Specific Learning Disabilities
Examples and Charateristics of Specific Learning Disabilities
A Specific learning disability is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using spoken or written language. This disorder can affect a students in several content areas because the disabilities affect the students ability to listen, think, read, write, spell, and perform mathematical calculations. Specific learning disabilities include such conditions as perceptual impairments, brain injury minimal brain dysfunction, and developmental aphasia. Examples of Specific Learning Disabilities include Dyscalculia, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, APD, and Dyspraxia.
Testing for placement of Services
Schools are required to implement a system of interventions before evaluating a student for a disability. This process is call response to intervention, of RTI. Initially teachers meet with the parents and implement interventions before referring a student for testing. If a student is referred for testing, all of the decisions regarding testing for students with disabilities take place during a process of formal meetings, sometimes called IEP meetings. Learning disability testing is a complex process of gathering information in all areas related to a student's suspected learning.
Service Delivery Options/ LRE
In most cases students with Specific Learning Disorders can be serviced in the general education classroom with the proper accommodations and modifications necessary to meet the needs of each student.
Accommodations and Modifications necessary
Most students with Specific learning disabilities will specific accommodations and/or modifications that must be followed listed in their IEP. Adaptations to instruction, alternative assessments, and classroom management strategies are all things teachers can do to help meet the needs of these exceptional learners.