Chapter 11

Learning Disabilities

Christine Brennan

Christine Brennan

University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA

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First published: 01 March 2021

Summary

Learning disabilities are neurologically based impairments in learning and/or processing that specifically interfere with higher-level cognitive skills. Learning disabilities can significantly impact academic progress and achievement at any or all ages. Learning disability is a general category composed of many types of disabilities in seven areas. These areas include: receptive language, expressive language, basic reading skills, reading comprehension, written expression, mathematics calculation and mathematical reasoning. The terms “specific reading disability” and “specific language impairment” have been used to identify impairments in the specific areas of reading and spoken language, respectively. Processing speed is a cognitive ability defined as the time it takes to do a mental task. Deficits in processing speed have been associated with language and learning disorders. Working memory is considered to be one of the core deficits of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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