General Learning Difficulties
Reading Problems
Reading Difficulties for Boys
Struggling Readers
Advanced Readers
Spelling Problems
Adult Literacy Problems

Specific Learning Disabilities
Aphasia (language problems)
Dyslexia (reading problems)
Dysgraphia (writing problems)
Dyspraxia (motor problems)
Dyscalculia (math problems)
Auditory processing disorder
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Mental & Physical Disabilities
Mental Health Problems
Physical Disabilities
Hearing Impaired
Visually Impaired

Effects on Society
Crime and Learning Disabilities

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Physical  Disabilities

What is a physical disability?

A physical disability is a “condition of such severe physical limitation or deficiency as to require special assistance in learning situations to provide the opportunity for educational achievement equivalent to that of pupils without exceptionalities who are of the same age or developmental level.”

Physical disability is not one problem, but a wide range of problems of different kinds. It includes people who have lost limbs, who are blind or deaf, who have difficulty moving or walking, who are unable to sustain physical effort for any length of time, and so on. The treatment of disability as if it was a single problem may mean that disabled people receive insufficient or inappropriate assistance. The problems that disabled people have in common are not so much their physical capacities, which are often very different, but limitations on their life style. Income tends to be low, while disabled people may have special needs to be met. Socially, disabled people may become isolated, as health declines, they struggle to manage on the resources they have, and they may be socially excluded.

For some children with physical disabilities, potential barriers to learning and participation at school may need to be identified and appropriate support provided.

Articles and Further Resources
Bag Books - tactile stories for people with learning disabilities
Bag Books wins Guardian Charity Award 2010
Causes of Cerebral Palsy: Origins, Etiology, Forms, Associated Conditions
Disability Alliance
Disabled people twice as likely to 'miss out' on careers, courses and holidays
Every Disabled Child Matters - gettings rights and justice for every disabled child
National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) - the leading organisation in the UK for special needs information
New technology helping disabled people lead full lives
Outstanding team: 'they will influence policy'
Reinventing the (wheel)chair
The Camden Society (UK) - working across London and Oxfordshire offering a range of modern services that support the human rights of people with disabilities.

For further information please see our Resources section.