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The Need for the World Summit 2008: Learning Disabilities Fact or Fiction
1. It is estimated that 10 - 15% of the population has Learning Disabilities or ADHD. Many of who are undiagnosed and live marginal lives, underutilizing their skills and abilities. This has a cost to business, society and to personal lives. Learning Disabilities are terribly misunderstood.
2. It is also estimated that 75 - 80% of young offenders have either diagnosed or undiagnosed Learning Disabilities.
3. The World Summit 2008 will address the concerns of this population.
What are Learning Disabilities?
"Learning Disabilities" refer to a number of disorders, which may affect the acquisition, organization, retention, understanding, or use of verbal or nonverbal information. These disorders affect learning in individuals who otherwise demonstrate at least average abilities essential for thinking and/or reasoning. As such, learning disabilities are distinct from global intellectual deficiency.
Learning disabilities result from impairments in one or more processes related to perceiving, thinking, remembering or learning. These include, but are not limited to: language processing; phonological processing; visual spatial processing; processing speed; memory and attention; and executive functions (e.g. planning and decision-making).
Learning disabilities range in severity and may interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following:
oral language (e.g. listening, speaking, understanding);
reading (e.g. decoding, phonetic knowledge, word recognition, comprehension);
written language (e.g. spelling and written expression); and
mathematics (e.g. computation, problem solving).
Learning disabilities may also involve difficulties with organizational skills, social perception, social interaction and perspective taking.
Learning disabilities are lifelong. The way in which they are expressed may vary over an individual's lifetime, depending on the interaction between the demands of the environment and the individual's strengths and needs. Learning disabilities are suggested by unexpected academic under-achievement or achievement, which is maintained only by unusually high levels of effort and support.
Learning disabilities are due to genetic and/or neurobiological factors or injury that alters brain functioning in a manner, which affects one or more processes, related to learning. These disorders are not due primarily to hearing and/or vision problems, socio-economic factors, cultural or linguistic differences, lack of motivation or ineffective teaching, although these factors may further complicate the challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities. Learning disabilities may co-exist with various conditions including attentional, behavioural and emotional disorders, sensory impairments or other medical conditions.
For success, individuals with learning disabilities require early identification and timely specialized assessments and interventions involving home, school, community and workplace settings.
Strategies
The interventions need to be appropriate for each individual's learning disability subtype and, at a minimum, include the provision of:
specific skill instruction;
accommodations;
compensatory strategies; and
self-advocacy skills.
Fast Facts About Learning Disabilities
1 person in 10 (or 10-15% of our population) has a learning disability or ADHD.
Economic Impact
“…left undiagnosed, untreated and/or not accommodated, Canadians with LD are unable to reach their potential, resulting in high costs to the Canadian economy.”
“…cost Canadian business $33 billion per year in lost productivity. Related health care costs add another $10-$20 billion to that total.”
“…account for 30-40% of disability claims reported by Canada’s major insurers and employers.”
Societal Impact
Many people with learning disabilities are undiagnosed. They lead marginalized lives because they are unable to utilize their skills and natural abilities.
It is estimated that 75–85% of young offenders have learning disabilities.
Success Is an Option
Individuals with learning disabilities require early identification and timely assessments and interventions involving home, school, community and workplace settings.
Foothills Academy provides the tools that allow people with learning disabilities to maximize their potential and be productive citizens.
Sources: Canadian study called “Putting A Face On Learning Disabilities” (released March 2007) and the Learning Disabilities Association of Alberta (www.LDAA.ca).