Learning Disabilities

Facts About Learning Disabilities

• Fifteen percent of the U.S. population, or one in seven Americans, has some type of learning disability, according to the National Institutes of Health.
  
  
• Difficulty with basic reading and language skills are the most common learning disabilities. As many as 80% of students with learning disabilities have reading problems.
  
  
• Learning disabilities often run in families.
  
  
• Learning disabilities should not be confused with other disabilities such as mental retardation, autism, deafness, blindness, and behavioral disorders. None of these conditions are learning disabilities. In addition, they should not be confused with lack of educational opportunities like frequent changes of schools or attendance problems. Also, people who are learning English do not necessarily have a learning disability.

In This Section

• Learning Disabilities
• What is a Learning Disability?
• Facts About Learning Disabilities
• Common Types of Learning Disabilities
• Characteristics of Learning Disabilities
• Evaluation Process
• Professionals Who Assist with Evaluation
• Students with Documented Disabilities
• Documentation Process
• Documentation Requirements
• Key Points to Remember
• Disability Related Information/Resource Sites

Also See

• Student Support Services