What Should I know Before my Child is Evaluated for a Learning Disability?

When children have learning difficulties, parents are most often the first to detect that something is not correct; and once noticed, parents need to have an understanding of the various aspects involved before their child is evaluated.

Before your child is evaluated for a learning disability, you should be familiar with educational legislation and policies-the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); you should have some knowledge of how IDEA defines learning disabilities for school purposes; you should be aware of the laws and the procedures for evaluating children for possible learning disabilities; you should also have access to resources that define learning disabilities, access to sources of immediate assistance, and descriptions of your rights as a parent/guardian.

As a parent or guardian, you should be familiar with The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-the federal law, Public Law 94-124, which insures special education services for children with disabilities from the time they are born until they graduate from high school or to the age of 21, whichever comes first (LDonline, 2007). The IDEA is considered to be a civil rights law; however, states are not required to participate. As an incentive and to assist states in complying with IDEA requirements, IDEA makes funds available to the states that adopt at least the minimum policies and procedures specified in the IDEA regarding the education of children with disabilities (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2007). Thus, IDEA is the law ensuring special education to children throughout the nation. For further assistance and descriptions of IDEA, visit LDonline.org or ed.gov.

You should also have an operational knowledge of learning disabilities. For school purposes, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) defines learning disability as: students with learning disabilities have difficulty acquiring basic skills or academic content. Learning disabilities are characterized by individual differences, usually in the form of a discrepancy between a student's ability and his/her achievement in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, or speaking. Even though the achievements are not the primary problem, some students with a learning disability also have difficulties with social relations. Individual differences are

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