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Dinesh Kumar, Lovely Professional University Unit 16 : Learning Disabilities: Definition, Type, Characterstics

Unit 16 : Learning Disabilities: Definition, Type, Notes

Characterstics

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
16.1 Meaning of Learning Disabled Children
16.2 Definitions of Learning Disability
16.3 Types of Learning Disability
16.4 Characteristics of LD Children
16.5 Summary
16.6 Keywords
16.7 Review Questions
16.8 Further Readings

Objectives

The objectives of this unit can be summarized as below:
• to know the meaning of learning disabled children.
• to define the learning disability.
• to describe the characteristics of LD children.
• to explain about the types of learning disability.

Introduction
In the years since 1963, many people have tried to define learning disabilities, but no one has yet
developed a definition that is acceptable to everyone. The federal definition (U.S.A) of learning
disabilities included in Public Law (94-142), the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of
1975, reads :
The term “children with specific learning disabilities” means “those children who have 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 a imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write,
spell or do mathematical calculation. The term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps,
brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia. The term does not
include children who have learning problems which are primarily the result of visual hearing, or
motor handicaps, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural or
economic disadvantage”.
Since learning disabilities could span over a variety of abilities, ten areas, each representing a basic
psychological process, have been selected for the present study. A deficit in any of the area or areas
or a combination of any, would lead to a learning problem.
Some children who in most ways seem normal, have difficulty in learning or remembering. They
have difficulty in educational performance copying writing, listening, understanding, number speech
and communication. In the present chapter their problems are discussed with a view to providing an
indepth knowledge of:
Learning disability refers to learning problems which manifest in an imperfect ability to listen, think,
speak, read, write or do mathematical calculations which are not primarily due to visual impairment,

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