Office of Disability Services
Learning Disabilities (LD)
LD Defined
PL
94-142, as amended by PL 101-76 (Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act-IDEA)
The
National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities Definition
- "Learning disabilities is a general term that
refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested
by significant difficulties in the acquisition and
use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning,
or mathematical skills."
Adult Behavioral Symptoms
Learning disabilities can impair the student in:
- Concentration in class
- Dealing with social/group situations
- Following instructions
- Information integration or transferal
- Making and keeping appointments
- Mastering new vocabulary
- Memorization
- Note taking
- Writing
- Problem solving in new situations
- Reading
- Registering for classes
- Self advocacy with instructors
- Self esteem and confidence
- Spelling
- Studying
- Test taking
Possible Causes
- Neurological basis
- Genetic links
- Brain trauma
Typical Accommodations
- Adaptive technology
- Allowed to write/highlight
- Alternative exam format
- Alternative for scan-tron answer sheets
- Course substitutions
- Dictionary or spell checker
- Distraction reduced exam environment
- Tape recorder
- Textbooks on tape
- Written directions to accompany oral ones
- Enlarged tests/format
- Note takers
- Priority seating
- Oral examination
- Readers
- Scribes
- Extended time on tests
- Early/priority registration
- Earphone during exams
- Skills training
© 2006 - art courtesy M. Wesley Waugh