underlying factors related to cognitive processing, such as visual

perception, linguistic processing, attention and memory

Characteristics• Examples of difficulties:

o Problem solvingo Oral languageo Ability to focus and maintain attentiono Limited vocabularyo Decoding and blending soundso Reading comprehensiono Spellingo Dysgraphiao Dyscalculiao Multi-step problems

(Raymond, 2012)

Characteristics• Other difficulties:

o Make mistakes when reading out loudo Messy handwritingo Trouble understanding sarcasm or jokeso Difficulty following directionso May not follow social rules of conversationo May not be able to retell a story in ordero May not know where to begin a task or how to continue from there

(NICHCY, 2011)

References• NICHCY Disability Fact Sheet #7. (2011). NICHCY:

http://nichcy.org

• Raymond, E. (2012). Learners with mild disabilities: A characteristics approach. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.