Adults with LD
by Deborah Young, Ed.D.

Who are they?

While the compulsory school attendance law of 1918 required that all children attend school and public law 94-142 in 1975 required that all children receive appropriate education, recognition that children with learning disabilities may grow into adults with learning disabilities took longer to catch on. In the 1980s, thinking about adults with LD began to take shape. At the federal level, transition initiatives from school-to-work were set in motion. People outside of education started to realize that LD was not limited to the classroom. How these childhood problems manifested themselves in adulthood required an examination of adult transitions and adult-relevant concerns (Bassett, Polloway, & Patton, 1994).

Over time, the evidence has become clear. Learning disabilities does not end as one exits the schoolyard—after either dropping out or following high school graduation. Adults with LD, however, are more than grown children with just the language-based difficulties described in the LD definition.

In fact, with sometimes-dramatic changes in living situations and the onslaught of family and work-related responsibilities, learning disabilities may actually become exacerbated upon entry into adulthood. Many of these adults’ lives are also impacted by long histories of failure that have led them to avoid responsibility for their actions, fear criticism, suffer from depression, and become socially isolated. In turn, these actions may have affected their abilities to successfully complete educational goals, retain gainful employment, maintain financial stability, or sustain loving relationships.

Not all adults with LD, however, were diagnosed as children.

Starting point?

Adults with LD need a range of strategies, techniques, and support structures to manage their disabilities at home, work, school, and in community situations. In many public situations (e.g., work and school), accommodations may only be made based on current documentation from licensed psychologists that contain specified actions.

Thus, appropriate assessment is the starting point for managing LD. Not all adults with LD, however, were diagnosed as children. While the financial burden of diagnosing children is borne by the school districts (a.k.a. taxpayers), adults bear the cost of diagnoses themselves. A quality assessment will cost more than $300. If an adult qualifies for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services, then VR may pay for the assessment. (See the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation’s web site at http://www.usor.utah.gov/presentation.htm to understand the services and determine eligibility.)

If the existence of LD in a particular adult is under question, then examine these factors before seeking a diagnosis: Does this adult…
(1) demonstrate overall average or above average abilities yet unable to easily read, write, speak, or perform basic math operations. Instead, the person exhibits cognitive processing difficulties when perceiving, understanding, or using verbal or nonverbal information (Gerber and Reiff, 1994)?
(2) exhibit vision or hearing problems that are not the result of physical impairments?
(3) display actions (e.g., inattention, lack of concentration, or disorganization) that interfere with learning (NALLD, 1995)?

If yes is the appropriate response to one or more of these questions, find out more information about adults with LD by visiting these web sites:
* National Center for Learning Disabilities (www.ncld.org)
* Learning Disabilities Association of America (www.ldaamerica.org)
* National Institute for Learning (www.nifl.gov).
* Learning Disabilities Association of Canada (www.ldac-taac.ca)

To find a psychologist to assess an adult with LD, contact the Utah Psychological Association (an affiliate of the American Psychological Association) by calling 801/274-2700 or e-mailing utahpsych@softsolutions.com. They have a list of licensed Utah psychologists who specialize in diagnosing adults with LD. (For information about selecting a psychologist, read Finding help: How to choose a psychotherapist at http://www.apahelpcenter.org/articles/article.php?id=51 on the American Psychological Association web site. This article explains how to find the best psychologist as well as defining psychotherapy.)

References
Bassett, D.S., Polloway, E.A., & Patton, J.R. (1994). Learning disabilities: Perspectives on adult development. In P.J. Gerber & H.B. Reiff (Eds.), Learning disabilities in adulthood: Persisting problems and evolving issues (pp. 10-19). Austin, TX: Pro-ed.
Gerber, P.J., & Reiff, H.B. (Eds.). (1994). Learning disabilities in adulthood: Persisting problems and evolving issues. Austin, TX: Pro-ed.
National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities Center (NALLD). (1995). Screening for adults with learning disabilities. Washington, DC: NALLD. (ED 387 988)