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Disability
Information - Learning Disabilities (LD) |
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 General
Information
Education
& Classroom Accommodations
Michigan
Resources, Support Groups, Listservs & Websites
National
Resources & Websites
Articles
Related to this Disability
BookShare.org:
Membership Driven Site That Offers Electronic Books
Bookshare.org dramatically increases access to books for the
community of visually impaired and otherwise print disabled
individuals. This online community enables book scans to be shared,
thereby leveraging the collections of thousands of individuals who
regularly scan books, eliminating significant duplication of effort.
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General Information |
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Children with Convergence Insufficiency are sometimes diagnosed with
Learning Disorders or Dyslexia Overview (from the Mayo
Clinic) (Also see
Learning
Disabilities and
Dyslexia)
Learning Disabilities Basics (PDF; 17 pages)
This guide covers the fundamental facts about learning disabilities.
Learning Disabilities from
http://specialchildren.about.com/cs/learningdisabled/
All About
Learning Disabilities:
What if you think your
child has a learning disability?
Lazy, underachiever,
unmotivated, lack of desire to learn, fails to complete assignments,
immature. Do these descriptions ring a bell? Living with an
"invisible" disability can be extremely frustrating for a child and
his parents. When a child is unable to meet educational expectations,
typically, an emphasis may be first placed on the child's behaviors.
Not every learning disability is readily apparent; some may be far
more subtle and harder to diagnose. Unless a child shows clear-cut
delays in development, he may fall through the cracks.
Learning disabilities have
a wide range of categories, even talented and gifted children can have
a learning disability in another area of learning. Learning
disabilities are lifelong, however, they certainly do not hamper an
individual's ability to become a valuable member of society. A
learning disability does NOT mean that the person cannot learn. It
simply means, that modifications may need to be made to enhance
learning.
The most common learning
disabilities are:
Dyslexia--difficulties in
the language area, which may include reading, spelling, and
understanding the concept or meaning of the message within the text.
Dysgraphia--difficulties
in writing letters and/or keeping the written work within a confined
space.
Dyscalculia--difficulties
in the area of math, which include basic math facts and
understanding math concepts.
Auditory and Visual
Processing--difficulties in sensory integration, although the child
has normal vision and hearing, processing in the environment is
overwhelming.
Approximately, 65% of our
language is non-verbal. Individuals are assessed by
their language abilities, which includes writing, speaking, spelling,
and reading.
Nonverbal learning
disorders (NLD) are also called right-hemisphere learning
disorders. NLD is a neurological based learning disorder. This is a
complicated learning disorder because it's hard to identify, it often
remains undiagnosed, and the children who have it, tend to be
misdiagnosed. Children with NLD possess strong skills particularly in
the area of language development and rote memory. However, because of
the child's inability to interpret non-verbal cues in his environment,
it is very difficult for him to understand and respond appropriately.
Children who have NLD exhibit delays in the following areas:
Motor--difficulties in
coordination and balance.
Visual--spatial-organizational-difficulties in visual-spatial recall
and perceptions.
Social--difficulties in
recognizing non-verbal cues and nuances, the inability to interact
at an age-appropriate social level, and immature reactions and
judgments in comparison to peers.
Coping--difficulties in
assimilating to new concepts and environments.
Central Auditory
Processing Disorder (CAPD) has recently been renamed
Auditory Processing Disorder(APD). Typically, the majority of
us can learn and process despite background noise. APD is the
inability to process language within our environment. Children who are
at risk for APD are preemies, kids who have had chronic ear
infections, those who are highly distractible and children diagnosed
with ADD/ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, and PDD( the autism spectrum).
If you suspect that your
child has a learning disability, early intervention is essential. Talk
to your child's physician. Contact an early intervention program in
your area, or an education specialist. Headstart is an excellent
program that works with "at-risk" preschool children. If you suspect
that your school-aged child is having difficulties, request an
assessment by the school professionals. Empower yourself by
researching learning disabilities and most importantly, don't be
afraid to speak up on behalf of your child. You are the best advocate
for your child, so don't get discouraged and by all means, be
persistent.
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Education & Classroom
Accommodations |
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SchwabLearning Creates Online "Toolkit" on Learning Disabilities
- This new Back-to-School Kit delivers the
information you need now and to plan for the school year; includes
information, resources, and articles about learning disabilities.
Struggling Decoders:
Reading Fluently and Making Meaning of Text -
As an elementary school teacher and principal for the past 31 years, I have had
ample opportunities to listen to students read. By the time that they are in the
third grade, most students are able to read with fluency and make sense of at
least simple texts. Some students with learning disabilities plod through the
same texts that their peers read with ease. When I think about these students, I
am struck with how their reading in many ways mirrors my reading when I use my
eyes and, to a lesser extent, my fingers.
Qualifying for LD in Michigan: The
guidelines for determining SLD in Wayne County are available here at
http://www.resa.net/sped/guidelines/ldguidelines.pdf.
Reading Basics (PDF; 20 pages) - Find out what’s involved in
learning to read and how to support a child who struggles with
reading.
Scientific
Learning: A new way to learn - The Fast ForWord family of
products develops the critical thinking, listening, and reading skills
that are necessary for success in the classroom, the workplace and in
everyday life. The Fast ForWord family of products use neuroscience
principles to create an optimal learning environment that enables you
to: Simultaneously develop multiple skill sets to maximize learning,
Identify reading and language difficulties, and Attack the underlying
causes of these difficulties.
NCLB and Students with Learning
Disabilities:
Opportunities and Obstacles - The
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), the Bush Administration’s
bold federal school reform law, includes benefits to students with
learning disabilities (LD), as well as some barriers that might
prevent these same students from enjoying all of the opportunities in
the law.
Educating
Students with Learning Disabilities
-
click here.
Millions of students have learning
disabilities. What is LD, and what types of accommodations and
educational practices are effective with students who have this
disability? This annotated resource list of articles, books, and
videos was developed expressly for special and general educators
working with such students. 1996, 12 pages.
Learning
Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities
-
click here.
Pair this resource list up with
the NICHCY News Digest called
Interventions for
Students with Learning Disabilities and teach your students with
LD how to use learning strategies to help themselves learn.
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Michigan
Resources, Support Groups, Listservs & Websites |
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Eton Academy -- An
accredited independent co-ed day school for students in grades 1-12
with learning differences. For more information, visit
http://www.etonacademy.org
or email
contact@etonacademy.org.
The Alcott Center for Cognitive
Enhancement, LLC provides research-based intervention methods
including Lindamood-Bell learning processes, PACE/Master the Code,
and auditory intervention. Areas of focus include: Learning
disabilities, (C)APD, Dyslexia, AD/HD, Sensory Integration
Dysfunction, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Speech and Language problems
and other developmental delays and disorders. We provide a FREE
program screening and a complimentary consultation to review test
results and treatment recommendations. Programs are custom-designed
to meet the individual needs of each child.
Learning Disabilities Association of
Michigan -
http://www.ldaofmichigan.org
The Michigan Association of Learning Disabilities Educators (MALDE) was
formed in 1973 as an organization of individuals interested in the
education of students with learning disabilities. We believe that the most
effective way to improve education for this diverse group of students is
found through cooperative efforts, active participation, communication,
and sharing.
Learning Disabilities Online
- LD In Depth offers a vast array of information on topics
within the area of learning disabilities. Here you'll find articles
written by the leading experts, research findings reported by top
researchers, and the latest news in the field of learning
disabilities.
The National Center for Learning Disabilities
- In the last twenty years since NCLD's founding, there has
been significant progress in identifying learning disabilities (LD)
and finding effective ways to help those who have them.
All Kinds of Minds provides programs, tools, and a common language
for parents, educators, and clinicians to help students with
differences in learning achieve success in the classroom and in life.
Founded in 1995, All Kinds of Minds is a private non-profit Institute,
affiliated with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, that
offers a powerful system of programs for helping kids succeed.
Learning Disabilities Association of Michigan
200 Museum Drive, Suite 101
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 517/485-8160
Toll free: 888/597-7890
Email: ldami@aol.com
Web:
www.ldaofmichigan.org
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National Resources &
Websites |
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Learning
Abled Kids - Your child may struggle in some areas, but this
doesn't have to stop them from reaching their full potential. You
probably know more about your child's potential than anyone else and
know they have skills that are overlooked by others. You also have the
daunting task of ensuring your child receives a thorough education,
but where do you begin?
Free Handbook Empowers Parents of African American Children with
LD
Learning Disabilities Association of
America -
www.ldaamerica.org
Living With an
Invisible Disability
National Institute of Mental Health
Nonverbal Learning Disorders on the Web
Schwab Foundation for
Learning
Special Education at About.com
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Articles Related to this
Disability |
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Understanding Learning Disabilities - This article provides an
overview of learning disabilities, the IDEA definition of learning
disabilities, information on useful classroom interventions for
students with learning disabilities, and information on how districts
can put research findings on effectively teaching students with
learning disabilities into practice.
Promoting Life Success for Students with Learning Disabilities -
This is a transcript from the September 28, 2005 LD Talk online
discussion with Roberta Goldberg, Ph.D. and Eleanor Higgins, Ph.D.,
researchers at the Frostig Center in Pasadena, CA. Goldberg and
Higgins answered questions from parents and others across the country.
An Interview with Harry Sylvester: About Learning Disabilities -
Harry Sylvester is Past President of LDA (Learning Disabilities
Association of America), has established several adult support groups,
mentored adolescents, and was one of the founders and Board President
of a rural health center in Maine.
Researchers support early intervention for all children with
reading difficulties
Pain,
Waste, and Hope for a Better Future -
"Invisible
Disabilities" in the Educational System by Margi Nowak, Ph.D.
Dr. Feldman, when teenagers
become resistant and won’t listen to their parents, where can
they turn for help? - click
here for the answer.
A
Hurdle Too High -
I am not your average kid with a learning
disability. I am a unique kid with a different style of learning. I
did not choose to have this learning disability. It chose me. Because
I am stuck with this, I am not going to let this problem get in the
way of my success.
LD and Your Child:
An Age-by-Age
Guide
Paying for a
Disability Diagnosis to Gain Time on College Boards
An
Encouraging Story: A
Learning Disability Doesn't Mean A Student Can't Excel
Learning
Disabilities: Notes from
Secondary Teachers
Eye
Problems Sometimes Mistaken For Learning Disabilities
- Kids' Vision Problems Often Go Unnoticed.
MI Technology
helps boost writing skills - Computer
programs increase test scores, student interest.
Read the article "Children's
Reading Disability Attributed to Brain Impairment"
Voice
of Experience: Learn why teacher Janice Robertson looks forward to
integrating special-needs students into her classroom lessons. [source]
MI
Some schools to get funds to boost kids' reading skills -
Some Oakland County schools may be able to win as
much as $400,000 to teach children to read.
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