Dyslexia

Partners Resource Network has gathered together a variety of resources available online about Dyslexia. These resources include fact sheets, web sites, articles, and more. The online resources follow some frequently asked questions (faq's) pertaining to Dyslexia, IDEA, Section 504, and education.

If you have questions about Dyslexia or need help with issues related to education, please contact your PATH, PEN, or TEAM Regional Coordinator. To find your Regional Coordinator, check our Texas PTI Map or call us at 1-800-866-4726.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dyslexia

1. What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and / or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

2. What are some of the signs of dyslexia?

  • Reads slowly and painfully

  • Experiences decoding errors, especially with the order of letters

  • Shows wide disparity between listening comprehension and reading comprehension of some text

  • Has trouble with spelling

  • May have difficulty with handwriting

  • Exhibits difficulty recalling known words

  • Has difficulty with written language

  • May experience difficulty with math computations

  • Decoding real words is better than nonsense words

  • Substitutes one small sight word for another: a, I, he, the, there, was

3. How common are language-based learning disabilities?

  • 15-20% of the population have a language-based learning disability.

  • Of the students with specific learning disabilities receiving special education services, 70-80% have deficits in reading.

  • Dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling difficulties.

  • Dyslexia affects males and females nearly equally, and people from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds as well.

3. How do people get dyslexia?

The causes for dyslexia are neurobiological and genetic. Individuals inherit the genetic links for dyslexia. Chances are that one of the child's parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles is dyslexic.

4. Is there a cure for dyslexia?

No, dyslexia is not a disease. There is no cure, but proper diagnosis, appropriate instruction, hard work and support from family, teachers, friends, and others, individuals who are dyslexic can succeed in school and later as working adults.

For more information about Dyslexia, try these resources:

FAQ's About Dyslexia and Education

1. What if I suspect my daughter has dyslexia?

Prepare to talk with your child's teacher about the problems you've observed at home and learn how your child is doing in the classroom. Rest assured: There are many techniques that may help your child succeed, either by gaining new skills or by using bypass strategies.

    • Take notes on the types of errors your child makes, how often they occur, and where you've noticed them.

    • Keep copies of her work and results from group tests.

    • Conference with her teacher to get a sense of how she's doing in comparison with her peers.

    • Check to see if the school offers any special instructional programs that might be appropriate for her.

    • Ask the teacher if she thinks your child might have a learning disability. (Remember that's the term most schools use instead of dyslexia.) If you feel your child's problems are significant and she may need special education services to benefit from the general academic curriculum, you can make a written request for assessment and send it to the school and/or district administrator. You’ll need to be specific about her problems, so the information you gathered earlier will come in handy.

2. Will special education help my child?

Special education is instruction that is specially designed (at no cost to parents) to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability. "Specially designed" means adapting the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction (as appropriate) to the needs of the child, in order to:

  • address the unique needs of the child that result from his or her disability, and
  • ensure the child's access to the general curriculum (the same curriculum as for students without disabilities) so that he or she can meet the educational standards that apply to all children within the school district or jurisdiction.

Because special education is specially designed instruction, it may be very helpful to your child.

3. What is the difference between Section 504 and IDEA?

There are significant differences between Section 504 and IDEA.  Perhaps the most significant is that Section 504 is is a civil rights law, and IDEA is an educational benefit law.  Section 504 is designed to level the playing field for individuals with disabilities.  Its purpose is to ensure that individuals with disabilities have the same access to education that individuals without disabilities have. It does this by eliminating barriers that exclude individuals with disabilities from participating in protected activities, including a free and appropriate public education.  As an educational benefit law, IDEA offers additional services and protections for those with disabilities that are not offered to those without disabilities. 

These laws are also distinguished by the their different eligibility requirements and the benefits they provide.  The definition of a disability is much broader under Section 504 than it is under IDEA.  All IDEA students are covered by Section 504, where as not all Section 504 students are protected under IDEA.   An IEP, which is provided to students covered by IDEA, must be tailored to the child's unique needs and must result in educational benefit.  However, a Section 504 Plan provides accommodations based on the child's disability and resulting weaknesses, but does not require academic improvement. 

Additionally, fewer procedural safeguards are offered to children and parents under Section 504 than under IDEA. 

4. If my child has an IEP or gets special education, does she have to be in a different classroom?

No.  If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or is receiving special education services, it does NOT automatically mean she will be placed in a special education classroom.  IDEA has a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) clause, which states that children should be educated in the least restrictive environment that is still sufficient to meet their academic needs.  Therefore if your child can learn in a regular education classroom then that is where the law says she should be placed.

5. What is LRE?

LRE, or Least Restrictive Environment, is a term used to mandate that students with disabilities are placed in special classes, separate schools or positions other than regular education classrooms only when the nature or severity of the disability is such that even with aids and services education can not be achieved.  The placement must also allow the disabled student to be with non-disabled peers to the greatest extent possible.

To learn more about Least Restrictive environment (LRE), try this resource:

For more information about Dyslexia and Education, try these resources:

Web sites

Families and Advocates Partnership for Education - FAPE
www.fape.org
FAPE project is a partnership that aims to improve the educational outcomes for children with disabilities. It links families, advocates, and self-advocates to information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The project is designed to address the information needs of the 6 million families throughout the Country whose children with disabilities receive special education services.

International Dyslexia Association - IDA
www.interdys.org
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, scientific, and educational organization dedicated to the study and treatment of the learning disability, dyslexia. IDA is the oldest such organization in the U.S. that serves individuals with dyslexia, their families, and professionals in the field.

LD Online
www.ldonline.org
LD OnLine seeks to help children and adults reach their full potential by providing accurate and up-to-date information and advice about learning disabilities and ADHD. The site features hundreds of helpful articles, monthly columns by noted experts, first person essays, children’s writing and artwork, a comprehensive resource guide, very active forums, and a Yellow Pages referral directory of professionals, schools, and products.

Learning Disability Association of Texas
www.ldat.org
The Learning Disabilities Association of Texas (LDAT) is a not-for-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to advancing the education and general welfare of persons with learning disabilities.

National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
www.ncld.org
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) works to ensure that the nation's 15 million children, adolescents and adults with learning disabilities have every opportunity to succeed in school, work and life. NCLD provides essential information to parents, professionals and individuals with learning disabilities, promotes research and programs to foster effective learning and advocates for policies to protect and strengthen educational rights and opportunities.

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