Learning Disability Services

What is a Learning Disability?

A learning disability is a persistent condition with a presumed neurological basis which may affect how a person understands, expresses, or remembers information. Sometimes learning disabilities have been mistaken as an intellectual disability or other disorder, leading to a misunderstanding of the nature of learning disabilities. Someone with a learning disability does not lack cognitive ability, in fact, a person with a learning disability has by definition average or above-average level cognitive ability.

At times referred to as a “hidden disability” because the difficulties someone with a learning disability experiences may only become clear in certain academic or other situations, manifesting in a variety of ways.

How Learning Disabilities Can Impact You

Reading

• Difficulty reading new words
• Slow reading rate
• Comprehension and retention difficulties
• Difficulty interpreting complex formation of phrases and sentences.

Writing

• Problems organizing and sequencing ideas
• Frequent and inconsistent spelling errors
• Difficulty taking notes and keeping pace with the lecture
• Poor handwriting: letter formation, spacing, and punctuation.

Math

• Difficulty with basic math operations
• Misaligning problems, reversing numbers, confusing symbols
• Difficulty understanding word problems
• Problems with concepts of time and money.

How to Receive DSPS Services Based on a Learning Disability

Already Have a Documented Learning Disability?

Bring us a copy of your Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and Psychoeducational Report, or previous adult-level testing for us to verify your disability.

Afterward, an appointment will be scheduled with the Learning Disabilities Specialist to discuss your access to DSPS services and academic accommodations.

Testing for a Learning Disability

If you do not have disability documentation, and would like to discover if your learning difficulties are because of a learning disability:

1. enroll in classes at Sacramento City College
2. begin the learning disabilities evaluation process by contacting our office
3. complete a series of steps and appointments, which include testing

The process can be lengthy, so we encourage you not to delay contacting us.