Hard as it is to believe, one in seven have a learning disability - about 15% of the population, or in a class of 28 students, about 4 kids.
Take that in for just a moment. Four kids in a class of 28 have some kind of learning disability.
There are resources out there to help, but parents and librarians have to know about them. According to Audrey Gorman (SLJ, 1999)
"In a 1995 Roper-Starch national survey, 51 percent of the public said
they would go to their public libraries for information about learning
disabilities. Yet both a formal survey and informal inquiries by Roads
to Learning: The Public Libraries' Learning Disabilities Initiative at
the American Library Association, indicate that many libraries around
the country have inadequate, aging materials and few specific services.
It seems that many school library media specialists are unaware of the
desperate need for information felt by parents of children with LD. And
most librarians are surprised when they discover how many people in
their communities have learning disabilities and that LD is covered
under the Americans with Disabilities Act."
but it's true - librarians neither realize how many patrons have learning disabilities - it is a "hidden" disability after all - nor realize how much trouble parents have finding resources they can trust to help inform them.
One of the things we can do to help is make it a point to offer audio books, and books that kids with disabilities can relate to.
Suggested Reads
Fish in a Tree by Lynda M Hunt (2016) - Ally, a middle school girl with dsylexia, has spent 7 years covering up the fact that she cannot read, but a new teacher sees through her antics and sees the smart creative kid under the troublemaking exterior.
Rules by Cynthia Lord - Middle school girl learning to cope with her brother's autism and how it defines her life
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper - Melody has cerebral palsy but she is SMART, and has a photographic memory. She refuses to be defined by her cerebral palsy, and will find a way to let people know it, even if she can't walk or talk.
Anything but Typical by Nora R Baskin - Middle School Jason, a boy with autism is worried his first real friend he met online won't like him in real life
Joey Pigza Series by Jack Gantos - Joey has ADD that isn't being well controlled with meds, and big problems that get him transferred to a sp ed program
This Is Not the Abby Show by Debbie Reed Fischer - Fans of Dork Diaries will enjoy this tale of a middle school girl with ADHD - the disruptive kind. Abby ends up in summer school after failing English and thinks her summer is ruined, until she makes new friends and learns new coping skills.
There are plenty more fiction books in this category - try exploring to see what you can find, and don't be afraid to check out "read alikes" - often they cover different types of disabilities. Also check out the
Schneider Family Book Award - a list complied by the ALA of outstanding books about disabilities. Their bibliography can also be found
here.
ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education. “Children’s Books about Disabilities.”
http://ericec.org/fact/kidbooks.html
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities.
“Children's Literature & Disability.” Most books were published
during the 1990s. This bibliography also lists book publishers and
their contact information.
http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/bibliog/bib5txt.htm
Council for Exceptional Children's Division on Developmental
Disabilities and Special Needs Project. "Dolly Gray Award for Children's
Literature in Developmental Disabilities." Awards given during every
even year.
http://www.ddcec.org/secondarypages/dollygray/Dolly_Gray_Award.html.
ALA to the rescue!
The ALA has compiled a list of resources available to libraries to help address the lack of resources in most collections.
Top 20 LD Resources for Libraries from Roads to Learning at ALA.I'm currently looking up where to get these resources, as the Roads to Learning Initiative has ended.
In the mean time, try one of these resources as a starting spot on the web
(disclaimer, these links have not been tested to be sure they are UTD - if a link is broken, try searching the name of the organization, or contact your local librarian for help)
Also check your state library association - for example, the Tennessee Library association has
a great article here with resources for selecting quality books about children with disabilities
ORGANIZATIONS
International Dyslexia Association
(formerly
Orton Dyslexia Society) 8600 Lasalle Road Chester Building, Suite 382
Baltimore, MD 21286 (410) 296-0232 or (800) 222-3123 fax 410-321-5009;
info @interdys; orgwww.interdys.org
Learning Disabilities Association of America
4156 Library Road Pittsburgh, PA 15234 (412) 341-1515 or (412) 341-8077 fax 412-344-0224;
www.ldanatl.org
National Center for Learning Disabilities
381 Park Avenue South, Suite 1401 New York, NY 10016 (888) 575-7373; (212) 545-7510; fax 212-545-9665;
www.ncld.org
Schwab Foundation for Learning
1650 South Amphlett Blvd. Suite 300 San Mateo, CA 94402-2508 (800) 230-0988; (650) 655-2410; fax: 650-655-2411;
www.schwablearning.org
FOR BOOKS ON TAPE
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress Washington, DC 20542 (202) 707-5100 fax: (202) 707-0712 TDD: 202-707-0744
www.loc.gov/nls
Each
state also has at least one Talking Book Library or Library for the
Blind and Physically Handicapped that is part of the NLS network.
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
20 Roszel Road Princeton, NJ 08540 (800) 221-4792 or (609) 452-0606 fax: 609-987-8116; custserv@rfbd; orgwww.rfbd.org
