Learning Difficulties

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Learning Difficulties Disabilities
(LDD)(General Introduction)

• Steve Reynolds

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Aims

• To introduce the concept of Neurodiversity.
• To define learning disability.
• To differentiate LDD.
• To briefly detail the causality of LDD
• To list a number of associated conditions of LDD.

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Aims Continued

• To highlight some of the abilities and/or
  disabilities of those with LDD.
• To identify famous individuals (past present)
  with LDD.
• To briefly mention common behavioural attributes
  of those with LDD and common interventions used.
  
• To briefly state available transitional support
  and employment initiatives for those with LDD.
• To briefly mention Suffolk Needs Analysis.

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Disclaimer

• The following material is designed to provide its
  audience with some basic knowledge regarding
  learning difficulties disabilities stimulating
  both thought and discussion. It has not been
  produced by a professional and as such it is
  deemed advisory for relevant experts to be
  consulted when seeking further information
  related to the content provided.

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Did you know?

• 1.5 million people with a learning disability
  living in the UK.
• Worryingly 3 in 4 of the UK population (73) are
  unable to give an accurate example of a learning
  disability.

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Main Objective

• To raise awareness and understanding of LDD.

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Activity 1

• What do you see first?
• Vase indicates right handedness (using left
  hemisphere of brain).
• Faces indicates left handedness (using right
  hemisphere of brain).
• Rubin Vase-Face Illusion

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Neurodiversity

• We dont all think the same way.
• How our brain is wired causes diversity in our
  thought processes (neurology).
• Neurodiversity spectrum of neurological
  profiles describing how effective one is in
  processing, transmitting and storing information
  (language, texture, sound etc).
• Neurotypical (NT)
• Neurodiverse (ND) Extreme Machines.
• HOWEVER
• Does neurotypical exist?
• If neurology makes your life easier, does that
  make you normal?

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How Neurodiversity relates to learning disability
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What is a Learning Disability?
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Definition

• A variety of neurological disorders moderately or
  severely affecting the acquisition, retention,
  understanding, organisation and/or use of
  verbal/non-verbal information.
• A lifelong, significant reduced ability to cope
  independently (i.e. impaired social functioning),
  learn new skills, understand new/complex
  information and/or interact with others (social
  skills).
• Q What are your thoughts regarding this
  definition?

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What is the difference between a learning
disability and a learning difficulty?
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Differentiation

• Learning Difficulty
• Difficulties stemming from any or a mixture of
  vision, health or social-emotional issues.
• May also stem from a lack of ability and/or
  opportunity.
• I.e. Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia.

• Learning Disability
• Those who have a clear discrepancy between
  ability and achievement that cannot be explained
  by these factors.
• Discrepancy is longstanding within the
  individual.
• Caused by lifelong neurological disorders.
• I.e. Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

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Causes

• Neurological disorder results from a
  difference in the way a persons brain is wired.
• Lifelong.
• Caused by the way the brain develops before,
  during or soon after birth (Mencap, 2009).
• Not caused by extrinsic influences. I.e.
  economic disadvantage, environmental factors or
  cultural differences.

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Important!!

• The terms learning disability and learning
  difficulty are often used interchangeably.
• However, due to the negative image that it
  portrays the majority of those with learning
  disabilities prefer to use the term learning
  difficulties when describing themselves.

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Examples of learning disabilities and learning
difficulties

• Angelman Syndrome
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
• Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs).
• Cerebral Palsy (CP).
• Downs Syndrome.
• Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia (learning
  difficulties).
• Epilepsy.

• Fragile-X Syndrome.
• Klinefelters Syndrome
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
• Prader-Willi Syndrome.
• Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities
  (PMLD).
• Tourettes Syndrome.
• Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome.
• (Those in bold are expanded upon within a
  separate PowerPoint)

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Abilities

• Mathematics
• I.T. Literate
• Gary McKinnon
• Memory
• Sensitivity
• Inventive
• Creative
• Co-ordination

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Disabilities Triple Whammy!!

• Disability.
• Attitude of Others.
• Ignorance.
• Prejudice.
• Discrimination.
• Bullying (8 out of 10 with LDD are bullied).
• Environment.

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Further Disabilities
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Imagine this.

• Those with LDD have a dramatic discrepancy
  between their educational aptitude actual
  educational achievement. Therefore needing more
  time to complete tasks due to their brain
  dysfunctions.
• Assume that you are driving a car. It is easy to
  get to a certain place in bright/clear weather.
  But if it rains, your windscreen becomes foggy,
  therefore forcing you to spend more time wiping
  away fog to see where you are going. Taking you
  longer to get to the same destination.
• This example can be compared with how much effort
  those with LDD need to succeed in academic and/or
  professional life.
• Research shows that when granted more time for
  exams, they will achieve much better results than
  others who are also provided with corresponding
  amounts of additional time.

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Famous People With LDD

• Jim Carrey
• ADHD
• Albert Einstein
• Autism
• Walt Disney
• Dyslexia
• Cher
• ADHD
• Cameron Diaz
• OCD
• Whoopi Goldberg
• Dyslexia

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Behaviour Interventions

• Andy could not stand anymore so he did the only
  thing left to him, he lashed out at the carer.
• (Extract taken from www.thecbf.org.uk).
• 10 of young adults with LDD exhibit a form of
  challenging behaviour.
• Q. What is challenging behaviour?

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Challenging Behaviour

• Culturally abnormal behaviour of such intensity,
  frequency or duration that the physical safety of
  another is likely to be placed in jeopardy.
• Or Behaviour likely to seriously limit use of,
  or result in, another being denied access to
  ordinary community facilities. (Emerson 2001, in
  Grant et al, 2005).
• (Please see separate PowerPoint for further
  information).

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Transition

• The journey from childhood to adulthood.
• 14-25 years old.
• 36 of those with LD in the UK (1 in 3) are
  undertaking some form of education/training.
• So
• Q. What transitional services are available?

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Transition

• Transition Plan.
• Self-Advocacy.
• Connexions.
• Trans-active
• Transition Pathway

• Transition Support Programme
• National Transition Support Team.
• Transition Information Network.
• (Please see separate PowerPoint for an expansion
  on each).

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Employment

• 800,000 people with learning disabilities of a
  working age.
• Of which, in England, only 11 are in paid (most
  often part-time) employment.
• Why is this?
• What is being done to increase this percentage?

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LDD Employment Initiatives

• Disabled Persons (Employment) Act (1944)
• Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) (1995/2005).
• DDA Regulations (2003)
• National Assistance Act (1948)
• Government employment schemes
• Access to Work (AtW)
• WORKSTEP
• New Deal for Young People
• Supported Employment Agencies BASE Mencap.

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LDD Employment Initiatives

• Specialist programmes
• Work preparation scheme (WPP)
• Job introduction scheme (JIS)
• New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP)
• Learning Disability Coalition (LDC) (May 2007).
• Valuing Employment Now (June 2009)
• Suffolk Learning Disability Employment Service
  (May 2009)
• (Please see separate PowerPoint for expansion on
  each initiative

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Suffolk Need Analysis - LDD Figures

• 5000-15,000 people with a mild learning
  disability in Suffolk.
• 2000-3000 people with a severe learning
  disability in Suffolk.
• 1,900 with LDD receiving service from Suffolk
  County Councils Adult and Community Services.
• However, still 13,000 not receiving services
  needed!!
• What is being done?

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Suffolk Need Analysis

• NHS Suffolk Healthcare for All Report
• 10 Recommendations
• Implications.
• Action Plan.
• Targets.
• Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) for
  Suffolk 2008-2011.
• Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.
• Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the East of
  England.
• (See separate PowerPoint for further information)
  

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Just Remember

• Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.
• (Albert Einstein Physicist, Mathematician,
  Autistic).

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Any Questions or Comments?

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Sources of Further Information

• www.bild.org.uk
• www.mencap.org.uk
• www.nas.org.uk
• www.suffolk.gov.uk
• www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk

• www.nhs.uk
• www.nhssuffolk.nhs.uk
• www.bupa.co.uk
• www.thecbf.org.uk
• www.cafamily.org.uk
• www.smhp.nhs.uk

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• If you may have any comments, queries and/or
  suggestions relating to this presentation please
  contact don.tricker_at_pastel.org.uk