Learning disability: Needs space in policies

Pages: 35-37
Lata Sati and Deepika Vig (Department of Human Development and Family Studies, College of Home Science, Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana, Punjab )

Learning disability is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. Learning disability does not include learning problems that are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or motor disabilities, of mental retardation, of emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage. These children have needs just like any other child and in addition have a specific need but we do not have systems to deal with these specific needs thus turning them into disabilities. In government policies this disability has no place, i.e., it is not recognized as disability and hence no benefits for the sufferers. Learning disability becomes evident when child enters an educational institution which practices uniform structures of instruction and evaluation but sometimes it is underestimated under the ground that child is lazy, not interested in studies etc. Parents are not accepting this hard truth and at the same time lack of quality researches due to lack of support from organization, parents etc. In absence of research the necessary focus which this disability should get in policy making and intervention are not present. Social acceptance is also lacking. We are using majority of assessment and recommendations given by foreign researches. How much they are suitable in Indian context is of great question.