The answer to that one depends upon which side of the atlantic you come from, in the USA learning disabilities was adopted around the 1940's as a euphemism for the presumably unpleasant sounding dyslexia. In the UK it was adopted in the 70's 80's as a euphemism for what had previously been called mental handicap, that is to say a generalised intellectual impairment. Being as learning disabilities was no longer available for dyslexia, specific learning disability substituted, that being referential to dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia etc. Sometimes to add confusion difficulty is substituted for disability as that is even more of a euphemism, whilst others make out a real ontological difference between a learning disability and a learning difficulty. It's a linguistic mess really. In essence specific learning disability or difficulty comes with a normal range of IQ, whilst generic learning difficulty is in the old educational terminology "sub normal" that category itself being subdivided into 2 according to severity.
Philosophical Models of Man: with special reference to the teaching of ESN children
Authors: Les. R. V. Burwood Carol A. Brady
Published in: journal Educational Review, Volume 33, Issue 1 February 1981 , pages 17 - 23
Larry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List [mailto:DISABILITY-
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cristobal Fuentes Gutierrez
> Sent: 17 August 2010 09:31
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: ‘learning disabilities’ and ‘specific learning disabilities’?
>
>
> Dear All,
>
> I hope you are well.
>
> I am posting what seems to be a very obvious question but to be honest with you I am
> struggling to understand in terms of the UK legislation and policy what is the difference
> between ‘learning disabilities’ and ‘specific learning disabilities’?
> Thank you very much for your time and I look forward to your responses.
>
> Regards,
>
> Cristobal
>
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