Difficulties in Reading Comprehension for Students with Learning Disabilities

The percentage of students identified with learning disabilities (LD) continues to increase. Currently, about 7% of the school-age population in North America are considered to have some form of learning disability (Gersten et al., 2001). In Australia and New Zealand where the definition of LD is broader and includes students with various learning difficulties, at least 20% of school students are considered to have problems in academic areas. Of these students, 5% are considered to have specific learning disabilities in academic areas, most commonly, reading (Westwood & Graham, 2000). Definitions of learning disabilities and learning difficulties vary and controversies over identification procedures, particularly the notion of a discrepancy between individuals’ potential and their actual performance, persist (e.g., Fuchs & Fuchs, 1998). However, in broad terms, it is agreed that students with learning disabilities have significant and pervasive problems acquiring and using some combination of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical skills due to underlying difficulties involving their use of language and manipulation of abstract concepts (e.g., Swanson & Hoskyn, 1998). These difficulties may be associated with attention and behavior problems. However, they are not considered to result from sight or hearing problems, intellectual disabilities, emotional disorders, or cultural differences. Of all the students who are identified as having learning disabilities, the vast majority experience problems in reading, not only in terms of decoding deficiencies but also in terms of their abilities to construct understandings and draw inferences (Carlisle, 1999; Tractenberg, 2002).