What Are Learning Disabilities (LD)?
The federal government defines Learning Disabilities (LD) 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 do mathematical calculations. The term includes conditions such 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. The most common learning disability (LD) is difficulty with language and reading. See the warning signs of LD to look for in preschool and elementary school children.
