Learning Disability

Learning Disability

Abstract

Educational disabilities are treated very differently from sensory and physical disabilities in at least two distinct ways. The first centers around the way the individual is typically held responsible for the disability. The child is told, "Try harder!" or "Don't be lazy!" No one would think of telling a child with a visual, hearing or mobility impairment to try harder to see, hear or move; rather these children are given support and encouragement. Individuals with physical disabilities are given rehabilitation; that is, they are taught alternative ways to approach the tasks that are affected by the disability. Individuals with educational disabilities are given remediation; that is, more and more practice in precisely what they cannot do. The need to "cure" is given more emphasis in educational disability than physical disability where the stress is on adaptation. The purpose of this paper is to isolate two specific disabilities that are the primary cause of reading disability and to show how a rehabilitation approach can have a profoundly positive effect on this ubiquitous problem.

Learning Disability

Introduction

The literature on behavior therapies and learning disabilities includes a number of articles, not all of which are substantiated by research, that address a variety of problems associated with learning disabilities. These include social skill deficits, anxiety, conduct disorder, and poor self-esteem. One of the characteristic strengths of behavior therapy is the specificity of the targeted behavior. The interventions surveyed have, for the most part, clearly operationalized the learning behavior that they sought to develop, and have had systems in place for recording that behavior. This contributes substantially to the rigour of the studies. It does not, however, lend itself to generalized effects. It also mandates a sound theoretical foundation for the selection of the targeted behavior. The ideas from behavior therapy can be used in assessment of learning disabilities and in expanding our knowledge of what constitutes learning disability. For example, assessment by attempting to train a concept, that is, dynamic instead of static testing, could be very useful for determining whether the academic difficulties are really a manifestation of an inherent learning disability or merely an indication of inadequate teaching and/or motivation. Specifically, decoding (knowing the sounds of the letters) is a problem for children with learning disabilities.

The best ways to assess decoding is the reading of pseudowords, pronounceable combinations of letters that are not words. If a child is having difficulty with this task, attempting to train the Current definitions of learning disabilities refer to a set of disorders that affect reading, handwriting, spelling, mathematics, listening, expressive language, and social skills. By definition, learning disabilities are not caused by a lack of intelligence, sensory impairment (like deafness), primary emotional disturbance, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. This definition thus excludes all commonly accepted impediments to learning except neurological impairment. The theories, treatments, and investigations of the learning disabilities field frequently reflect the exclusionary approach of the definition. Learning disabilities are recognized primarily as schoolrelated problems. In the last decade, however, a growing number ...