Specific Learning Disabilities
Learning Disabilities/ADHD Organizations
- Learning Disabilities Association of North Carolina
- Learning Disabilities Association of America
- The International Dyslexia Association
- NC Branch of the International Dyslexia Association
- CHADD (Children & Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Council for Exceptional Children - Division for Learning Disabilities
- Decoding Dyslexia North Carolina
Learning Disabilities Websites
- The Hill Center
The mission of The Hill Center is to provide specialized multi-sensory instruction, enabling students with learning disabilities or attention deficit disorder to achieve their full potential. The Hill Center offers a variety of professional development workshops for teachers. - LDonline
- LDonline / ADHD
- National Center for Learning Disabilities
- Understood
- AIM Academy Teachable Moments: A Series of Brief Conversations with Experts in the Field
- Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity
- Dyslexia Help at the University of Michigan
- Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia
Resources
- The State of Learning Disabilities: Understanding the 1 in 5, 2017
- State of Learning Disabilities, 2014
- Diplomas At Risk
- Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children Position Paper, February 2014: Intensive Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities in the RtI Era
- Learning Disabilities and Achieving High Quality Education Standards
- Forward Together: Helping Educators Unlock the Power of Students Who Learn Differently from the National Center for Learning Disabilities and Understood
Definition of Dyslexia:
“Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”
Adopted by the IDA Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002. This Definition is also used by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
The definition of dyslexia is included in the NC Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities
Policy Spotlight:
SESSION LAW 2017-127 HOUSE BILL 149
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND LOCAL BOARDS OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP TOOLS TO ENSURE IDENTIFICATION OF STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA AND DYSCALCULIA.
Dyslexia Guidance- US Department of Education
Dislexia - Un Resumen del tema
North Carolina has trained Dyslexia Delegates who provide professional development on dyslexia and Dyscalculia Delegates who provide professional development on specific learning disabilities in mathematics. This map represents the capacity being built in the state and highlights the Public School Units have trainers in each professional development area. (updated August 2022)
International Dyslexia Association Fact Sheets
Resources
Overview of Dyslexia by Tim Odegard at the Center on Dyslexia at Middle Tennessee State University
IDA Webinars
Structured Literacy
Structured Literacy: an Introduction Guide from the International Dyslexia Association
Structured Literacy Brief
Especially for Parents
The following videos provide parents and other interested individuals information about the characteristics of dyslexia and how dyslexia is addressed in North Carolina Public Schools.
- What is Dyslexia?
- English (Transcript)
- ¿Qué es la Dislexia? (En Español) (Transcripción)
- Dyslexia in North Carolina Public Schools
- English (Transcript)
- La Dislexia en las Escuelas de Carolina del Norte (En Español) (Transcripción)
This document, a collaboration between the Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center and the NC Department of Public Instruction, provides questions parents can ask about reading improvement and dyslexia, so you can mutually gather the information needed to support your child’s growth. (document)
Do you think your child might have dyslexia? This fact sheet provides a definition of dyslexia and other helpful facts including ways to help your child. http://www.readingrockets.org/article/dyslexia-basics
A Child Becomes a Reader: This document provides proven ideas from research for parents for kindergarten to third grade. Published by the National Institute for Literacy and Partnership for Children. https://www1.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/documents/readingk-3.pdf
The National Center for Improving Literacy provides practical ideas and expert-approved strategies to help your child learn to read and write. https://improvingliteracy.org/family
IDA Dyslexia Handbook: What Every Family Should Know
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability in math for a child who does not learn at an adequate rate when provided sustained, high quality instruction and scientific research-based intervention matched to their needs.
This paper provides stakeholders a review of the research and findings of the Specific Learning Disability Task Force which culminated in policy changes for the definition, evaluation and identification of students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD).
Fletcher, J. M., & Miciak, J. (2019). The identification of specific learning disabilities: A summary of research on best practices. Austin, TX: Texas Center for Learning Disabilities.
This report from the Texas Center for Learning Disabilities summarizes research on the identification of SLD and makes recommendations for best practice, regardless of the method used
Decision-Making and Evaluation Guidance
MTSS and Students with Disabilities
SLD Fact Sheets
SLD Fact Sheet #1-Identification of an SLD
SLD Fact Sheet #2-Insruction Intervention LEP 4.16.21
SLD Fact Sheet #3-Educational Assessment
SLD Fact Sheet #4-Exclusionary Factors
SLD Fact Sheet #5-Inadequate Achievement
SLD Fact Sheet #6-Observation Requirements
SLD Fact Sheet #7-Implementation
SLD Fact Sheet #8-Insufficient Progress
SLD Fact Sheet #9-English Learners
Application Tools
SLD Data Sources Organized by Criterion
Data Mapping Template (PDF) (Google Doc)
East Carolina University STEPP Program
The STEPP Program’smission is to provide students with learning disabilities who aspire to achieve a college education with access and comprehensive support throughout the education experience.
STEPP College Bound Transition Curriculum
Resources intended to be used by teachers and families supporting transition to college for students with learning differences.
Secondary Transition Webinar: Specific Learning Disabilities