Educational & Psychological Consulting Services




What is a Learning Disability?


People with learning disabilities have difficulty with reading, writing, arithmetic, memory or other ability areas related to learning. Learning disability does not mean, however, that a person is not smart. Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Winston Churchill, Woodrow Wilson, Thomas Edison, a great inventor, and Walt Disney all had problems reading.

Most with learning disabilities have average to above average intelligence. They are very good (even exceptional) at doing some types of learning but have very difficult time in specific areas. What is happening? Why can't they read, or write, or do math if they are so intelligent? For those with learning disabilities the brain seems to be organized in a less efficient manner for certain types of processing. For those who have difficulty reading it could mean that the information when it comes into the brain is not seen as most of us would see it.

What does this mean?

Sometimes when you are watching television or a movie the movement of the lips does not match the timing of the words as they are heard. This can be very frustrating to watch. A learning disability could be though of as something like that.

For example, read the sentences below:




Thew ord sare notsp aced cor rect ly.

We spell wrds exatle as tha snd.

Sometimesallthelettersruntogether.



These sentences are hard to read because your brain is used to seeing them in a more organized manner. If you had a computer that could correctly space the words for you quickly you could easily read what has been written. In other words, if you had received an accommodation you would have been successful at reading the content.


Some Important Statistics:


  • Over 14% of high school students drop out!
  • More than 500,000 people earned GED diplomas last year (GEDTS, 1999)
  • As many as 50-80% of adult basic education students have been estimated to have a learning disability (Nightingale et al, 1991).
  • Of 30,000 tenth graders twice as many students with identified learning disabilities placed in the bottom of their class.
  • Students near the bottom of their class are more likely to drop out of school.




A GED Diploma





For many who do not attain a high school diploma the GED is an alternative. Because of statistics like those stated above, there is a stong possibility that a large proportion of GED candidates may have a learning disability. For those who want to take the GED and who have a learning disability GED provides testing accommodations. To request these accommodations ask your GED or ABE instructor for Form L-15. Form L-15 helps you gather the information needed to request accommodations. As you gather this information you can also learn more information about yourself that can be very helpful in future career planning.



GEDTS' Definition of a Learning Disability



The GED bases its definition of learning disability on the one used by the U.S. Department of Education.

What does this mean?

Individuals with learning disabilities must have the overall ability to pass the GED Tests. Of current high school seniors, only 67% can be expected to pass the GED. Individuals with learning disabilities, even though they have the ability to pass the GED, have difficulty using that knowledge because of a weakness in information processing on one or more of the learning channels. This weakness is thought to be due to a life long, intrinsic, neurological impairment.

An individual with a learning disability, then, may be able to read very well, but may have a very difficult time doing the written work. In school it was difficult to turn in assignments neatly done, with correct spelling and on time for example. Or an individual with a learning disability might be able to read and write well but have a very difficult time doing math. In both cases the disability, or relative weakness, then gets in the way of school success. A wealth of resources and information about learning disabilities from a national web can be found by clicking LD ONLINE




If you have specific questions about adults with learning disabilities more information is given below. Just click the box that interests you.


LD FACT SHEET
Learning Disabilties Reading Written language Math
memory ADD/ADHD other
Laws ADA 504 litigation
IDEA 14th Amendment Bartlett v New York Board of Law Examiners





What if I have a learning disability?
  • Overview of ADA, IDEA, 504. For more information or to read the legislation contact ERIC.
  • types of learning disabilities
  • tests used in diagnosis
  • what types of professionals make diagnosis?
  • GED policy
  • colleges that work with adults who have learning disabilities
  • current GED research looking at the diagnosis of learning disabilities in adults.
  • current research about learning disabilities in adults (general)
  • important links




Go to the top of the page.
To return to the GED Homepage
To return to the page on learning disabilities
To return to the Accommodating Accommodations information page.

Webmaster, Kathleern Ross-Kidder, Ph.D., The George Washington University,Psychological Consultant to GEDTS, Washington, D.C.