Adults with suspected learning disabilities may be unable to demonstrate their knowledge with tests that have heavy text and writing expectations. Any type of assessment tool or model should be flexible enough to allow learners to demonstrate their knowledge and ways of learning.

Visual processing difficulties

This form of learning disability hinders the ability to make sense of information taken in through the eyes due to a breakdown in how the brain interprets what it sees. It can affect spatial relation, which is the position of objects in space and in relation to other objects. This disability interferes with reading and mathematics, which are both symbol-based. Learners may have difficulty perceiving words or numbers as separate units, experience directionality problems, and get confused over similar shapes. Visual processing difficulties can also impact whole and part relationships. Learners may have difficulty perceiving or integrating relationships between the whole and parts of the object. For example, they may have difficulty breaking down a word or seeing parts of words such as endings and prefixes.

Learners may struggle with:

• Recognizing known words
• Reading orally
• Keeping their place on the page (uses finger)
• Spelling from sounds
• Recognizing irregular sounds (ight, tion)