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Learning Disabilities

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What are Learning Disorders?

Learning disabilities or disorders may be defined in practical, medical, and legal terms. The common theme in all three definitions is that a learning disability is a disorder in one or more basic psychological processes that may manifest itself as an imperfect ability in certain areas of learning, such as reading, written expression, or mathematics.

What is a learning disability?

Learning disabilities (LDs) affect how your brain processes information. This could include how you:

  • Acquire (take in) information.
  • Organize information.
  • Retain information.
  • Understand information.
  • Use information.

LDs can involve verbal (words or speech) and/or nonverbal information. They typically affect how you read, write and/or do math. They can range from mild to severe.

Learning disabilities don’t affect intelligence and are different from intellectual disabilities. People with LDs have specific issues with learning. However, they typically have an average or above-average IQ (intelligence quotient).

Most people with an LD find out about it early in school. However, some people don’t get a diagnosis until adolescence or adulthood.

What’s the difference between a learning disability and a learning disorder?

Many people use “learning disability” and “learning disorder” interchangeably. But there are technical differences:

  • Learning disorder: This is a diagnostic term. A licensed professional (like a psychologist) diagnoses someone with a learning disorder based on certain criteria. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) defines “learning disorder” and its criteria.
  • Learning disability: This is a legal term. A public school identifies a student with a learning disability based on a variety of assessments and documentation. This may result in legal rights, like the right to an individualized education plan (IEP). In the U.S., the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines what a learning disability is.

“Intellectual Disability: Supporting Strengths & Adapting to Challenges.” Cleveland Clinic, 01/16/2024, 2024, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/25015-intellectual-disability-id.