The Learning Disabled Adolescent and Young Adult

Abstract

In this article the author discusses the educational and psychological characteristics of adolescents and young adults with learning disabilities, the specific assessment practices which have been implemented to evaluate this target population, the current educational programs which are available to service this age category, and a representative sample of the empirical research which has been conducted on the adolescent and young adult with learning problems. As a result of this review, the writer discovered that one of the major problems in understanding this target population is in the vague manner by which adolescents and adults with learning problems are classified. In addition, there is a critical need to design new diagnostic measures for LD adolescents and adults which more accurately differentiate between primary neurological indicators and secondary emotional symptomatology. At the college level, no consistent pattern of academic programming has emerged, making it imperative for professionals to develop models of intervention for college-bound LD adults that will facilitate educational growth. Empirical research will need to be conducted to compare the relative effectiveness of educational programs at the secondary and post-secondary levels.

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