The federal government defines learning disabilities in Public Law 94-142, as amended by Public Law 101-76 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act-IDEA):

Specific learning disability means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations. The term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. The term does not include children who have problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, or mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

Although the definition in federal law governs the identification of and services to children with learning disabilities (LD), there are variations between states and among school systems. Visit Directory of Family Help to find state-specific information.

What Are Some Viewpoints about Identifying Learning Disabilities?

It is not always easy to identify one group of people who are clearly LD and another group who are not. All of us have learning differences and difficulties. Some people who are exceptionally skilled with language and even become English teachers have difficulty balancing their checkbooks. Others who are nuclear physicists never do learn to spell correctly. Many people never fail a subject in school but are at a complete loss when figuring out a diagram for making a simple house repair. Similarly, children may experience real success in some school subjects, yet find other school tasks very difficult, frustrating, or time consuming to complete.

Individuals with learning differences may appear to possess the characteristics of a person with learning disabilities. However, it is only when they are so pervasive or severe that they markedly interfere with learning or day-to-day living that a learning disability is suspected.

How Are Individuals with Learning Disabilities Served?

Free public education is mandated for children with learning disabilities from birth through 21 years by IDEA. Depending upon the severity level and individual needs of each student, services may be in a private or public school through a continuum of program models. Thus, students with more severe LD are often served in self-contained classrooms or residential settings, while students with mild to moderate LD are usually mainstreamed in regular classrooms with a range of additional services as needed.

What are some signs that a person may have a learning disability?

Warning signs of learning disabilities in secondary school students occur as a pattern of behaviors to a significant degree over time.

They include the following:

Language/Mathematics/Social Studies

Avoidance of reading and writing
Tendency to misread information
Difficulty summarizing
Poor reading comprehension
Difficulty understanding subject area textbooks
Trouble with open-ended questions
Continued poor spelling
Poor grasp of abstract concepts
Poor skills in writing essays
Difficulty in learning foreign language
Poor ability to apply math skills

Attention/Organization

Difficulty staying organized
Trouble with test formats, such as multiple choice
Slow work pace in class and in testing situations
Poor note-taking skills
Poor ability to proofread or double-check work

Social Behavior

Difficulty accepting criticism
Difficulty seeking or giving feedback
Problems negotiating or advocating for oneself
Difficulty resisting peer pressure
Difficulty understanding another person's perspective

Information from The Warning Signs of Learning Disabilities by Sue Bergert,

ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education.

For more information and resources, visit

Special Education - Universal Education

ADD and ADHD - Asperger Syndrome

If Your Teen Begins to Fail in School

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Helping Resources

Ability Hub ~ Assistive Technology for people with a disability who find operating a computer difficult, maybe even impossible. This web site will direct you to adaptive equipment and alternative methods available for accessing computers.

All Kinds of Minds ~ A non-profit institute for the understanding of differences in learning.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) ~ An organization for professionals in all areas of special education. CEC holds conferences, publishes newsletters and journals, and advocates for children with disabilities.

Council for Jews with Special Needs ~ Helps enrich the lives of children and adults who have disabilities by providing the necessary supports and resources for their participation in the Jewish community.

Council for Learning Disabilities ~ An organization of professionals from diverse disciplines committed to the lifespan service of individuals with learning disabilities.

Dyscalculia International Consortium ~ Global collaboration and communication concerning math learning disabilities.

Hello Friend: The Ennis William Cosby Foundation ~ The Foundation gives teachers, parents and students the practical information and educational tools needed to understand and address the needs of all learners before they experience the corrosive effects of frustration and failure.

International Dyslexia Association ~ Information and referral services, research, advocacy, and professional development on dyslexia as well as related language-based learning differences.

Learning Disabilities Association of America ~ Legal issues, advocacy, education, research, resources, fact sheets, state chapters, support groups.

Learning Disabilities Association of Canada ~ Offers understanding and support to people with learning disabilities, their parents, teachers and other professionals.

National Center for Learning Disabilities ~ Information, resources, referral services, innovative educational programs, seminars, and workshops.

More Information

195 Fluoride Facts, Horror Stories, and Cover-Ups ~ Fluoride is a toxic chemical that has been linked with increased lead absorption, learning disabilities, attention disorders, hyperactivity, behavior problems, mottled teeth, decreased fertility, bone loss, and decreased I.Q.

The Dyscalculia Syndrome ~ Dyscalculia is a term meaning "specific learning disability in mathematics." People who suffer with a poor memory for all things mathematical have many other symptoms and characteristics. Taken as a whole, these coexisting conditions comprise what this author terms "the dyscalculia syndrome."

Dyslexia, behavior problems: a fatty acid link ~ In addition to causing reading difficulties, left-right confusion, mirror reversals of letters and words, and sequencing and memory problems, dyslexia is often linked to movement impairments and to behavioral problems resembling ADHD. Research suggests that the cognitive, behavioral, and motor problems of dyslexics may stem in part from deficiencies of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), substances critical for brain and eye functioning.

Environmental Causes of Learning Disabilities and Child Neurological Disorders ~ Environmental and chemical exposure factors can cause damage to the delicate brain growth processes in the unborn child during pregnancy, thereby demonstrating potential to cause Learning Disabilities, ADD/ADHD, and other child behavior problems.

How Principals View Learning Problems ~ If you are a parent and your child is having problems at school, the school staff probably believes that the problems are your fault - or your child's fault. This is the power of school culture.

Ideal Lives ~ Information resources for special needs parents and disability professionals.

LD Online: Learning Disabilities Information and Resources ~ Provides accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD.

Mis-Diagnosis and Dual Diagnosis of Gifted Children: Gifted and LD, ADHD, OCD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder ~ Common misdiagnoses stem from an ignorance among professionals about specific social and emotional characteristics of gifted children which are then mistakenly assumed by these professionals to be signs of pathology.

Poisoning the Well: Neurotoxic Metals, Water Treatment, and Human Behavior ~ Although the dangers of lead poisoning have been known for years, substantial numbers of children continue to suffer from blood lead above danger level of 10µg/dL. The problem is especially serious because lead poisoning is associated with higher rates of learning disabilities, hyperactivity, substance abuse and crime.

What are Learning Disabilities? ~ Article by Dr. Larry Silver in The Homeschool Times.

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