Articulating Learning Disabilities in the Digital Age

Abstract

In a 1986 study published in the Learning Disability Quarterly, Simmons and Kame'enui examined information found in popular periodicals about learning disabilities (LD) in an effort to understand what people learn about LD from these high-readership sources. After more than 20 years, advances in technology have brought significant changes to how people obtain and disseminate information. Therefore, we revisited the findings of Simmons and Kame'enui by investigating information about LD presented on the Internet. An analysis of the contents of 23 websites suggested that medically based etiologies are most frequently associated with LD, supporting the 1986 results. Unlike the 1986 findings, however, the interventions found on the Internet include a variety of educational supports designed to promote the success of students with LD in the general education environment. Situated in the context of the digital age, implications for LD organizations and future research are provided.