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Types of Learning Disorders Dyslexia - a broad term meaning difficulty learning to read, this disorder has been recently linked to weaknesses in phonemic awareness (defined as the ability to hear and manipulate individual consonant and vowel sounds within words, which allows the learner to read and spell accurately and swiftly), and a possible weakness in Rapid Automatic Naming, which may be a function of memory and/or executive function. Dysgraphia - a term that means difficulty with written language, it often accompanies dyslexia, but may exist on its own, and may be further broken down into difficulty with mechanics (i.e. spelling, punctuation), visual motor difficulties, and/or difficulties of composition and expression. Careful testing is needed to determine where exactly the difficulties lie, and hence the best treatment. Dyscalculia - refers to difficulty with mathematics, again covering a broad range of symptoms, but the difficulty usually affects either math operations (such as quick recall of facts) or applications (as in time and money, or word problems). Again, good testing will help determine what will best help the student compensate and build on their strength, while remediating the weaknesses. Non-Verbal Learning Disability - a fairly new category of learning difference, one important clue may be a higher Verbal than Performance score on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale. The individual usually has very strong verbal abilities, and often over-relies on these skills to compensate for weaknesses in other areas. The areas affected may include one or more of the following:
Executive Function Difficulties - Most often referred to as Attention Deficit Disorder (with or without hyperactivity) these disorders are now being further defined and differentiated, and may even be completely different disorders. They can be thought of, however, as a difficulty in the planning and executing center of the brain, and usually affect an individual in one of several ways:
Significant Discrepancy - used to determine eligibility for special education services in the public schools, it usually requires a difference of 22-23 standard scale points between ability (usually measured by an intelligence score) and achievement in one or more academic areas on standardized tests. Processing Disorder - the other half of the "diagnosis" currently in use to determine eligibility, it refers to a weakness in one or more of the processing areas of auditory, visual, or motor processing. Attention processing (see Executive Function) may also fulfill this qualification in most cases. Neuropsychological Testing - a comprehensive battery of testing, usually spanning several days and 10-20 hours of tests, it will yield a detailed picture of an individual's learning strengths and weaknesses, and should present solid directions for treatment and remediation. Not to be confused with the testing commonly done by the school psychologist or special education teacher, it can be requested (and is usually paid for) separately by the parents, and must be taken into account in any special education decisions, provided the examiner is fully qualified. Under certain circumstances a Neuropsych eval can be requested and paid for through the school as part of an IEE (Independent Educational Evaluation). Special Education Acrostics IEP - Individualized Education Plan, a legal document stating exactly how an individual qualifies, what services they will receive and goals to be implemented during the following year. Parents are invited to attend and have input into the formation of this document, and have broad legal rights to contest anything they do not agree with. IEE - Independent Educational Evaluation is a parent's right to an outside evaluation at school expense, if they disagree with the school's evaluation. You may request this once the school has completed their evaluation and explained their results. If the district refuses, they must request a Due Process hearing to support their position, and the hearing officer decides if the request is warranted. SLD - a classification on the IEP which stands for Specific Learning Disability, which should then be further spelled out as to the exact type of disability. SED - Severe Emotional Disturbance, usually characterized by a history of emotional and behavioral problems spanning several years. This classification is usually applied only after many interventions have been tried, and a more restrictive type of educational setting is being considered. OHI - Other Health Impaired. Used to cover long-lasting disabilities stemming from health problems not otherwise covered under special education laws, such as mild cerebral palsy, epilepsy, cancer requiring chemotherapy, Tourette's syndrome, etc. According to recent IDEA amendments, this category can also include ADD/ADHD, if it can be shown to be significantly impacting the child's learning and other life functions. DIS - Designated Instructional Services - depending on diagnosed learning difficulties and the recommendations of the IEP team, these may include services by an SLP (Speech and Language Professional), Counselor, Occupational Therapist, Adaptive PE teacher, or whatever other services may be deemed necessary and appropriate to the child's education. LRE - Least Restrictive Environment. A term which has been commonly interpreted to mean that a child should remain in the larger educational setting (such as mainstreamed in a regular classroom) to as great a degree as possible without compromising his/her educational needs. The different degrees of restrictiveness, from least to greatest include:
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