A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Note to Site Coordinators

Attached is a Briefing Paper on Reading and Learning Disabilities from the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY).

Studies have shown that approximately 17 to 20 percent of Americans have some type of learning disability. Some children you work with at your America Reads Challenge site may have learning disabilities that have been identified by their school districts to receive special education services. Other children may have learning disabilities that have not yet been identified by their schools. There may also be children at your site who have difficulty learning to read for reasons other than a learning disability.

Identification of learning disabilities can be difficult and should be done by a trained evaluator who uses specialized tests. Encourage tutors to inform you if they suspect a child they work with may have a learning disability. You should contact the Special Education Coordinator in the child’s school district, who can best assess the child’s needs in these cases. The Special Education Coordinator can refer the child for testing if necessary and offer teaching strategies for the tutor to use in working with a child who may have a learning disability.

Please note also that because this publication was created in 1995, some of the contact information for the organizations listed as resources may have changed.

Finding and Serving Children Who Most Need Help