ABSTRACT
LD Learner: Ramifications for Academic Achievement 14 Impact of Remediation and Education on
Academic Skill Acquisition 17 Conclusions and Future Directions 19 Acknowledgments 21 References 21
The topic of this chapter, academic skill development in normal and learning disabled (LD) populations, focuses on two central concepts in the expression of developmental learning disabilities. The first concerns the developmental aspects of these disorders, an issue that is of particular importance when considering the expression of developmental learning disabilities in adulthood. The second concerns the normal development of academic skills, and how the acquisition of these skills differs in normal and LD populations. In considering these two central issues regarding academic skill learning, this chapter addresses the nature of the acquisition process across the developmental spectrum. Questions addressed include: What distinguishes LD and normal learners at different points in development? What factors account for differences in the learning process? What is the impact of educational practices and individual differences on academic skill acquisition? In addressing these questions, I argue that the nature of the difficulties that individuals with LD encounter in acquiring academic skills is best understood when academic skill acquisition is viewed from a developmental framework, one that accounts for both normal and atypical learning.
