The Debate over Learning Disability vs. Reading Disability: A Survey of Practitioners' Populations and Remedial Methods

The Learning Disability/Reading Disability Questionnaire constructed by the researchers was used to investigate and compare diagnostic and remedial populations and practices among 333 professionals in the following groups: 74 self-contained learning disabilities specialists, 141 resource learning disabilities specialists, and 118 reading resource specialists. Results are presented here regarding characteristics of remedial populations, prevalent use of instructional time, and usage of remedial methods and materials. The investigation demonstrated that both learning disabilities and reading professionals remediated language-disordered populations and displayed a similar profile regarding use of instructional time. Both professions employed reading methods rather than process methods. A paucity of study skill methods was found to be used by both professions. Implications for the fields are noted.