Learning Disabilities: Nature, Treatment, and Compensation Strategies - Research Paper Example

Module Learning Disabilities: Nature, Treatment and School Compensation Strategies The extent and impact of learning disabilities is only appreciated now after spending numerous years in the backseat in respect to healthcare and education policy. The reasons for this mainly center on the fact that learning disabilities as opposed to other disabilities are a hidden/invisible handicap hence tend to go unnoticed, thus they are misunderstood and underestimated. The statistics on learning disabilities are actually quite grim with 30-50% of the population living with undiagnosed learning disabilities. 3 million school-going children are suffering from these difficulties with 27% of them dropping out of school early. 48% of them also fail to find employment later in life (Kenyon 14-15). NIH (2011) reckons that about 9% of Americans under the age of 18 have some type of learning disability. Hence, there is the need for more discussion and generation of information, which justifies this study. The nature of learning disabilities, their different kinds, signs and symptoms and treatment will be explored. This is followed by a discussion of the steps that schools undertake to compensate for learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities There are several definitions of what learning disabilities are. However, all of them essentially point to the same underlying concept. Lyon et al. (261) define learning disabilities using the concept of unexpected underachievement. This brings about the meaning that learning disability is a failure in listening, speech, reading, writing and development of mathematical skills in a manner commensurate with the individual’s potential even after provision of adequate opportunity to learn. According to the NIH (2011), learning disabilities are disorders that have the potential to affect an individual’s ability to understand. Other aspects include use of speech or written language, mathematical calculations, coordination of movements and direction and control of attention. From these two definitions, three aspects to the underlying concept emerge. They are disorders in speech and language, disorders in academic skills and lastly other disorders that do not fall within the first two categories. Based on the extent of misunderstanding that accompanies learning disabilities, it is necessary to move beyond definitions and undertake several key clarifications about learning disabilities. To begin with, learning disabilities do not translate to below average IQ. Instead, such individuals just process information differently from the rest of the population and hence are not adequately responsive to the general system of education and to the traditional system of special education. They also do not mean mental retardation, and are also not autism, hearing and sight impairments, emotional disturbances and physical disabilities, which explain their lack of response to traditional special education (Kenyon 4). Fallacies and misunderstanding alongside a general lack of awareness are responsible for such perceptions. Proof of the difference between intelligence problems and learning disabilities can be drawn from the considerably gifted or high academic capability individuals who have learning disabilities (Reis, McGuire and Neu 123-134). Some of these individuals include several high profile individuals who are known to have had learning disabilities like Winston Churchill, Alexander Graham Bell, Walt Disney, Tom Cruise, and Whoopi Goldberg (TIS 1). Attention Deficit Disorder is not a part of learning disability but is also accompanied by interference in learning and academic difficulties. ADD coexists with learning disabilities in about 50% of the individuals. Another area that needs clarification is that learning disability refers to a group of disorders and not a single disorder. The term is generic and representing heterogeneous disorders hence accompanied by varied symptoms (Kenyon 3). The causes of learning disorders remain unclear and are the subject of much study to date. The available evidence points not to a single cause but a set, collectively hindering processing of information from the various parts of the brain. Some of the possible causes for learning disabilities include genetic factors, maternal drug abuse during pregnancy (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs), pregnancy complications and toxins from the environment such as heavy metals (ChildTrendDataBank 1). Apart from these prenatal explanations, TIS (2) details other factors during birth, in early childhood and trauma and tumors in the brain. Some of the impacts of learning disabilities include life-long difficulties in learning, employment, family life and day-to-day routines. These individuals usually suffer misunderstanding in several areas of their lives, from home, to school and the workplace which may result on low self esteem. Types of Learning Disabilities The Nunavut Literacy Council (1) acknowledges the complexity of learning disabilities reckoning that there are over 70 different kinds of these disorders. Hence, the need arises to categorize them on a conceptual basis. One of the classifications of learning disability is based on a specific type of problem in processing information thus input, organization, memory and output. At the input stage, learning disabilities may be in terms of visual perception. Here, the individual has difficulties in distinguishing the subtle differences in visual presentations such as shapes and letters. The position and shapes of what is being seen is accompanied by difficulties. As a result, such individuals will have problems in reading. The other category of learning disabilities in the input stage is in auditory perception. Here, the individual is not able to distinguish subtle differences in phonemes. The individual also has problems in deciding what sounds to listen to while relegating others to the background. Besides telling different sounds, the individual may process sound in a manner slower that average. The combination of these aspects also makes learning problematic (National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities 2-3). The next stage where learning disabilities may occur is the integration stage, affecting the abilities of sequencing, abstraction and organization. The first aspect-sequencing involves being able to learn information in the proper sequence. Individuals with learning disabilities at this stage may fail to recount information in a proper order although all the specific components of the given information are present. The second aspect is abstraction, which involves making inferences from words and concepts learnt. Thus, individuals with such learning disabilities will have problems making sense of what they have successfully or unsuccessfully sequenced. The last aspect of integration is organization which normally involves conceptualizing from what has been learnt. Information may hence be successfully sequenced and abstracted, but is not useful in relating to answering or problem-solving (National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities 3). Memory is the next stage of information processing where learning disabilities may occur. Here, short-term memory is usually transformed into long-term memory after sufficient repetitions. Short-term memory does not involve a great deal of effort in repetition. Learning disabilities are usually characterized by problems in the short term memory thereby requiring more repetitions before the information can be retained. The last consideration is output, where learning disabilities may either be in terms of language or motor disabilities. In terms of language disabilities, the individuals have problems mainly in demand language (where another party creates the context of communication such as in an exam) rather than spontaneous language (where the individual initiates and directs communication). Motor disabilities may be fine or gross. For example, individuals with learning disabilities in this case may have fine motor problems making them fail to coordinate the muscles required for writing, hence poor and illegible handwriting (National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities 3-4). TIS (1-2) classify learning disabilities into two principal categories; developmental speech and learning disorders and academic skills disorders. In the first category learning disabilities include articulation disorder where there are problems in producing speech sounds. Another is expressive language disorder where the individual experiences problems in communicating with spoken language. Finally is the receptive language disorder where the individual has difficulties in comprehending other people’s communication. The second category is academic skills disorder where the widely known dyslexia occurs alongside dysgraphia and dyscalculia. Dyslexia is a reading disability characterized by problems with understanding the written word. Dysgraphia is writing disability disorder where the individual has problems forming letters. Dyscalculia is specifically a problem in understanding mathematics due to computing disability. Signs and Symptoms and Treatment of Learning Disabilities As explained earlier, learning disabilities are heterogeneous hence no single sign can be used to conclude on the presence of a learning disability. Apparent characteristics include problems in learning the alphabet and connecting letters to their phonetics. Errors when reading aloud amid many pauses, repetition and breaks and failure in understanding information read and numerous and persistent spelling problems are other characteristics. Others include sloppy handwriting and awkward holding of pens, problems in expression whether spoken or written, limited vocabulary, simple language and late speech development, persistent problems with figurative language, impulsive decision-making minus abstract reasoning and lastly, disorganized expression of information. Besides these, there are many other symptoms which accompany each specific type of learning disability (Kenyon 5). Contrary to popular belief, treatment of learning disabilities is undertaken albeit with many accompanying challenges. Effective treatment involves early detection of learning disabilities which is not always the case. Another handicap to medical treatment is the sheer number of causative factors to which the treatment should be addressed, translating to failure of positive outcomes in many children. Stimulant medications have been used to treat hyperkinetic learning disability and have been found to be effective in about 50-66% of the children they are administered upon. However, such medications are accompanied by undesirable side effects including insomnia, weight loss, fatigue and sedation hence discouraging their wide use. A muted form of treatment is orthomolecular approach where efforts are made to provide optimum molecular composition of the brain in terms of concentrations of normal body substances, with control of the child’s diet being a particularly critical factor in the treatment. It is however noted that all these approaches may not be effective by themselves and thus should be integrated into a properly coordinated treatment program encompassing visual and perception motor training and provision of enriched educational opportunities. This then leads the discussion into the compensation strategies that are used in schools to cater for learning disabilities. School Compensation Strategies for Students with Learning Disabilities The fact that policymakers and stakeholders appreciate students with learning disabilities find problems in copying with the traditional learning models means that schools have sought strategies to ensure that their needs are catered for in education. Besides, there are several other suggestions and products available for use in schools to educate students with learning disabilities. The considerations for this include government regulations and approval, student-centered approach and teacher training. It is quite essential that learning disabilities are identified the earliest possible for compensation strategies to be implemented. The first and perhaps most important strategy employed in schools after identification students with learning disabilities is training teachers to cater for their needs. The interventions implemented by teachers then depend on the specific type of learning disability. There are various strategies for intervention and aid to students with learning disabilities according to each category, for example visual and auditory processing alongside organizational disabilities (Nunavut 19-21). Intervention strategies for specific subjects such as mathematics (memory devices, word familiarization, sequencing cues, cognitive prompts and metacognitive strategies) have been developed (Maccini and Gagnon 2-5). Shaddock, Giorcelli and Smith (7-22) detail the concept of inclusive practice (students with learning disabilities in mainstream classes). This is where the teacher has to balance integrated instruction with individualized learning. This is through differentiating the content appropriately, enhancing the proper classroom climate for such students and assisting by establishing networks and friendships in the classroom to enhance social inclusion. One of the most fundamental aspects of school compensation strategies is continuous measurement/appraisal of the progress made by the compensation programs. One of the most significant compensation strategies is the application of assistive technologies which are systems or equipment that aid individuals to bypass or compensate for learning disabilities. These are software and hardware elements that should be integrated into comprehensive intervention programs which maximize efficacy. Assistive technologies cater for the specific disability in the student, for example speech recognition, reading machines, spell checkers, proof readers, speech synthesizers, mind mapping and optical character recognition among many others (Raskind 4-10). CONCLUSION Learning disabilities are largely underestimated in terms of their extent and impact mainly due to lack of awareness and difficulty in pinpointing them. The term is a generic one representing several disorders that ultimately result in difficulties in learning, and they can be broadly categorized into input, integration, memory and output disabilities. Genetic, prenatal and neonatal explanations are given for learning disabilities, and the treatment programs instituted require careful integration of all necessary interventions. School compensation strategies to cater for students with learning disabilities involve teacher training and assistive technologies in a learner-centered approach. Works Cited ChildTrendDataBank. Learning Disabilities. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. Kenyon, Rochelle. Facts and Statistics on Learning Disabilities and Literacy. Florida, 2003. Print. Lyon, Reid R, et al. Rethinking Learning Disabilities. Progressive Policy Institute, 12 (2001), 259-287. Print. Maccini, Paula and Gagnon, Joseph. Mathematics Strategy Instruction (SI) for Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities. Office of Special Education Programs, 2005. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities. Reading and Learning Disabilities 4th Edition. USA: NICHY, 2004. Print. NIH. Learning Disabilities Information Page. 2011. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. Nunavut Literacy Council. Learning Disabilities: A Guide for Educators who Work with Adult Learners. Canada: Nunavut, 2004. Print. Raskind, Marshal. Assistive Technology for Children with Learning Difficulties. California: Schwab Foundation for Learning, 2000. Print. Reis, Sally M, McGuire, Joan M and Neu, Terry W. Compensation Strategies used by High-ability Students with Learning Disabilities who Succeed in College. Gifted Child Quarterly, Vol. 44, No. 2, (2000), pp. 123-134. Shaddock, Anthony, Giorcelli, Loreta and Smith, Sue. Students with Disabilities in Mainstream Classrooms: A Resource for Teachers. Australia: Commonwealth, 2007. Print. TIS. Helping Overcome Learning Disabilities. 2006. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. Read More