Learning disability

How it is used

In the US, learning disability usually refers to specific conditions such as dyslexia that affect reading, writing or maths. In the UK it usually means a general reduced intellectual ability, while dyslexia is called a specific learning difficulty (SpLD).

Example sentences

1. Students with a diagnosed learning disability can receive extra time on tests.

2. The charity supports adults with a learning disability to find work.

Common collocations

• specific learning disability
• students with learning disabilities
• diagnosed learning disability
• learning difficulty

Related terms

• dyslexiaA lifelong learning difference that mainly affects reading and spelling, especially recognizing and decoding words; it is not related to intelligence.
• special educational needsLearning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for a child to learn than most children of the same age, so that the child needs extra or different support at school.
• IEPIndividualized Education Program: a written plan for a student with special educational needs that sets out their goals, the support and services they will get, and how progress will be measured.
• accommodationA change in how a student learns or is tested, such as extra time, a quiet room or larger print, that removes a barrier without changing what the student is expected to learn.
• ADHDAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a developmental condition marked by ongoing difficulty with attention, and often by high activity levels and acting without thinking.

More terms: Special and Inclusive Education

• inclusive education
• mainstreaming
• gifted
• resource room