What is a Learning Disability?

Someone with a learning / intellectual disability* will find it harder than other people -

to learn new things or new skills;
to manage everyday activities (for example managing household tasks or money);
to understand complicated information or to interact easily and safely with other people.

The more significant their intellectual disability, the greater the difficulties someone may have in these areas.

Having an intellectual disability is a condition that will never go away. However, people with a learning disability can have a good life when they get the right kinds of support from other people. And they can learn new things, and can develop new skills.

**How do learning disabilities* vary?**

The level of support someone needs depends on the individual. For example, someone with a mild learning disability may only need support with things like getting a job. However, someone with a more significant learning disability may need fulltime care and support with every aspect of their life. They may have physical disabilities as well.

"Learning Disability" or "Intellectual Disability"

* Here in Scotland you might hear both terms being used. We are in the process of changing our language to the new term, "intellectual disability", because people kept getting confused between learning disabilities and learning difficulties.

**What is not a Learning Disability*?**

Learning disability is often confused with learning difficulties like dyslexia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia. This can also apply for a number of people with neurodevelopmental or neurological conditions like Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. In most cases these conditions do not affect the person's intellect or their ability to learn. They do not have an intellectual disability.

However, for a small number of people with neurodevelopmental or neurological conditions like Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, they might also have an intellectual disability.

A person with a learning difficulty may need extra support in school. However, once they develop skills to manage their condition, most will develop enough skills to live independently, get a job and build relationships.

The information on this page is based on information from the Scottish Government, 'MENCAP', and Scottish Learning Disability Observatory (SLDO) web-sites. Please access these sites for more information if you need it.

Useful Resources

MENCAP

Scottish Learning Disability Observatory - report: What are Learning Disabilities

Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory

Scottish Government - What is a Learning Disability?

Click here for more useful resources.