Abstract:

Employers are reporting increased incidence of requests for accommodation from employees with learning disabilities. It is anticipated that this will increase in coming years, reflecting the change in how students with learning disabilities needs have been addressed in our educational institutions.  Policies such as the No Child Left Behind Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act all focused on ensuring students with individual learning needs would receive the support they required to succeed academically. Many of these students have successfully completed high school and post secondary education and are entering the workforce. Approximately 5 percent of Canadian children aged 6 to 15 have a learning disability (PACFOLD, 2007).  Approximately 15 million children, adolescents, and adults have learning disabilities in the United States (National Center for Learning, 2006). So if you haven't already encountered an employee with a learning disability, chances are you will soon.  This webtip will provide you with the information that you need to understand learning disabilities and have strategies to assist in the workplace.