Visual Processes in Learning Disabilities

Letter names, letter sounds and phonological awareness: an examination of kindergarten children across letters and of letters across children

“…This requires the child to create patterns with two or four (depending on the item) coloured flat blocks to match a given model. Jansky and de Hirsch (1972), Fletcher and Satz (1979), and Willows (1993) have argued that visual-processing deficits are a significant disadvantage in the early stages of reading when fine discriminations between letters must be noticed and remembered. Although the role of visual-perceptual deficits in reading disabilities has been strongly contested (e.g., Stanovich, 1985, Vellutino, Fletcher, Snowling, & Scanlon, 2004, the inclusion of Block Design is justified in that it is one of the best single correlates of the Performance IQ and measures of g on the WPPSI, and as such is a proxy measure for general intelligence.…”

The ratio of males to females with literacy/learning disabilities: A survey of child and adult referrals

“…This deficit is considered to cause a sensory after-imaging effect while reading and writing, in which visual images such as words may persist for some people with literacy problems (Irlen, 1991;Shapiro, Rayment, & Arnell, 1994;Willows, 1991). The syndrome has been related to a deficit in the transient visual subsystem (Lovegrove, 1996;Lovegrove, Martin, & Slaghuis, 1986;Solman, Cho, &.…”

Understanding the causal mechanisms of visual processing problems: A possible biochemical basis for Irlen syndrome?

“…Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions n the last decade, there has been a renewed interest in the area of visual processing and its implications for the development of literacy (Barker, . Torgesen, & Wagner, 1992;Ehri, 1989;Foorman & Liberman, 1989;Valdois, Gerard, Vanault, & Dugas, 1995;Willows, 1991). Inadequate visual processing as a cause of literacy problems has also been highlighted by Irlen (1991a) in her development of the use of coloured filters.…”