Skip to main content

Children with Learning Disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Clinical Guide to Assessment and Treatment of Communication Disorders

Abstract

In this chapter, primary care providers learn about what learning disabilities or specific learning disorders are, as described in the DSM-5. Processes for diagnosis and assessment are reviewed. The concept of a nonverbal disability is also discussed. Prevalence, clinical expression, and etiology are highlighted. Implications for treatment are also provided.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aaron, P. G. (1995). Differential diagnosis of reading disabilities. School Psychology Review, 24(3), 345–360.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: APA Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual (4th ed., Text Rev.). Washington, DC: APA Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual (5th ed., Text Rev.). Washington, DC: APA Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bandian, N. A. (1999). Reading disability defined as a discrepancy between listening and reading comprehension: A longitudinal study of stability, gender differences, and prevalence. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 32(2), 138–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, M. A., Fletcher, J., & Fuchs, L. (2007). Learning disabilities: From identification to intervention. New York: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, R., Danielson, L., & Hallahan, D. P. (2002). Identification of learning disabilities: Research to practice. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Disease Control (2011). National Health Interview Survey 2007‑2009 data. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm.

  • Coutinho, M. J., & Oswald, D. P. (2005). State variation in gender disproportionally in special education: Finding and recommendations. Remedial and Special Education, 26(1), 7–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fletcher, J. M., Lyon, G. R., Fuchs, L. S., & Barnes, M. A. (2007). Classification, definition and identification of learning disabilities. In Learning disabilities: From identification to intervention (pp. 25–63). NewYork: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrison, P. L., & Flanagan, D. P. (2005). Contemporary intellectual assessment: Theories, tests, and issues. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. London/New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. Pub L No. 108–446, §§ 1400 et seq.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manoach, D., Sandson, T., & Weintraub, S. (1995). The developmental social-emotional processing disorders is associated with right hemisphere abnormalities. Neuropsychiatry, Neurophysiology, Behavioral Neurology, 8, 99–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moats, L. C., & Lyon, G. R. (1993). Learning disabilities in the United States. Advocacy, sciences, and the future of the field. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 26, 282–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. (2011). QuickStats: Percentage of children aged 5‑17 years ever receiving a diagnosis of learning disability,* by Race/Ethnicity† and Family Income Group§ — National Health Interview Survey,¶ United States, 2007‑2009. MMWR, 60(25), 853. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm

    Google Scholar 

  • National Center for Learning Disabilities (2014). The state of learning disabilities (3rd ed.). New York: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Reading Panel (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Retrieved from http://1.usa.gov/sOnDsl

  • National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD) (2010). The Learning Disabilities Resource Kit: Specific Learning Disabilities Determination Procedures and Responsiveness to Intervention, NRCLD (National Research Center on Learning Disabilities). (Available online at http://www.nrcld.org/resource_kit/)

    Google Scholar 

  • Prelock, P. A. (2013). What is a learning disability? In F. R. Volkmar (Ed.), Encyclopedia for autism spectrum disorders (1st ed.). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rourke, B. P. (1989). Nonverbal learning disabilities: The syndrome and the model. NewYork: The Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rourke, B. P., Ahmad, S., Collins, D., Hayman-Abello, B., Sayman-Abello, S., & Warriner, E. (2002). Child clinical/pediatric neuropsychology: Some recent advances. Annual Reviews of Psychology, 53, 309–339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rourke, B. P., & Tsatsanis, K. D. (1996). Syndrome of nonverbal learning disabilities: Psycholinguistic assets and deficits. Topics in Language Disorders, 16, 30–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Semrud-Clikeman, M., & Hynd, G. (1990). Right hemispheric dysfunction in nonverbal learning disabilities: Social, academic, and adaptive functioning in adults and children. Psychological Bulletin, 107, 196–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, R. J., & Grigorenko, E. L. (1999). Our labeled children: What every parent and teacher needs to know about learning disabilities. Reading, MA: Perseus Publishing Group.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sternberg, R. J., & Grigorenko, E. L. (2001, December). Learning disabilities, schooling, and society. Phi Delta Kappa, 83, 335–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stockard, J. (2008). Reading achievement in a direct instruction school and a ‘Three Tier’ Curriculum School (NIFDI Technical Report 2008. 5).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockard, J. (2009). Promoting early literacy of preschool children: A study of the effectiveness of Funnix beginning reading (NIFDI Technical Report 2009, 1).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stockard, J. (2010). Promoting early literacy of preschool children: A study of the effectiveness of Funnix beginning reading. Journal of Direct Instruction, 10, 29–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sun, L., & Wallach, G. P. (2014). Language disorders are learning disabilities. Challenges on the divergent and diverse paths to language learning disability. Topics in Language Disorders, 34(1), 25–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U. S. Department of Education. (2001). Twenty-third annual report to congress on the implementation of the individuals with disabilities education act. Washington, DC: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) database, retrieved September 25, 2015., from http://www2.ed.gov/programs/osepidea/618-data/state-level-data-files/index.html#bcc; and National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), “State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary/Secondary Education,” 2013–14. See Digest of Education Statistics 2015, table 204.30 and table 204.50.

  • Volden, J. (2004). Nonverbal learning disability: A tutorial for speech-language pathologists. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 13, 128–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallach, G. P. (2005). A conceptual framework in language learning disabilities: School-age language disorders. Topics in Language Disorders, 25(4), 292–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Prelock, P.A., Hutchins, T.L. (2018). Children with Learning Disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders. In: Clinical Guide to Assessment and Treatment of Communication Disorders . Best Practices in Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93203-3_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics