# In the UK, does "learning disabled" mean "retarded"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 21, 2003, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396 "2003-06-21T09:53:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ubermensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bcef8e/32.png) [@ubermensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ubermensch)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/1 "2003-06-21T09:53:12Z")
Sorry if the title sounds unPC-like, but I wanted it to be as short as possible. I was listing to the semi-local NPR station this afternoon, and they air the BBC Newshour throughout the course of the day. The BBC World Service (the producers of the Newshour) had a story about the Special Olympics, happening very soon (this weekend?) in Ireland. But whenever they mentioned the athletes, they used the term “learning disabled” instead of “developmentally handicapped” or whatever term is acceptable. It made it sound like all the athletes had dyslexia or something. So is “learning disabled” the proper term in the UK? ---
**Author:** ![mecaenas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/91b2a8/32.png) [@mecaenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mecaenas)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/2 "2003-06-21T10:26:01Z")
Another term is “diminished capacity”, basically it seems that the PC world invents a new term every couple of years because the likes of “retarded” and “handicapped” are becoming dirty words. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/3 "2003-06-21T12:07:42Z")
Learning disabled does NOT mean retarded, dude. Seriously, what are you thinking? One of my best friends is dislexic when it comes to reading, but he has a Masters of Social Work, and is one of the most thought-through people I know. He has a learning disability, but apparently you…(rant cut off to maintain some semblence of politeness). ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/4 "2003-06-21T12:18:53Z")
My Cousins Dyslexic and he’s a self-made millionaire. I don’t think dyslexia falls in to what are normal categorised Learning Disabilties though (for a start someone with dyslexia wouldn’t qualify for the paraolympics). I’m from the UK and what I would think as learning disabilties is some sort of minor retardation which severely affects their capacity to learn. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/5 "2003-06-21T12:44:38Z")
From [http://www.findarticles.com/cf\_0/m0HRV/4\_23/66107761/p1/article.jhtml?term=%20Learning%2B](http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0HRV/4_23/66107761/p1/article.jhtml?term=%20Learning%2B) " The official meaning of learning disabilities is given in EL. 105-17 (1997) and states: The term “specific learning disability” means a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which disorder may manifest itself in imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations." From [http://www.stfx.ca/campus/stu-serv/disabled-students/ld/new-hope.html](http://www.stfx.ca/campus/stu-serv/disabled-students/ld/new-hope.html) “Learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken Language” From [http://www.ptach.org/about\_definition.php](http://www.ptach.org/about_definition.php) "most professionals utilize a “definition of exclusive” when defining an LD population. That is the learning disabled child is one who is not functioning in school despite the fact that the child is: 1. not mentally retarded 2. not emotionally disturbed 3. not impaired in his or her modalities (e.g. blind, deaf) and 4. has had an opportunity to learn not hindered by excessive absences, poor teaching, frequent family moves, etc. " ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/6 "2003-06-21T12:47:44Z")
Yes Cardinal, but were talking about the UK defintion here and people in the UK who are described as having learning disabilties are mildly mentally retarded. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/7 "2003-06-21T12:57:41Z")
I’ve just checked the BILD (Britsh Institue of Learning Disabilties) and someone with an IQ of below 70 is defined as having learning disabilties this includes people with Down’s syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/8 "2003-06-21T13:00:32Z")
> [@](#): > > The World Health Organisation defines learning disabilities as > ‘a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind’. > and somebody with a learning disability is said also to have > ‘significant impairment of intellectual functioning’ and > ‘significant impairment of adaptive/social functioning’ > This means that the person will have difficulties understanding, learning and remembering new things, and in generalising any learning to new situations. Because of these difficulties with learning, the person may have difficulties with a number of social tasks, for example communication, self-care, awareness of health and safety. > > A final dimension to the definition is that these impairments are present from childhood, not acquired as a result of accident or following the onset of adult illness. > > There is still a good deal of debate about the best way to measure ‘significant’ impairment , and the impact of impairments of social functioning. Psychometric tests are most often used to measure intellectual functioning, measuring Intelligence Quotient (IQ). A common tool used to measure general intellectual functioning for the adult population is the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Wechsler 1955). The mean of the scale is 100, and standard deviation is 15. More than two standard deviations below the mean would suggest the presence of learning disability (hence IQ of 70 or less) [http://www.bild.org.uk/factsheets/what\_is\_learning\_disability.htm](http://www.bild.org.uk/factsheets/what_is_learning_disability.htm) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/9 "2003-06-21T18:56:07Z")
I’m a professional in this field, and in the UK the term “retarded” is **never, ever** used by professionals, clients or carers. It is regarded as offensive and outdated as “cretin” or “moron”. Until about 10 years ago we talked about “mental handicap”, but now the terms used are “learning disabilities” and “learning difficulties”. These apply to everyone with an IQ between 0 and 70. As has been pointed out, there is some confusion caused by the fact that “learning disabilities” is also applied to some people of “normal” intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![ubermensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bcef8e/32.png) [@ubermensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ubermensch)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/10 "2003-06-21T20:39:17Z")
Thanks, **G.Odoreida** , that’s exactly what I wanted to know. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/11 "2003-06-23T15:52:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by G. Odoreida \* > \*\* but now the terms used are “learning disabilities” and “learning difficulties”. These apply to everyone with an IQ between 0 and 70. As has been pointed out, there is some confusion caused by the fact that “learning disabilities” is also applied to some people of “normal” intelligence. \*\* My son has an IQ measured between 140 and 160. He is also specifically (and “officially”) classified as “learning disabled” because he has difficulty with the motor skills of writing (mixed dominance), although his reading comprehension is excellent. So, would that mean, were I to get an appointment to the UK and were I to take my family, my learning disabled son would end up put into remedial education even though he’s in gifted education with additional work on that one problem over here? After all, he is officially learning disabled… ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Doris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Sir\_Doris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Doris)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-the-uk-does-learning-disabled-mean-retarded/183396/12 "2003-06-23T16:04:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dogface \* > \*\*My son has an IQ measured between 140 and 160. He is also specifically (and “officially”) classified as “learning disabled” because he has difficulty with the motor skills of writing (mixed dominance), although his reading comprehension is excellent. > > So, would that mean, were I to get an appointment to the UK and were I to take my family, my learning disabled son would end up put into remedial education even though he’s in gifted education with additional work on that one problem over here? > > After all, he is officially learning disabled… \*\* No. Where possible those with “learning disabilities” or “special/additional needs” (terminology varies) are educated in mainstream education. Your son would no doubt qualify for special/additional treatment in, say, examinations, maybe in class. For example, the most common disability at the university where I work is dyslexia. The student are given extra time in exams, some may get permission to use word processing software to compose their answers, or sometimes get a scribe. It depends on the assessment of their needs - the point being to mitigate their problems as best as we are able (just as we do for students with physical disabilities).