Learning Disabilities

Overview

A learning disability is one in which a person has difficulties receiving and processing information accurately. Some people have this difficulty with information received via auditory, visual or spatial means - or all three. Some common learning disabilities are dyslexia, dysgraphia and Scotopic Sensitivity. Learning disabilities often occur in people of average or above average intelligence. The marked discrepancy between intellectual capability, achievement and expressing information and responding is the key characteristic of a learning disability.

Learning disabilities are covered by the discrimination Act (1992) where it broadly defines a learning disability as: "a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder of malfunction”.

Learning disabilities can vary significantly in person to person - both by degree and effect.

One important issue to note is that while the terms "Learning disability" and "Learning difficulty” are often used interchangeably, there are some important differences between these two conditions:

Learning difficulty: readily responds to intensive education intervention.
Learning disability: is described as a profile of chronic and pervasive characteristics, and is often considered a lifelong condition. The effects of Learning Disabilities are often addressed by academic adjustments and accommodations - usually with successful outcomes. Intensive education intervention of academic skills alone (such as reading and writing) will provide minimal results.

Common Learning Disabilities

Dyslexia - can describe:

A range of problems associated with printed material (reading and/or writing);
Low reading age compared to chronological age and ability;
Poor reading / writing due to poor reading / writing educational instruction;
Poor reading / writing due to physical, emotional and / or environmental influences;
Letter and / or number reversals when writing and / or reading;
Poor spelling;Slow reading;
Poor comprehension of reading material.

Dyslexia is often used as a generic term covering many forms of Learning Disability.

Dysgraphia - An inability to write
Scotopic Sensitivity - People with Scotopic Sensitivity/Irlen Syndrome experience 'perceptual stress' which can lead to a variety of perceptual distortions when reading and/or viewing their environment. Scotopic Sensitivity is triggered by one or more components of light, such as the source of the light (e.g., fluorescent lighting, sun), luminance (e.g., reflection, glare), intensity (i.e., brightness), wavelength (i.e., colour), and/or colour contrast. As a result, the person may experience:
- Light sensitivity: bothered by brightness, glare, types of lighting;
- Inefficient reading: letters on page move, dance, vibrate, jiggle;
- Inadequate background accommodation: difficulty with high contrast;
- Restricted span of recognition: tunnel vision or difficulty reading groups of letters;
- Lack of sustained attention: difficulty maintaining attention.

The effects of a Learning Disability

It is difficult to generalise about the effects of learning disabilities, however, the following is a list of factors that may occur:

Difficulty perceiving and discriminating patterns and arrangements;
Possibility to go off tangent in conversations and may seem disorganised;
May appear to have poor study habits - Many students may spend a great deal of time 'studying' with little result;
People with undiagnosed learning disabilities may feel confused about why they appear to have trouble with tasks that others seem to find relatively easy;
May have low self-esteem and confidence in abilities and intelligence;
Trouble integrating information presented;
Trouble taking notes in lectures;
Difficulty in copying information from overheads or from the board;
Slow in reading material and sometimes will either verbalise while reading or will follow words with finger or pen;
Difficulty retaining information after reading - particularly with large volume material;Illegible and/ or slow writing;
Poor, inconsistent, and/ or unusual spelling;
Reversals or transpositions of letters in words, numbers - often evident in formulas, dates;
Omission of all or parts of words;
Mispronunciation or misreading of words;
Difficulty in acquiring new vocabulary or new language;
Difficulty completing tasks in usual timeframes;
May achieve poorly using one mode of receiving and presenting information yet excel in other forms. For example, may present very poor quality written work, yet excel in class presentation or oral exams.

Useful Websites and Resources

Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome and the Irlen Lens System
Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training Information on learning disabilities
Opening All Options - A resource to assist students with a Learning Disability in Tertiary Education
Disability Education Network
Students with Disabilities Information Kit for Academic Staff - Special Projects and Disabilities Centre, Division of Student Affairs and Services University of Western Sydney - 1997
Inclusive Practices for students with Disabilities - a guide for academic staff
Universities Disabilities Cooperative Project NSW - 2000