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National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities

Founded in 1975, the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) is a national committee of representatives of organizations committed to the education and welfare of individuals with learning disabilities. More than 350,000 individuals constitute the membership of the organizations represented by the NJCLD.

LD OnLine is pleased to serve as the official web site for the NJCLD.

Click below for the following information:

Mission statement

The mission of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) is to provide multiorganizational leadership and resources to benefit individuals with learning disabilities.

To pursue its mission, the NJCLD will:

Facilitate communication, collaboration, and consensus among member organizations.
Identify and address needs in research, practice, and professional education and development related to learning disabilities.
Provide an interdisciplinary forum to increase communication and understanding among educational organizations, community, and governmental agencies.
Act as an advocate and make recommendations on key issues affecting individuals with learning disabilities.
Develop and disseminate statements, reports, and other resources in the area of learning disabilities to clarify issues, improve practice, and increase knowledge.

NJCLD fact sheet

Click here to download the NJCLD fact sheet. (59K PDF)*

NJCLD news

NJCLD hosts June 5, 2009 symposium, "Adolescent Literacy and Students with Learning Disabilities: Building Effective Programs & Partnerships."

PowerPoint Presentations from the symposium:

Adolescent Literacy and Older Students with Learning Disabilities
Presenter: Froma Roth, Professor, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, University of Maryland
Reflecting on the Field of Adolescent Literacy: Perspectives from NICHD
Presenter: Brett Miller, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Complex and Challenging: Understanding Adolescent Literacy Instruction
Presenter: Nancy Hennessy, Director of the Consulting Network
Designing Systems Change
Presenter: Barbara Moore, Director of Special Youth Services, Anaheim Union High School District

NJCLD hosts May 30, 2008 symposium on "Transition to Higher Education for Students with Learning Disabilities: Building Effective Partnerships and Resources"

Overview of the symposium (160K PDF)*

PowerPoint Presentations from the symposium:

Capitol Hill Update (3,384K PDF)
Presenter: Laura Kaloi, Director of Public Policy, National Center for Learning Disabilities
Secondary Perspective on Transition (150K PPT)
Presenter: Carol Kochhar-Bryant, Professor of Special Education, George Washington University
Access to Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities: One State's Efforts to Address the Documentation Issues (52K PPT)
Presenter: Elizabeth Evans Getzel, Director of Postsecondary Education Initiatives, Virginia Commonwealth University
Summit Report: Access to Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities, from the Virginia Higher Education Leadership Partners (718K PDF)

Member organizations

The member organizations of NJCLD are the following:

Web resources

Including Samuel Project at the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire, is committed to social change and promoting inclusive opportunities for all students through film/photojournalism, web resources, training and professional development, and cross-stakeholder collaboration.
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D): Learning Through Listening Classroom Tools, Sound Advice

Contact information

Stan Dublinske, NJCLD Secretary/Treasurer
Senior Advisor for Planning
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
phone: 301-296-5707
Email: sdublinske@asha.org

Mary Beth Klotz, PhD, NCSP, NJCLD Chair
Director, IDEA Projects and Technical Assistance
National Association of School Psychologists
Phone: 301-347-1643
Email: mbklotz@naspweb.org

Reports currently in development

Comprehensive Assessment and Evaluation of Learning Disabilities

A comprehensive assessment and evaluation, using multiple data sources, is specified in IDEA 2004 for the identification and diagnosis of students with learning disabilities. This NJCLD report (1) delineates guiding principles for a multidisciplinary team to conduct a comprehensive assessment of learning disabilities; (2) presents components and procedures for a comprehensive assessment and evaluation; (3) describes the way learning disabilities are manifested differently over time, in severity, and in various settings; (4) addresses differential diagnosis; (5) discusses the distinction between diagnosis of learning disabilities and eligibility for specific services at different ages and in different settings; and (6) considers implications for intervention.

Validating Learning Disabilities: Conceptual Issues, Challenges, and Implications

A number of forces have converged in recent years to call into question the validity of the LD construct. The purposes of this paper are to: (a) identify these forces and the resulting contentions that have been voiced regarding the five core elements of the construct of LD (unexpected underachievement, intrinsic processing disorders, relevance of IQ, intra-individual differences, and exclusionary criteria); (b) discuss the essential shared understandings we hold regarding the nature of disability and the nature of learning, because these understandings have a direct bearing on how we define the construct of LD and how we operationalized that definition for purposes of assessment, evaluation, identification, placement, and service; and (c) propose recommendations for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers about how to deal with the contentions that exist.

NJCLD reports and helpful resources

Suggested citation for NJCLD papers: National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities. (Year, Month). Title of report. Retrieved on (give date) from www.ldonline.org/njcld

The following reports and articles are recommended reading by NJCLD. They are listed in chronological order beginning with the most recently published report first.

Adolescent Literacy and Older Students with Learning Disabilities (2008) (209K PDF)*
This report describes the adolescent literacy problem (grades 4 to 12), its consequences, and contributing factors. Guiding principles for assessment, instruction, and professional development, as well as recommendations for short-term and future consideration, are also addressed.
- Executive Summary of Adolescent Literacy and Older Students with Learning Disabilities report (27K PDF)*
The Documentation Disconnect for Students with Learning Disabilities: Improving Access to Postsecondary Disability Services (2007) (56K PDF)*
The purpose of this report is to outline the issues affecting documentation for postsecondary disability services and to suggest ways to bridge the gap between secondary and postsecondary settings.
- Executive Summary of the Documentation Disconnect report (24K PDF)*
Transition to School and Work: A blueprint for your child's success after high school (2007) (226K PDF)*
This brochure on transition planning makes a helpful resource for parents.
Learning Disabilities and Young Children: Identification and Intervention (2006) (179.1K PDF)*
This paper addresses early identification, services, supports, and intervention for young children, birth through 4 years, who demonstrate delays in development that may place them at risk for later identification as having a learning disability.
Responsiveness to Intervention and Learning Disabilities (2005) (152K PDF)*
This report examines the concepts, potential benefits, practical issues, and unanswered questions associated with "responsiveness to intervention" (RTI) and learning disabilities.
State and District-Wide Assessments and Students with Learning Disabilities: A Guide for States and School Districts (2004) (142K PDF)*
This report highlights issues and offers guidance on sound implementation of state and district-wide assessments to ensure equal access by students with learning disabilities.
Learning Disabilities: Issues in Higher Education (1999) (107K PDF)*
Professional Development for Teachers (1999) (20K PDF)*
This report outlines professional development as an ongoing process of continuous improvement.