Chapter Letterhead

CHAPTER LETTERHEAD

Who is LDAO? The Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario (LDAO) is a charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to provide leadership in learning disabilities’ advocacy, research, education and services and to advance the full participation of children, youth and adults with learning disabilities in today’s society.

What does the LDAO do & what services do they provide? The Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario and its chapters:  assist people with learning disabilities and their families providing support, guidance and up-to-date resource information  provide an interactive environment, offering workshops, courses & support groups  provide research in the field of learning disabilities  provide public awareness of learning disabilities  pursue legislative and government initiatives with special education funding and curriculum  work with the provincial and local governments to initiate new policies for those with learning disabilities

Who runs LDAO? Led by a volunteer Board of Directors, LDAO staff support the work of chapters in meeting members’ needs across the province. As a member of the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, LDAO is part of a national network of services for persons of all ages with learning disabilities.

Where is the LDAO office located? The provincial head office is located at 365 Bloor Street East, Suite 1004, Box 39, Toronto, Ontario. There are Learning Disabilities Association chapters in 23 communities within Ontario, such as Mississauga, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Parry Sound, Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, just to name a few. There are also 10 provincial and territorial offices chapters across Canada and a national office, LDA of Canada, in Ottawa. For a complete list see website, www.ldao.on.ca.

Who supports and finances LDAO? As with most non-profit organizations, the LDAO is funded through donations ranging from individual contributions to contributions from foundations and large corporations., and from project-specific grants.

How can I be a part of LDAO? If you are interested in joining and becoming a member, you can e-mail LDAO at, [email protected]. Membership advantages include subscriptions to provincial, national and chapter newsletters, access to free information on learning disabilities, access to online courses and other virtual services, free access to the provincial lending library and advance notification of conferences and events.

What is a Learning Disability?  It is a lifelong condition  It is when a person has trouble processing information  It is when a person has unexpected problems in reading, math or other areas  It occurs in people with average or better abilities  It is not a person with low intelligence; it is not mental illness nor is it autism

The Simple Answer: Learning disabilities can affect how a person interprets, remembers, understands and expresses information. It’s important to know that people with learning disabilities are intelligent and have abilities to learn despite difficulties in processing information. Living with a learning disability can have an ongoing impact on friendships, school, work, self- esteem and daily life. People with learning disabilities can succeed when solid coping skills and strategies are developed.

The “official” LDA definition of learning disabilities:  "Learning Disabilities" refers to a variety of disorders that affect the acquisition, retention, understanding, organization or use of verbal and/or non-verbal information. These disorders result from impairments in one or more psychological processes related to learning, in combination with otherwise average abilities essential for thinking and reasoning. Learning disabilities are specific not global impairments and are distinct from intellectual disabilities.

 Learning disabilities range in severity and invariably interfere with the acquisition and use of one or more of the following important skills: - oral language (e.g., listening, speaking, understanding) - reading (e.g., decoding, comprehension) - written language (e.g., spelling, written expression) - mathematics (e.g., computation, problem solving)

 Learning disabilities may also cause difficulties with organizational skills, social perception and social interaction.

 The impairments are generally life-long. However, their effects may be expressed differently over time, depending on the match between the demands of the environment and the individual's characteristics. Some impairments may be noted during the pre-school years, while others may not become evident until much later.

 During the school years, learning disabilities are suggested by unexpectedly low academic achievement or achievement that is sustainable only by extremely high levels of effort and support.  Learning disabilities are due to genetic, other congenital and/or acquired neuro- biological factors. They are not caused by factors such as cultural or language differences, inadequate or inappropriate instruction, socio-economic status or lack of motivation, although any one of these and other factors may compound the impact of learning disabilities. Frequently learning disabilities co-exist with other conditions, including attentional, behavioural and emotional disorders, sensory impairments or other medical conditions.

For success, persons with learning disabilities require specialized interventions in home, school, community and workplace settings, appropriate to their individual strengths and needs, including:  specific skill instruction  the development of compensatory strategies  the development of self-advocacy skills  appropriate accommodations

Still have questions or want to know more? E-mail, XXXXXX for further information or call the office at XXXXXXX

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