What Is The Current Situation of Learning Disability And Its Market?

Today, scores of people are diagnosed with different types of Learning Disabilities worldwide. According to the Learning Disabilities Association of America, “in the US, 2.3 million students are diagnosed with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and receive services under IDEA. This represents 35% of all students receiving special education services''. Similarly, according to the NHS, “nearly 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability. It’s thought up to 350,000 people have a severe learning disability and this figure is increasing”.

A Learning Disability (LD) is a neurological condition occurring due to genetic and neurobiological factors, reducing the brain’s ability to executive function and process information. It hinders a person from learning a new skill, understanding complex information, thus inhibiting the ability to be self-sustaining (or executive functioning) and utilizing the skills effectively. The learning difficulty is mostly identified at the outset of one's life however, in a few cases, this may not be recognized until adulthood or at later life.

While learning disability has several causes, levels of severity, and types, there is no specific medical treatment currently available to overcome it. However, the learning disability treatment landscape is slowly evolving with the emergence of Digital Assistant Technologies.

Today there are many mobile/digital assistive technologies at disposal that can help people with learning disabilities.

To deal with Dysgraphia, handwriting training tools are often used. Dyslexia is handled with the help of academic therapy, abbreviation expanders, audiobooks, alternative keyboards, and usage of text reading and word processing computer programs. For treating Dyscalculia, data managers, talking calculators, and electronic math worksheets are available that assist in math problems on a computer screen. For the treatment of APD, electronic devices such as assistive listening technology are used as frequency modulation systems that directly deliver the sound/voice into the ear.

Apart from these, word-prediction programs, freeform database software, graphic organizers and outlining, speech synthesizers/screen readers, phonetic spelling software, optical character recognition, personal FM listening systems, and several other digital assistive technologies are accessible for different types of learning disabilities.

There are many companies in the learning disabilities treatment market that provide digital assistive technologies. These companies include Ginger Software, Oticon, Speech Therapy Works, Adaptive Tech Solutions, Youth Living Skills, Sight, and Sound Technology,  Koninklijke Philips, ZYGO-USA, Vocalect Biometric Solutions, Sonova Group, Sensory, and several others.

Many governments around the globe are now focusing on the people affected by learning disabilities, and several NGOs and international organizations have also taken steps to assist people with learning disabilities. As the awareness of learning disabilities increases among people, the stigma, negative attitudes, and behaviors of society associated with LD are slowly changing and providing a new outlook and approach towards people with these disabilities.