Defining a Learning Disability

All people have strengths and challenges in learning. There are things each of us are good at and some things which are more difficult. Each of us struggles with some things whether it be reading a dense novel or taking notes in class. Besides these inherent challenges, learning problems can be caused by many other factors including past educational preparation, socioeconomic disadvantage, motivational and attentional problems, medications, psychiatric concerns, and other handicapping impairments (mobility, vision, hearing, and repetitive motion injury/carpal tunnel syndrome). Learning challenges due to these issues are not considered learning disabilities.

However, for some people (about 10% of the population) there is a specific learning process which is severe enough to significantly interfere with their learning and is not due to other issues. It doesn't mean that the person can't learn; what it does mean is that in a specific area or in a specific way of processing information, their problems are severe enough to be disabling. Of course, struggling with a learning disability can cause other problems, such as motivation, depression, anxiety, and self-esteem issues. A full battery of cognitive tests can identify a significant learning issue, which could be labeled a learning disability.

A good assessment (see registration) helps to develop a profile of a person's strengths and challenges and adds quantified results to what the individual may know to be true without the testing. The tests should assess how a person takes in information or inputs it (listening, reading, movement, even writing and speaking), how they process it and remember it, and how a person outputs the information (speaking, writing, movement). Here at Mount Holyoke a full-battery needs to consist of a Wechsler Adult Intelligence scale, other information - processing tests, and an achievement battery within the past three years.

One way to look at our learning is as a whole process. As the complexity of any system increases, so too does its variability. Since the human brain is one of the most complex organs that has ever evolved, its variability will also be very high. Unfortunately, our culture and our educational institutions many times do not want to acknowledge this variability or can't deal with the different needs. So before support can be provided, problems must be quantified and categorized. This is why the assessment process is such an important piece of documenting a learning disability. Once a learning disability is diagnosed, the student can register with the College under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under federal protection, the student cannot be discriminated against on the basis of her learning disability and can request reasonable accommodation from the College.