Dyslexia may be viewed as a specific learning disability that severely affects language development and impacts reading and other language based development and functioning. It literally means "the impairment of the ability to read (Webster's New World Dictionary, 1996).” It is estimated that between one and one-half to five percent of the population have some of the symptoms of dyslexia (Spofford & Grosser, 1996); and it is the most prevalent type of learning disability.
The symptoms of dyslexia do not occur either from a lack of intelligence or from a lack of desire to learn, but researchers have not yet identified the exact causes. As is the case for most disorders, there is a continuum of the effects of the disorder ranging from mild
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The effects of "dyslexia" on a student’s educational functioning may range from mild to severe and may require varying intensities of special education services or none at all. In some cases, general education techniques will be sufficient. A term in special education rule that includes dyslexia is “specific learning disabilities.” School personnel will more often use the term “specific learning disability” instead of “dyslexia.”
Current research in the area of reading supports the idea that many reading difficulties stem from a child’s deficits in phonological processing or awareness. There is some indication that, in addition to reading, students with specific learning disabilities (or a clinic’s diagnosis of “dyslexia”) may also experience difficulty with written language and other language related areas. For example, some children have difficulty with phonological awareness, verbal memory, and rapid naming ability. These skills relate to a child’s ability to master the sound/symbol systems involved in reading and the necessary storage and retrieval skills required for a child to understand the printed language and to acquire the speed and automaticity needed for fluency in