Understanding Learning Disabilities

The Problem

• Research designed to improve understanding learning disabilities suggests that learning disabilities are increasing in the population at the rate of 10-20% every 10 years. Children with learning disabilities now account for 50% of all special needs students. In some areas they may comprise as much as 50% of the population of a school.

• Our schools struggle to meet the increasing need for special teachers to meet the learning needs of these children, while parents anguish over how to help their child with learning problems and the stigma of special education.

• Schools are not presently organized to address these problems but might consider a future role of improving preventive services to this population. Historically, schools have not kept up with the needs of the society they serve.
• Our children suffer the sometimes lifelong problem of trying to cope with school and life in general because of the low self-esteem which frequently accompanies school failure and the challenge of being different.

• Our Federal Government has abdicated it's responsibility for the appropriate education of children with it’s new landmark legislation, No Child Left Behind, by delegating that responsibility to parents.

• And, parents without adequate information and training are not prepared to assume this responsibility.

Demystifying the Challenges

• In response to these problems, research has identified the specific cultural changes since World War II that are having such a negative impact upon child development.

• Therefore, learning disabilities are no longer the mystery that they once were. Our understanding of Learning Disabilities has reached the conclusion that learning disabilities can be prevented, remedied, and/or corrected. This suggests that the suffering of children and the frustrations of parents and teachers is needless.