Specific Learning Disability (SLD) is the most common IDEA disability category, affecting how the brain processes information in specific areas. SLDs include difficulties with reading (dyslexia), written expression (dysgraphia), and mathematics (dyscalculia), despite adequate intelligence and instruction.
Identification
Schools may identify SLD through discrepancy models (comparing achievement to ability) or Response to Intervention (RTI) approaches examining how students respond to increasingly intensive instruction. Comprehensive evaluations assess cognitive processing, achievement, and educational impact.
Instructional Approaches
Effective SLD instruction is explicit, systematic, and multisensory. It addresses underlying processing weaknesses while teaching compensatory strategies. Students may need accommodations like extended time, audiobooks, or assistive technology.