Literacy Link Niagara
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Learning Disability
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.
Intellectual Disability
An intellectual disability is an accepted term used to describe a disabiliy that significantly affects a person's ability to learn and use information. This disabilitity is usually diagnosed in childhood and continues lifelong. Many people who have intellectual disabilitites use different types of assistance to help with daily life.