What are Learning Disabilities (LDs)

Learning disabilities are neurological differences that affect how a person processes, retains, and expresses information. These differences can impact skills such as reading, writing, listening, speaking, and math. It is important to note that people with learning disabilities have the potential to succeed with appropriate support and accommodations.

Learning disabilities are a permanent condition, but they can be managed effectively by utilizing strengths and accommodations, such as technology.

Learning disabilities and their impact can vary from person to person, which means that it’s important to understand an individual’s unique learning abilities to develop effective strategies for compensation.

Learning disabilities range in severity and invariably interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following important skills:

• oral language (e.g., listening, speaking, understanding)
• reading (e.g., decoding, comprehension)
• written language (e.g., spelling, written expression)
• mathematics (e.g., computation, problem solving)

Learning Disabilities: Categories and Variations

Learning disabilities can manifest in different ways and can have varying degrees of severity. Here are some general categories they can fall into:

• Dyslexia: difficulty with reading.
• Dysgraphia: difficulty with writing.
• Dyscalculia: difficulty with math.
• Nonverbal Learning Disorder: a Nonverbal Learning Disorder is demonstrated by below-average motor coordination, visual-spatial organization, and social skills.

Other conditions that may impact learning

• Dyspraxia: also known as developmental coordination disorder (DCD), is a neurological condition that affects an individual’s ability to plan, coordinate, and execute voluntary movements.
• ADHD: ADHD is characterized by a pattern of persistent inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity that interferes with daily functioning and development.
• Executive Functioning: difficulties with executive functions, which are mental skills that help us plan, focus attention, remember instructions, multitask, regulate emotions and behaviors.
• Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders: difficulty in processing information from sound and sight.