SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY
DefinitionThe Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)defines a specific learning disability as “a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations.” This disability category includes such conditions as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia (a type of language disorder).
However, as IDEA’s definition notes, “Specific Learning Disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities; of intellectual disability; of emotional disturbance; or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.” This clause helps to distinguish learning disabilities from the other disability categories specified by IDEA. Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) is by far the largest category of disability within the Individuals for Disabilities Education Act. Nearly half of all disabled children are labeled in the category of SLD. Primary CharacteristicsAccording to the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (known as NICHCY), specific learning disabilities commonly affect skills in the areas of:
Educational ChallengesIt’s clear from reading the above traits that students with learning disabilities can face a number of educational challenges. Oklahoma’s State Department of Education alludes to several of these challenges in their online fact sheet on specific learning disabilities; they include:
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Accommodations & Modifications
• Highlighted textbooks • Large print material • Word processor/spell checker; calculator • Assistance with note taking • Taped lectures • Self-testing • Grade only on completed classwork • Credit for class participation, effort and attendance • Additional time for test preparation • Review/testing matched to student pace • Test directions read/explained thoroughly • Fewer repetitive test items • Test format allowing more space • Oral, short-answer, modified tests • Manuscript writing rather than cursive • One-to-one contact for at least 10-20 minutes daily • Tutoring assistance (peer, pal, teacher, etc.) • Assistance with organization and planning of class work and/or homework
• Use place marker • Use color overlay • Use magnification device • Exact oral translation of directions as needed • Read items for math or writing in English • Provide translation dictionary • Administer large-print edition of test • Administer Braille edition of the test • Use of an abacus on math portion by a student who is blind • Braille writers • Record or dictate responses to a scribe orally - reading/math only. Scribe may not alter [Student] responses in any way - must record word for word • Extended testing time (same day). • Answers recorded or typed by [Student] using assistive technology - spell check and grammar check turned off and predict ahead functions turned off Resource |