On December 3^rd, we commemorated the International Day of Disabled Persons with a week of activities hosted by the Ministry of Social Development, the theme Disability Awareness Week.  Notably absent was any acknowledgment of the special needs of persons with learning disorders.  In light of global research and development trends, Government needs to put adequate mechanisms in place for the early detection and screening of  children with learning disabilities in our nation’s schools and implement intervention programmes to support students within the education system to ensure the equal opportunity rights to free education deserving of such persons are not infringed.

Research developed in the US and UK emphasize the importance of  implementing early detection and intervention programmes in public schools for students with learning disorders.  Statistical indicators suggest most children with learning disability do not in fact have low IQs.  Moreover with early detection and intervention programmes, these children can achieve academic success even at tertiary/university level. 

In the US,  children with specific learning disorders are protected by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  From birth to two-years old special services are provided for infants through an early intervention system.  Additionally, from three to twenty one-years old special education and related services are provided through the school system. 

Similarly in the UK, recommendations have been made for major changes within the education system in a White Paper entitled Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21^st Century.  Available evidence also suggests a correlation between persons with learning disorders and involvement in criminal activity  which is an additional cause for concern.

There are many types of leaning disorders and they affect different aspects of the learning process. Some learning disorders cause serious delays in learning to read. Others may harm spelling, mathematical, or writing abilities. Some of the more common learning disorders include dyslexia, a reading disability, dyscalculia, a learning disability in mathematics, dysgraphia, a learning disability in writing and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.  Learning disability is a lifelong problem with no cure.  However, with early detection ones chances of  managing the problem and living a fulfilling life is greatly enhanced.

Experts have identified early detection and the adaptation of teaching methods to  as keys in the developmental process.  Statistical reports in the US indicate 44% of parents who noticed their child exhibiting signs of difficulty with learning waited a year or more before acknowledging their child might have a serious problem. (Source: Roper Starch Poll: Measuring Progress in Public and Parental Understanding of Learning Disabilities, 2000). In addition, nearly 2.9 million students are currently receiving special education services for learning disabilities in the U.S. (Source: 24th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2002)

It may be argued because of the relatively small size of the T&T populace implementing adaptive programmes within the school system may not be  feasible. However, identification programmes need to be instituted at the primary school level, or alternatively at the preschool level in light of the current administration’s vision for free education from nursery to tertiary.  Reflecting on problems that arose in the past, concerns over the numbers of  primary school graduates entering secondary schools with poor reading skills, a post primary class for students who failed the Common Entrance Examination (now SEA).  The question arises how many of these youths may well have had specific learning disabilities, which went undetected and left them without hope or support forthcoming from any intervention plan.

Despite the difficulties associated with instituting intervention programmes in all of the nation’s schools, it is imperative that adaptive teaching methods be utilized to cater for the needs of children with leaning disability.  Education psychology experts argue that because most children diagnosed with specific learning disorders are of normal or above normal intelligence placement in special schools for the physically or mentally disabled is not in their best interest.  Although the Education Ministry’s school policy on discrimination is meant to provide all our nation’s children with an equal opportunity to education facilities, the system is deficient in that traditional teaching methods either limit or deny children with learning disability academic success.