Learning difficulty vs learning disability

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firemonkey
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20 Aug 2017, 7:44 am

In the UK I wonder if many people or professionals know the difference between a learning difficulty and a learning disability. A learning difficulty(which I most probably have) involves an area or areas of cognitive difficulty within an overall average or above average intelligence. A learning disability is for those with an IQ measured as being below 70. Having a learning difficulty doesn’t mean a person is stupid. It just means they have difficulties in one or more cognitive areas.

Taken from Mental health foundation site.
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/learnin ... sabilities

Quote:
In general, a learning disability constitutes a condition which affects learning and intelligence across all areas of life, whereas a learning difficulty constitutes a condition which creates an obstacle to a specific form of learning, but does not affect the overall IQ of an individual. For example, Down’s syndrome is classed as a learning disability, whereas dyslexia is classed as a learning difficulty, in that it only affects an individual’s relationship to the processing of information, usually manifested in problems with reading, writing, and spelling.



IstominFan
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20 Aug 2017, 9:22 am

Certain subjects were definitely difficult for me (math and complex technical subjects), but others were easy for me (English, languages and any people oriented subjects). I wouldn't consider myself disabled in that regard.



League_Girl
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21 Aug 2017, 5:52 pm

In the US they are both the same and a learning disability is just referred to those who have a different learning style or have problems with social skills or communication or behavior or daily living or have a specific learning disability like dyslexia or dyscalalia or dysgraphia. Learning disability is such a broad term here. But however it does not mean slow learner. People with below average IQs but aren't low enough to have a intellectual impairment are out of luck and excluded.


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nick007
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21 Aug 2017, 11:20 pm

League_Girl wrote:
In the US they are both the same and a learning disability is just referred to those who have a different learning style or have problems with social skills or communication or behavior or daily living or have a specific learning disability like dyslexia or dyscalalia or dysgraphia. Learning disability is such a broad term here. But however it does not mean slow learner. People with below average IQs but aren't low enough to have a intellectual impairment are out of luck and excluded.
Very true. I have dyslexia, dyscalalia, & dysgraphia & was told the latter two were just part of my dyslexia which was a learning disability. I knew a women who had those similar issues & was also diagnosed with dyslexia & told she was learning disabled. Do you know if learning disabled is just another term for learning disability or if it's something more sever or something :?: She seemed pretty smart & I didn't know her in school but I heard she did better than me. She was officially diagnosed with Aspergers thou & the professionals I saw overlooked Aspergers in me or weren't qualified to give me an official diagnoses so I'm not sure if that was a factor.


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Kitty4670
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22 Aug 2017, 12:35 am

When I was a child & I was learning to read, I had a very hard time, my reading level is not very great. When I was in my 20s, I was reading teenager books.