Learning Disabilities

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Learning Disabilities

• Marie Crawford, Becky Baum, Tim Nejma, Rachel
  Shuster, Katherine Zapata
• LEND 717.03
• Au. 2006.

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Etiology
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LD origins and other names

• LD roots back to 1800s with the study of brain
  pathology.
• It has become well known thanks to federal
  legislation, regulations and funding during 1960s
  and 1970s.
• Mental handicap or MR
• Intellectual disability- a term used by the World
  Health Organization (WHO)

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Learning Disabilities (LD)

• IDEA definition of LD
• 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 an imperfect ability to
  listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do
  mathematical calculations, including conditions
  such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury,
  minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and
  developmental aphasia.

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LD Definition

• LD does not include
• learning problems that are primarily the result
  of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of
  mental retardation, of emotional disturbances, or
  of environmental, cultural, or economic
  disadvantage.

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Children with LD are not dumb, or lazythey
usually have average or above average
intelligence. Their brains just process
information differently
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Etiology

• A leading theory is that LD are caused by
  disturbances in brain structure and functions
  that in some cases, begin before birth.
• Fetal brain development
• Genetic factors
• Substance abuse
• Problems during pregnancy or delivery
• Toxins in Childs environment

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Why? What went wrong?

• The bottom line is
• No one knows what causes LD, parents do not need
  to look back and search for possible reasons.
  Instead, parents can move forward in finding the
  right help and services needed for the child to
  succeed.

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Epidemiology
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Epidemiology

• Approximately 1 in 7 people in US has a learning
  disability.
• 4 million school-age children have a learning
  disability.
• Of these 20 have a type of disorder that leaves
  them unable to focus their attention.
• There are an estimated 6 million adults with LD
• Statistics may vary depending on the source
  because of variations in diagnosis.

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Types

• Two main types and one other category.
• Speech and Language Disorders
• Affects 1 in 10 people in the U.S.
• Producing speech sounds (articulation)15-20
• Using spoken language (expressive)
• Understanding what other say (receptive)

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Types

• Academic skill disorders
• Reading (or dyslexia) 8-10 60-80 are males
• Writing (or dysgraphia)
• Arithmetic (or dyscalculia) 1-6
• Miscellaneous learning disabilities
• Fine motor (or dyspraxia)
• Nonverbal learning disabilities

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Epidemiology

• Girls who have LD tend to be quiet and not cause
  problems. Most boys who have LD can also have
  attention deficits.
• People with learning disabilities are more likely
  than other people to have certain health
  problems. Up to one third may have epilepsy, a
  third are likely to have problems with their
  hearing and/or eyesight, and they may be more at
  risk of mental ill-health.
  ( taken from foundation for people with LD)

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Epidemiology

• People with LD have chronic mental impairments,
  not mentally retarded.
• Above average IQ
• Difficulty in organizing, collecting, nonverbal,
  and acting on verbal.

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Graph ADHD/ADD LD

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Epidemiology

• Levine said every child can be successful in
  learning and in life, if someone just discovers
  and teaches to these strengths.

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DIAGNOSIS
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The Discrepancy Model

• A learning disability is diagnosed when there is
  a significant difference between the childs
  academic achievement and IQ
• What is a significant difference?
• Between 1 and 2 standard deviations between
  intelligence and achievement, based on standard
  testing

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Example of Reading Disorder

• Intelligence (IQ) test 100
• Reading Achievement test 70
• Total point difference 30
• which equals 2 standard deviations (1 SD 15
  points based on standard scores with mean 100)

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CONTROVERSIES

• While federal law defines LD, states determine
  the precise classification criteria
• Not the same in all states
• A child might qualify for services in one state
  and not in another
• A wait to fail approach?
• LDs are difficult to diagnose before grade 3 or
  4, when children are noticeably behind peers and
  by then highly intensive intervention is needed

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New from IDEA 2004

• States must
• not require the use of a severe discrepancy
  between intellectual ability and achievement for
  determining whether the child has a learning
  disability
• Permit the use of a process based on the childs
  response to scientific, research-based
  intervention and
• May permit the use of other alternative
  research-based procedures for determining whether
  a child has a specific learning disability

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The Response to Intervention (RTI) Model

• A three tiered system with monitoring at each
  step
• Children having trouble in the first tier of
  intervention in a regular classroom move to a
  smaller group, more intensive setting (level 2)
• If difficulties continue after the second tier
  intervention, children move to higher intensity,
  individualized intervention
• At some point a child could be diagnosed with SLD
  if the response to intervention was not what as
  expected

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Specialized Services
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Reading Disorders

• IEP is developed for the child which outlines the
  instructional program that is likely to help the
  child overcome his or her learning problem.
• Materials for treatment are taken from or
  directly related to circular content (i.e.
  textbooks for reading activities, assigned papers
  for writing activities, and practice oral
  reports.
• Child is taught to apply newly learned strategies
  to classroom activities and assignments.

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Phonics Approach

• Phonics- bottom-up approach. Teach the child
  that words are made up of smaller segments. Help
  the child to recognize the sounds and meanings of
  letter and words (phonological awareness).
• Have the child place a chip under each
  corresponding letter after each letter is spoken
  or have the child clap for individual sound.
• Encourage child to sound out words and read words
  exactly as they appear on the page.
• Assumes that comprehension and appreciation is a
  natural consequence of accuracy.

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Whole Language

• Top-Down approach
• Emphasis not on reading precision and accuracy
  but on comprehension and appreciation.
• Child is allowed to insert and substitute words
  as they as understand the story.
• Expose the child to literature they enjoy that is
  simple, predictable, and repetitive.

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The Great Debate Whole Language vs. Phonics

• Combination of whole language and phonics is
  best.
• Early interventions tend to be most successful.
• Typically need to build the self-esteem of the
  child.
• Services may take place in a resource room or in
  the classroom usually directed by speech-language
  pathologist or reading specialist.

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Arithmetic Disorders

• Instruction emphasizes basic math concepts, while
  teaching children problem solving skills and
  helping to eliminate distractions and extraneous
  information.
• Let the child utilize a pocket size math chart to
  help remember basic facts about math functions.
• Short interactive math teaching sessions

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Speech and Language Disorders

• Articulation- weekly directed therapy with an SLP
  for 30-60 minutes along with parents reinforcing
  practice at home. Focus on phonological
  processes errors that child makes for a group of
  sounds. SLP demonstrates where the child should
  place their primary articulator.
• Expressive- SLP helps the child to improve
  communication skills as well as forcing the child
  to use their words to get what they want for
  classmates, teachers, and parents.

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Speech and Language Disorders (contd)

• Receptive- Difficulties understanding sentence
  structure, complex negatives and comparatives,
  the tone of a speaker leaves a child puzzled or
  unresponsive.
• Greatest rate of social and behavioral problems
  among all language disabilities.
• One-on-therapy intensive therapy with an SLP
  along with group situations.

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Central Processing Deficits

• Normal acuity but unable to make clear sense out
  of signals which reach the brain.
• Can not translate sensory signals into meaningful
  messages.
• Special education and classroom teachers plan
  individually oriented teaching procedures.

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Resources
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National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
www.ncld.org

• Established in 1977
• Develop and deliver programs and promote research
  to improve instruction, assessment and support
  services
• Mobilize parents to strengthen rights and
  opportunities for all individuals who struggle to
  learn
• Create and disseminate essential information for
  parents and educators
• Early Literacy Learning (Preschool)
• Keep Kids Learning (Grades K-8)
• Living with LD (Grades 9 Above)

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Central Ohio Special Education Region Resource
Center (COSSERC)www.cosserc.org

• Provide products and services for professionals,
  educators and families
• Consultation Services
• Assistive Technology Services
• Information/Resource Services
• School Improvement Services
• Family Services
• Professional Development Services
• Technical Assistance Services

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Schwab Learning

• Non- profit program
• Developed to deliver services and supports to
  parents and kids
• Two websites
• www.schwablearning.org for parent
• www.SparkTop.org for kids

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Resources

• http//www.mexico-child-link.org/learning-disabili
  ty-definition.htm
• http//www.helpguide.org/mental/learning_disabilit
  ies.htm
• http//www.nrcld.org/
• http//www.ldoline.org/ldbasics/signs
• http//www.pediatricneurology.com/learning.htm
• Educational Care An system for Understanding
  and helping Children with Learning Differences at
  Home and School By Mel Levines
• The source for Learning and Memory Strategies
  by Regina Richards

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Resources

• Garnett, Ph.D., Kate(1998) .Math Learning
  Disabilities. Division for Learning Disabilities
  Journal of CE.
• Reading Resources. What Does a Balanced Literacy
  Approach Mean?. Retrieved October 20, 2006
  http//www.sedl.org/reading/topics/balanced.html.
  
• ASHA (2006). Language Based Learning
  Disabilities. Retrieved October 20, 2006.
  http//www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/Langua
  ge-Based-Learning-Disabilities.htm.
• Graziano (2002). Developmental Disabilities
  Introduction to a diverse field.Boston Allyn and
  Bacon.