This article brings up some very interesting points in differentiating between students with learning disabilities and “slow learners”. While many of the points are valid throughout the article, one is quite striking to me. The idea of the “the clear incentive to acquire the entitlement ticket” in regards to obtaining an LD diagnosis is objectionable.
The trade-off between receiving more time and resources for schoolwork and having the LD stigma attached has far-reaching repercussions. Once a child is labeled as LD, there will be a stigma attached of being an LD student for the duration of their schooling and perhaps beyond. Highly-trained professionals diagnose new disorders at an alarming rate and the trend seems to be continuing into the 21st century. This article was written in 1996 and so much has changed. These very professionals are putting their reputations on the line with every diagnosis. The emergence of ADHD and autism has a hold on parents but I do not believe that they are looking for the entitlement ticket. They are looking for the cause of a specific type of behavior problem or inability to perform certain functions. The parents are seeking help so that their child can be successful in the classroom and later on down the road when they reach adulthood. But maybe they just want accommodations for their son or daughter to complete activities?
The slow learner may not qualify for additional help as a result of convoluted discrepancies and that is truly unfortunate. There are still resources available to that student if the family is proactive and responsive to his or her additional needs. In either scenario, the parents need to recognize that something may be wrong and seek additional resources through the school or the community.
The idea of buying an “entitlement ticket” is disturbing but maybe I am just naïve?
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I do agree with your belief that most people are not looking for an entitlement ticket. Parents want what is best for their children, and it is frustrating when the child is not learning or adapting to school. However, in my experience in working with young children and just being a mom for 16 years, I have noticed that parents are more willing (or wanting) to look for a learning related issue for their child’s school problems rather than a behavior related issue (such as ODD.) Is this because parents view a learning issue as something that is out of their control, but a behavior issue is something they could have fostered or should have corrected on their own? Although behavior related issues are documented and accepted in the educational community, it is still hard for a parent to accept that their child has a “behavior” issue. I think there is a greater stigma attached to behavior disabilities than learning disabilities.
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