Learning disability is a specific type of learning difficulty in which a learner experiences speaking, reading, writing, reasoning and, interpreting problems. The disability is neurological, caused by variability in learners’ brain performance, and varies from one individual to another (American Psychiatric Association, 2018). Examples of learning disabilities as classified by the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM-5) include dyslexia and aphasia.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that serves to provide special education for students with learning disability in public schools (Russo-Campisi, 2017). The law was designed to ensure that these students have an equal chance to proper education. Some of the disability categories stated under this law include autism spectrum disorder, speech impairment, deafness and orthopedic impairments such as cerebral palsy.
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National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) is a committee dedicated to the welfare and education of students with learning disabilities. It was founded in 1975 and advocates on issues experienced by such students through integration with educational institutions and the community at large. According to NJCLD, learning disabilities are heterogeneous, they coexist with other disabilities such as visual and hearing impairments and may be life-long.
Comparison in the Concept of Learning Disabilities by IDEA, DSM and NJCLD
The potential cause of learning disabilities is described to be due to a dysfunction in the central nervous system by both IDEA and NJCLD. Skills affected by learning disabilities are interpreting, reading, writing and, solving mathematical problems as specified by both entities (American Psychiatric Association, 2018). Learning disabilities resulting from other mental conditions such as emotional disturbance are excluded in the definitions of both IDEA and NJCLD. The coexistence of mental retardation and learning disabilities is however, described in the DSM-5.
The major difference to these definitions is that NJCLD and DSM define learning disabilities from a medical viewpoint (American Psychiatric Association, 2018). NJCLD also factors the coexistence of learning disabilities with other disabilities such as visual and hearing impairment. These disabilities are stated separately by IDEA. The differences in definitions are beneficial in distinguishing disabilities among learners which, can be varied since different individuals will experience different problems and, the management of each case will therefore be different. Challenges to the existence of varied definitions of learning disabilities include the confusion that results in trying to recognize disabilities among learners. For instance, DSM and IDEA appreciate the coexistence of learning disabilities with mental problems while NJCLD treats them as separate.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2018). What Is Specific Learning Disorder? American Psychiatric Pub.
Russo-Campisi, J. (2017). Evidence-based practices in special education: Current assumptions and future considerations. Child & Youth Care Forum , 46 (2), 193-205. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-017-9390-5
