academic skills disorders (now known as learning disorders, LDs)

n. Learning disorders are diagnosed when an individual’s achievement, as determined by the administration of standardized tests in reading, mathematics, or writing, is substantially below what would be expected for the age, schooling, and level of intelligence of that individual. Learning problems must significantly interfere with academic achievement or activities of daily living that require academic skills. “Substantially below” is usually defined as a discrepancy of two standard deviations between IQ and achievement. There are three types of learning disorders: reading disorders, mathematics disorders, and disorders of written expression. The DSM-IV-TR states that if a child meets the criteria for more than one learning disorder, he or she should be diagnosed with all of them. It is important to note that LD differs from mental retardation in that the achievement deficit is not due to a lack of intelligence. The idea is that the individual is intellectually capable of achieving higher than he/she currently is. It is also necessary to take background into account, as LD is not diagnosed if the deficit is due to lack of opportunities to learn.      - EF