Learning disability is a central nervous system (CNS) disorder that affects the learning functions of an individual. If a person has a learning disability, the course of gathering and processing information becomes a very difficult task. This also means that information is hard for the brain to retain. Since this disorder inhibits the brain to mince and store different information, retrieval, and even recollection, is also affected. When information is not properly stored, the CNS finds it difficult to transmit signals to translate them into physical actions such as writing and speaking.

The concern of learning disabilities among children is growing even in a fully developed country such as the United States. Because of its growing cases among children in the US, the urgent need in finding alternative education patterns gave way to the passage of Public Law 101-476, or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in Congress.

IDEA generally addresses that learning disability is a basic psychological process disorder when it comes to written and spoken language, and understanding them. This manifests in a person's faulty ability to think, listen, write, read, speak, spell and even do logical or mathematical computations. The term learning disability also defines scopes of perceptual handicaps, dyslexia, developmental aphasia, minimal brain dysfunction and even brain injury. However, mental retardation; hearing, visual and motor disabilities; and emotional disturbances, are not defined by IDEA as learning disabilities. Environmental, economic or cultural disadvantages are not also within IDEA's learning disabilities definition.

Contrary to common perceptions, learning disabilities are not synonymous with a person's IQ or intelligence quotient. Children with average intelligence can be afflicted with learning disabilities too. The severity of this condition is evident in a child even in early grade school years and becoming more apparent as the child reaches higher educational levels. A student with learning disability finds it manageable to obtain better grades in early schooling, but gradually finds keeping up with school works more taxing in the presence of longer assignments, note taking, and lecture analysis, while advancing to secondary school level.

To make the learning process effective for students with learning disabilities, there must be a strong support service in educating them, along modification in the teaching process and right accommodation. Support network means parents, professional staff, special education teachers, general classroom teachers, resource room teachers are in close cooperation. Effective strategies include the use of simple vocabulary terms and short sentences; clear and precise instructions and expectations; making use of tape recorders, computers for school exercises and activities, and other self-correcting materials that give direct feedback as classroom-teaching tools; practicing students' listening skills thru oral exams; and engaging in skill-enhancing social activities at home and school.

Students suffering from learning disabilities and its problems are not always immediately diagnosed that is why 35% of these students, not including students undetected with learning disabilities, are already out of school when they reach secondary level. This further pushes researchers to find better ways for early diagnosis of learning disabilities than the current method of "discrepancy diagnosis". This tool measures the discrepancy in a child's IQ score or aptitude and the child's actual school performance measured by an achievement test. This is somewhat a "retro" diagnosis since this technique allows children to fall behind school before diagnoses are made. Researchers are doubling up their efforts to find ways that are forward looking to do away with students' default and catching up position in education to qualify for services,

Currently, research is on its full circle to study more facets of learning deficit in one child. Experts are also determining the role of language disorders in learning disabilities, especially in reading, in children afflicted with early language disorders. Studies are also touching up on genetics. Identifying the symptoms early snags bigger chances of intervention. IDEA may have paved the way in understanding learning disabilities but there are still more to explore.

Children with Special Needs -> Learning Disabilities and IQ