Definition of Learning Disabilities
The following definition of Learning Disabilities was adopted by the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada January 30, 2002 and reendorsed on March 2, 2015.
Learning Disabilities refer to a number of disorders which may affect the acquisition, organisation, retention, understanding or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. As such, learning disabilities are distinct from global intellectual deficiency.
Learning disabilities result from impairments in one or more processes related to perceiving, thinking, remembering or learning. These include, but are not limited to: language processing; phonological processing; visual spatial processing; processing speed; memory and attention; and executive functions (e.g. planning and decision-making).
Learning disabilities range in severity and may interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following:
- Oral language (e.g. listening, speaking, understanding)
- Reading (e.g. decoding, phonetic knowledge, word recognition, comprehension)
- Written language (e.g. spelling and written expression)
- Mathematics (e.g. computation, problem solving).
Learning disabilities may also involve difficulties with organisational skills, social perception, social interaction and perspective taking.
Learning disabilities are lifelong. The way in which they are expressed may vary over an individual’s lifetime, depending on the interaction between the demands of the environment
and the individual’s strengths and needs. Learning disabilities are suggested by unexpected academic under-achievement or achievement which is maintained only by unusually high levels of effort and support.
Learning disabilities are due to genetic and/or neurobiological factors or injury that alters brain functioning in a manner which affects one or more processes related to learning. These disorders are not due primarily to hearing and/or vision problems, socio-economic factors, cultural or linguistic differences, lack of motivation or ineffective teaching, although these factors may further complicate the challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities.
Learning disabilities may co-exist with various conditions including attentional, behavioural and emotional disorders, sensory impairments or other medical conditions.
For success, individuals with learning disabilities require early identification and timely specialised assessments and interventions involving home, school, community and workplace settings. The interventions need to be appropriate for each individual’s learning disability subtype and, at a minimum, include the provision of:
- Specific skill instruction
- Accommodations
- Compensatory strategies
- Self-advocacy skills.
The definition of Learning Disabilities found in the DSM ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), 5th Edition reads as follows:
- A. Difficulties learning and using academic skills, as indicated by the presence of at least one of the following symptoms that have persisted for at least 6 months, despite the provision of interventions that target those difficulties:
- Inaccurate or slow and effortful word reading (e.g., reads single words aloud incorrectly or slowly and hesitantly, frequently guesses words, has difficulty sounding out words).
- Difficulty understanding the meaning of what is read (e.g., may read text accurately but not understand the sequence, relationships, inferences, or deeper meanings of what is read).
- Difficulties with spelling (e.g., may add, omit, or substitute vowels or consonants).
- Difficulties with written expression (e.g., makes multiple grammatical or punctuation errors within sentences; employs poor paragraph organization; written expression of ideas lacks clarity).
- Difficulties mastering number sense, number facts, or calculation (e.g., has poor understanding of numbers, their magnitude, and relationships; counts on fingers to add single-digit numbers instead of recalling the math fact as peers do; gets lost in the midst of arithmetic computation and may switch procedures).
- Difficulties with mathematical reasoning (e.g., has severe difficulty applying mathematical concepts, facts, or procedures to solve quantitative problems).
- B. The affected academic skills are substantially and quantifiably below those expected for the individual’s chronological age, and cause significant interference with academic or occupational performance, or with activities of daily living, as confirmed by individually administered standardized achievement measures and comprehensive clinical assessment. For individuals age 17 years and older, a documented history of impairing learning difficulties may be substituted for the standardized assessment.
- C. The learning difficulties begin during school-age years but may not become fully manifest until the demands for those affected academic skills exceed the individual’s limited capacities (e.g., as in timed tests, reading or writing lengthy complex reports for a tight deadline, excessively heavy academic loads).
- D. The learning difficulties are not better accounted for by intellectual disabilities, uncorrected visual or auditory acuity, other mental or neurological disorders, psychosocial adversity, lack of proficiency in the language of academic instruction, or inadequate educational instruction.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological condition that often co-exists with Learning Disabilities, though not always. ADHD has its own set of diagnostic criteria separate from Learning Disabilities (Specific Learning Disorder) in the DSM, 5th Edition. LDANL routinely works with individuals and families affected by ADHD.
ADHD can present as predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive or combined. The American Psychological Association site provides more specific information regarding the symptoms and diagnosis of ADHD.
The following resources provide more information on ADHD, however the information provided on these websites is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or care. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on these websites.
Assessment Information
For Parents
Taking the step to get yourself or your child assessed is an important part of the process to help those with Learning Disabilities reach their full potential. LDANL is always willing to speak to individuals about the assessment process so please feel free to call the office for more information. With that in mind, we have included some information below on the assessment process.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, there are two main areas for assessment, within the K-12 School System and through private practice with a registered psychologist who is qualified to carry out comprehensive assessments.
K-12 School System
Assessments are carried out in the K-12 school system by qualified guidance counsellors and/or district educational psychologists. The first step in the process is to meet with your classroom teacher and/or guidance counsellor to discuss the referral process that may lead to the completion of the comprehensive assessment.
Private Practice
Individuals can seek to obtain assessments from private practice conducted by a psychologist qualified to complete educational assessments. There is a fee associated with private assessments and we encourage individuals with health insurance to check whether their plan covers the assessment You can find an individual clinician through word of mouth and as well the Association of Psychology NL can help you locate someone in your area (https://www.apnl.ca/).
For parents who want further information, here is a document about Your Child’s Assessment.
For Adults
Again, individuals can seek to obtain assessments from private practice conducted by a psychologist qualified to complete educational assessments. The fee associated with private assessments is high. If you’re an adult who needs an assessment but cannot afford it, please contact LDANL’s Screening Manager (edie@ldanl.ca) or LDANL’s Projects Coordinator (christopher.n@ldanl.ca) for more information.
LDANL offers a free learning disabilities/ADHD screening for adults, but it is not diagnostic. LDANL’s screeners can help screen for the possibility of a Specific Learning Disorder and/or ADHD. Regardless of the results, LDANL cannot guarantee accommodations will be given by schools or workplaces on the basis of the screening.