Special Education Guide

  • Special Education Career Paths
    • Behaviorist
    • Early Intervention Specialist
    • Educational Diagnostician
    • Instructional Assistant
    • Special Education Administrator
    • Special Education Teacher
  • Teacher Certification
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • District of Columbia
    • Delaware
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming
  • Master’s in Special Education Programs
    • Alabama
    • Alaska
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • California
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • District of Columbia
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Hawaii
    • Idaho
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Kentucky
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Mississippi
    • Missouri
    • Montana
    • Nebraska
    • Nevada
    • New Hampshire
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • Oklahoma
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Rhode Island
    • South Carolina
    • South Dakota
    • Tennessee
    • Texas
    • Utah
    • Vermont
    • Virginia
    • Washington
    • West Virginia
    • Wisconsin
    • Wyoming

Find us on:

  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • About This Site
  • Read Our Blog

Specific Learning Disabilities

FIND SCHOOLS
1
2
3
4
Sponsored Content

Featured Programs:
Sponsored School(s)
Grand Canyon University Logo
Grand Canyon University
Featured Program: B.S. in Elementary Education / Special Education and M.Ed. in Special Education
Request Info
George Mason University Logo
George Mason University
Featured Program: Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate
Request Info
Walden University Logo
Walden University
Featured Program: Online Graduate Certificate in Special Education along with Various Online Education Programs
Request Info
Arizona State University - Online Logo
Arizona State University - Online
Featured Program: Special Education, MEd
Request Info
Rasmussen University Logo
Rasmussen University
Featured Program: Early Childhood Education (ECE) Certificate and Diploma, Bachelor’s and Associate’s degrees
Request Info

Definition

The 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.

Common Traits

According to the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (known as NICHCY), specific learning disabilities commonly affect skills in the areas of:

  • Reading (called dyslexia)
  • Writing (called dysgraphia)
  • Listening
  • Speaking
  • Reasoning
  • Math (called dyscalculia)
FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content

Signs that a child might have a learning disability tend to appear in elementary school. For example, difficulty learning the alphabet, problems with following directions, trouble transforming thoughts into written words and misreading math problems are all possible indicators of a specific learning disability.

Educational Challenges

It’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:

  • Difficulty reading out loud
  • Poor reading comprehension
  • Struggling to write papers and essays
  • Trouble understanding lectures
  • Difficulty holding a pencil

Tips for Teachers and Parents

Don’t let the term “learning disabilities” mislead you, teachers and parents. Rooted within this term is a common assumption that children with learning disabilities can’t learn. NICHCY proposes otherwise, stating, “Children with learning disabilities are not ‘dumb’ or ‘lazy.’ In fact, they usually have average or above average intelligence. Their brains just process information differently.”

Indeed, the more politically-correct phrase “learning differences” offers a more accurate snapshot that captures the essence of learning disabilities. Supplied with the appropriate special education services, students with learning disabilities can flourish academically. Take a student with dysgraphia for example. He or she may have A-worthy ideas for a paper inside his or her head, but without accommodations those ideas will probably not earn the grade they deserve. One potential accommodation for such a scenario entails using speech-to-text technology to write papers.

Overall, the best educational accommodations for students with specific learning disabilities stem from assessing a child’s particular case and identifying his or her strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation is worked into the individualized education program (IEP) process.

FIND SCHOOLS
Sponsored Content

Parents, are you concerned that your youngster might possess a learning disability? NICHCY notes you can ask your school to evaluate your son or daughter to diagnosis any learning disabilities. If your child has a specific learning disability, the IEP process will begin to unfold.


Copyright © 2013-2025 Special Education Guide. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

Related Pages

  • Autism
  • Deaf-blindness
  • Deafness
  • Emotional Disturbance
  • Hearing Impairments
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Multiple Disabilities
  • Orthopedic Impairments
  • Other Health Impairment
  • Speech and Language Impairments
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Visual Impairment
  • Masters Degrees
  • Teacher Certification
  • Career Paths
  • Early Intervention
  • Pre-K to 12
  • Disability Profiles

Recent Articles

  • Is Special Education Teaching Right for You?
  • Give Students with Print Disabilities Access to Free Ebooks
  • How to Help Students and Families with Transition Planning
  • Closing the Gap: Moving Mountains Without Lowering Expectations
  • 9 Tips for Special Education Teachers Becoming Administrators