A disorder which affects the manner in which individuals with average or above average intelligence take in, retain, and express information. Like interference on the radio or a fuzzy TV picture, incoming or outgoing information may become scrambled as it travels between the eye, ear or skin, and the brain.
Commonly recognized in adults as a deficit in one or more of the following areas: reading comprehension, spelling, written expression, math computation, and problem solving. Less frequent, but still troublesome, are problems in organizational skills, time management, and social skills. Some adults with LD may also have language-based and/or perceptual problems.
Often inconsistent. A learning disability may present problems on Mondays, but not on Tuesdays. It may cause problems throughout grade school, seem to disappear during high school, and then resurface again in college. It may manifest itself in only one specific academic area, such as writing, math or foreign language.
A Learning Disability Is Not:
A form of mental retardation or an emotional disorder.
Some Common Characteristics of College Students with LD:
Reading Skills
Slow reading rate and/or difficulty in modifying reading rate in accordance with the difficulty of the material.
Poor comprehension and retention.
Difficulty identifying important points and themes.
Poor mastery of phonics, confusion of similar words, difficulty integrating new vocabulary.
Written Language Skills
Difficulty with sentence structure (e.g., incomplete sentences, run-on sentences, poor use of grammar, missing inflectional endings).
Poor penmanship (e.g., poorly-formed letters, trouble with spacing).
Difficulty organizing and developing compositions.
Mathematical Skills
Incomplete mastery of basic math facts (e.g., multiplication tables).
Number reversal (e.g., 123 to 321 or 231).
Confusion with operational symbols, especially + and x.
Difficulty with copying problems from one line to another.
Difficulty recalling the sequence of operational processes.
Inability to understand and retain abstract concepts.
Difficulty comprehending word problems.
Organization and Study Skills
Time management difficulties.
Difficulty starting and completing tasks.
Repeated difficulty recalling what has been taught.
Difficulty following oral and written directions.
Lack of overall organization in written notes.
Short attention span during lectures.
Inefficient use of library reference materials.
If you think you have a learning disability, please call (619) 644-7112 to set up an appointment to see one of our counselors to discuss the learning disability assessment process. You may also stop by our office (room 110) to make an appointment. If you have further questions, please call Carl Fielden, the A.R.C. learning disabilities specialist, at (619) 644-7111.
Last Updated: 08/10/2017
PLEASE NOTE: This link will take to a website outside of the college site.
