• LDs are specific neurological disorders that affect the brain's ability to store, process or communicate information.
• "Specific learning disability" (SLD) is the term used in the federal law for any LD.
• LDs can affect different aspects of learning and functioning - see the chart below for specific types of learning disabilities and related disorders.
• LDs can be compensated for and even overcome through alternate ways of learning, accommodations and modifications.
• According to the US Department of Education, LDs affect approximately 5% of all children enrolled in public schools.*
• LDs can occur with other disorders (AD/HD, Information Processing Disorders).
• LDs are NOT the same as mental retardation, autism, deafness, blindness, behavioral disorders or laziness.
• LDs are not the result of economic disadvantage, environmental factors or cultural differences.

Disability:

Area of difficulty:

Symptoms include trouble with:

Example:

Dyslexia

Processing language

Reading, writing & spelling

Letters and words may be written or pronounced backwards

Dyscalculia

Math skills

Computation, remembering math facts, concepts of time & money

Difficulty learning to count by 2s, 3s, 4s

Dysgraphia

Written expression

Handwriting, spelling, composition

Illegible handwriting, difficulty organizing ideas

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 & math

Difficulty distinguishing letters like "h" and "n"

Other Related Disorders

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD)

Concentration & focus

Over-activity, distractibility & impulsivity

Can't sit still, loses interest quickly

* Twenty-third Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of IDEA, US Department of Education, 2001