Learning disability identification in residential schools for deaf students.

Abstract

Identifying specific learning disabilities in deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students presents unique challenges due to various factors, including language access. This study utilized data from 810 students enrolled in schools for the deaf to examine the influence of gender, educational level, signing status, and vocabulary knowledge on specific learning disability identification or suspicion. The analysis revealed that male students, those in middle school, and nonnative signers are more likely to be suspected of or identified with specific learning disabilities. These findings emphasize the need for thorough, culturally sensitive evaluations and the difficulties in differentiating between the effects of language deprivation and actual learning disabilities in DHH individuals.