Special Education Report Roundup

Learning Disabilities

By Jaclyn Zubrzycki — September 11, 2012 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Many Americans are confused about what learning disabilities are, how prevalent they are, and how they are lived with and dealt with in the law and classroom, according to a new survey of 2,000 Americans by the National Center for Learning Disabilities.

According to the center’s first survey of Americans’ perceptions about learning disabilities, 43 percent incorrectly think that learning disabilities are correlated with IQ; 22 percent mistakenly believe learning disabilities can be caused by too much screen time; 31 percent believe a cause is poor diet; and 24 percent believe childhood vaccinations can be blamed.

A version of this article appeared in the September 12, 2012 edition of Education Week as LEARNING DISABILITIES

Events

School Climate & Safety Webinar Strategies for Improving School Climate and Safety
Discover strategies that K-12 districts have utilized inside and outside the classroom to establish a positive school climate.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
Decision Time: The Future of Teaching and Learning in the AI Era
The AI revolution is already here. Will it strengthen instruction or set it back? Join us to explore the future of teaching and learning.
Content provided by HMH
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Stop the Drop: Turn Communication Into an Enrollment Booster
Turn everyday communication with families into powerful PR that builds trust, boosts reputation, and drives enrollment.
Content provided by TalkingPoints

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Special Education Trump Funding Cuts Hit Particularly Hard for Deaf and Blind Children
Programs supporting students with rare, complex disabilities have lost millions of federal dollars.
13 min read
Itinerant teacher April Wilson works with student Ryker Elam at Greenville Elementary on Sept. 29, 2025 in Greenville, Ill.
Ryker Elam works with itinerant teacher April Wilson at Greenville Elementary on Sept. 29, 2025, in Greenville, Ill. Wilson is a teacher of the visually impaired who works at schools across rural Illinois. A Braille training program Wilson enrolled in this fall was among dozens of special education-related programs for which the U.S. Department of Education has ended grant funding.
Michael B. Thomas for Education Week
Special Education Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About the Keys to Successful Dyslexia Education?
Answer 7 questions about the keys to successful dyslexia education
Special Education Educators Worry About How Trump's Autism Rhetoric Will Affect Students, Parents
Misinformation about autism can fuel stigma that harms students, educators say.
7 min read
Ear Defenders or Headphones And Fidget Toy To Help Child With ASD Or Autism On Table In School Classroom
iStock/Getty
Special Education Trump Canceled Millions for Special Education Teacher Training. What's Next?
More than $30 million for teacher training and parent resources will no longer flow as scheduled.
9 min read
Vivien Henshall, a long-term substitute special education teacher, talks with Scarlett Rasmussen, 8, during recess at Parkside Elementary School on May 17, 2023, in Grants Pass, Ore. Scarlett is nonverbal and uses an electronic device and online videos to communicate, but reads at her grade level. She was born with a genetic condition that causes her to have seizures and makes it hard for her to eat and digest food, requiring her to need a resident nurse at school.
A long-term substitute special education teacher at Parkside Elementary School in Grants Pass, Ore., speaks with a student during recess on May 17, 2023. The Trump administration has canceled more than $30 million in special education grants, including some aimed at training special education teachers.
Lindsey Wasson/AP