Learning Disabilities in the Workplace

People with LD Can Request Accomodations from their Employer

Aug 14, 2008

Accommodations Can Help People Succeed, Photo by Click

Learning disabilities (LD) not only impact a child's academic ability, they may also interfere with a person's performance in the workplace.

Learning disabilities (LD) don’t go away when someone graduates from school. Learning disabilities can also interfere when a person enters the workplace. In addition to problems related to completing work, people with learning disabilities can be subject to hurtful comments or feel embarrassed about their weaknesses.

Areas of Difficulty for People with Learning Disabilities

According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, there are five common areas where people with learning disabilities may experience problems:

Inefficiency - working at a slow pace or having difficulties with organization
High error rate - errors with reading, written correspondence
Problems learning a sequence of tasks - problems with following instructions or completing projects with multiple steps
Time management - trouble with planning, being on time or meeting deadlines
Social skills - problems meeting new people, professional interactions and discussing the impact of LD on tasks to be completed

All companies with more than 15 employees are required to provide reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act if learning disabilities interfere with a person’s ability to do his or her job. It is also possible to request accommodations or modifications from employers with less than 15 employees. Most companies are willing to work with employees to help find ways for them to succeed in their job.

Examples of Accommodations for People with Learning Disabilities

Accommodations and modifications must be considered reasonable. Employers are able to deny the request for an accommodation based on it being too costly or an unreasonable request but should offer an alternative.

Sometimes, employees may know they need accommodations, but are not sure exactly what to ask for. Accommodations should be specific to the needs of the employee. Not all people with learning disabilities will have a difficult time with spelling, but for some this may create extreme hardship while someone else may have a hard time reading or understanding instructions. The following examples can help to provide ideas for those dealing with learning disabilities each day at work:

For people with difficulty following or remembering instructions or completing multi-step tasks, having written instructions on laminated cards the employee can refer to often may improve work performance.
For people with dyslexia, adjusting the background and font on the computer screen can make it easier to read.
For those with a difficulty in expressive language or with central auditory processing disorder, receiving company communications in written form, via email or memo, before oral discussions may be helpful.
For people with spelling and written communication problems, working with spell check or having a co-worker edit any written work before completion.
For people with central auditory processing disorder, having assignments or instructions recorded on tape as well as written for the employee to listen to as well as read can help the employee process the information.