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Unit 16 : Learning Disabilities: Definition, Type, Characterstics

The two definitions are fairly similar. It is safe to assume that a learning disability may or may not be Notes
caused by central nervous system dysfunction. Many students with LD have a lower than average
IQ, many also have high IQ and sometimes reach the gifted range.
Originally children whose achievement was far below the capability were categorised under brain
injured children, suffering from neurophrenia, minima bran dysfunction. It was for the first time
that Kirk in 1963 suggested the word “learning disabilities” top describe all the child’s behavioural
symptoms that arise from dysfunction of the central processing mechanisms. This term described a
group of children who had disorders in the development of language, speech, reading and associated
communication skills needed for social interaction. Children with sensory and/emotional handicap
are excluded from this category.
The term learning disability refers to conditions which were previously called brain injury, minimal
brain dysfunction, sensory aphasia (the loss of the power to understand spoken words, signs, gestures
or print), expressive aphasia (the loss of the ability to speak), alexia or word blindness (the loss of the
ability to read - a mild degree of alexia is called dyslexia), acalculia (the loss of arithmetical ability -
at a lower level it is called dyscalculia) - agraphia (the inability to learning to write - a mild degree of
agraphia is called dysgraphia).

The leaning disabled have significant problems in learning academic skills that are not
due to other handicapping conditions.

Self Assessment
1. Fill in the blanks:
(i) The term ................. refer to conditions which were called previously brain injury, minimal
dysfunction, sensory aphasia.
(ii) .................. is the disability of the power to understand spoken words, signs gestures or print.
(iii) .................. is the in ability to learning to write.
(iv) .................. is the inability to read words.
(v) The loss of arithmetical ability is called ......................... .
16.3 Types of Learning Disability

Learning disability may occur in various forms such as reading disability, writing disability,
communication and comprehension disability, writing disability, communication and comprehension
disability, numerical disability, etc.
(1) Reading Disability : Children suffering from reading disability are unable to read. There are
two forms of this disability. In a mild form the affected person has difficulty in reading, but in
severe cases of the impairment there is a total loss of the ability to read. This is sometimes also
known as ‘Word Blindness’. Children with the mild form of the disability are already in the
general classroom. If identified early, proper help can be given and integration with their normal
peers is also easier. The severely affected child will need intensive remedial exercises.
(2) Writing Disability : The affected children are not able to write spontaneously. There are two
forms of this impairment - the mild and severe. Children affected by the mild from have difficulty
in learning to write legibly. They study in general schools. Their problems can be corrected if
identified early and provided timely help. Those affected by the severe type of impairment can
copy writing without distortion but they cannot write spontaneously. They are identified by
their inability to learn to write. The severely affected children need remedial exercises and are
thus hard to integrate in the academic areas.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 113