Learning disabilities come in a variety of forms. There are reading disabilities, for which the most common term used is dyslexia. The common term for a math disability is dyscalcula and the corresponding term for a writing disability is dysgraphia. These terms are specific to a disability within the area mentioned and do not cover the whole scope of disability. For example, dyslexia encompasses reading difficulties that deal with decoding skills, not comprehension, per se. What they all have in common is the fact that the person who has a learning disability has neurological processing differences, so they process information differently than other people.

Children with learning disabilities are not mentally impaired. Most are of average IQ and are able to learn with certain coping mechanisms in place. It is more difficult for them to learn so they are easily frustrated. A student that is learning disabled will often come across as very bright and still struggle in the classroom. That is often a clue that the teacher should pursue an evaluation to determine whether or not the student has a learning disability.

Diagnosing a learning disability in a child is a very complicated process. Historically, to determine the presence of a learning disability, schools have tested the student's IQ and achievement and through a discrepancy model have determined that a student had a disability. The idea is that if a child with an average or above IQ is not achieving at a level that is commensurate with their IQ then a learning disability exists.

Currently in the educational community, there exists some debate as to whether or not the discrepancy model is the most effective way of making a diagnosis. Some psychologists believe that the reliance upon the this model has left out students who need help. The debate has led to the development of the RTI (Response to Intervention) assessment model. This model, rather than measuring and comparing IQ and achievement, identifies students who are not being successful, gives them help and then determines whether or not more services are needed. Unfortunately, using RTI sometimes misdiagnoses students with mental retardation and emotional disabilities as learning disabled.

One of the drawbacks with the RTI diagnosis, is that it tends to put slow learners into the same category as those with learning disabilities. A drawback of the discrepancy method is that not all children who need help will be diagnosed as

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