Schools specializing in the education of developmentally disabled children are located all over the country. Before enrolling your child in one, research the school and make sure it is the right fit for you and your child. Research the school's credentials and teaching accolades. If the school has a high teacher turnover, look for another school. Not only is a high turnover rate a sign of poor educational performance, but stability and consistency is very important to the success of a child with a learning disability. A low teacher-to-student ratio is a plus; smaller class sizes allow for a more personal connection between teachers and students.
Learning disabilities are neurological disorders that affect a person's ability to comprehend information. Although it is a disorder, it is not uncommon. As of 2008, nearly 2.5 million students in the United States were receiving special education for a learning disability. Common learning disabilities include dyslexia: trouble with processing language --- reading, writing and spelling; dyscalculia: trouble with mathematics; dysgraphia: trouble with expression --- handwriting and organizing ideas; and dyspraxia: trouble with motor skills --- coordination and dexterity. People who have trouble processing auditory information and visual information are also considered to have a learning disability. If you are unsure if your child has a learning disability, review the learning disability checklist from the National Center for Learning Disabilities and see if your child shows any warning signs. The checklist is just a guide, not a medical diagnosis.
Schools are not required to provide an evaluation on the severity of a student's learning disability, not even if the parents request that an evaluation be given. An important note to make is that although schools are not legally required to provide evaluations or assessments for students with learning disabilities, many schools do provide evaluations to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A piece of legislation that ensures children with learning disabilities be given equal opportunity for education, IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide students with special education, early intervention and other services.
Assistive technology is used in schools that cater to developmentally challenged students. Each piece of technology, whether it is a computer program or a special calculator, is designed to help students with a particular developmental disorder, as well as those who have a difficult time in a particular subject. Examples of assistive technology include talking calculators that aid students with math problems, speech software that reads text aloud for blind students and correctional typing software that predicts and edits words for students who have trouble spelling.
Not all parents are able to pay for tuition at a school for the developmentally disabled and must send their child to a public school. Students with learning disabilities that attend public schools may be eligible for individualized accommodations, based on their unique learning disability. Accommodations, in most cases, are required to be made because of No Child Left Behind, which is a government Act passed in 2001 that requires public schools to make accommodations for students with learning disabilities to participate in mandatory annual testing between 3rd and 8th grades; the tests consist of reading and math questions and serve as indicators for the development of students.
If you are a parent of a child who is developmentally disabled, the National Center for Learning Disabilities Self Advocacy website provides information on the best options to improve the education and development for children once they are finished with high school.