Dr. Swaroop Rawal has received her doctorate degree from the University of Worcester. She is a famous T.V. personality and has done memorable roles in films, television programmes and stage shows. She has received awards for vocational excellence and for her research work in life skills enhancement. In the recent years, she has played another important role of a Special Educator to children with specific learning disability. She has utilized her innate talent in Performing Arts to devise a unique technique of 'Learning Life Skills through Drama'. This method facilitates the enhancement of life skills in children with ease and enables them to blossom as individuals in a holistic manner. She is associated with various NGOs working towards bringing awareness about needs of 'The Special Child' and the 'Empowerment of Children in India.' Furthermore, she is a columnist for some leading publications in our country.

The aim of the book is to help bridge the gap between research and practice in the field of learning disability. The major barrier in the way of competent schooling for children with learning disabilities is not only the presence of a learning disability, but also the lack of understanding of the disability and the difficulties it causes. A person with a learning disability may experience a cycle of failures and lowered self-esteem. Our children can be successful in school environment that support their special needs and as educators we must ensure they get the help they deserve in regular schools. This book is written for all learning disabled children, their parents, teachers and siblings so that we can empathize and understand the differences in the children with Learning Disability. This will help them to overcome adversity and become resilient to learn how to face the problems in the world. The book is supported with appendixes, references, worksheets and games to help the educators plan an intervention programme for children with Learning Disabilities.

Chapter 1: A Brief History of Learning Disablities(LD)

This chapter gives a brief history of all the important happenings and events related to learning disabilities. It also gives a glimpse of specific Learning Disability Movements in Mumbai.

Chapter 2: What are Learning Disablities?

This chapter explains the concept, definition and traits of learning disabilities. It also underlines the discrepancy between intelligence and achievement.

Chapter 3: Etiology of Learning Disabilities

The different causes of learning disabilities namely genetic factors- such as errors in foetal brain development, tobacco and other drug use, problems during pregnancy and poor

Chapter 4 The Characteristics of LD

This chapter traces the characteristics of learning disabilities and answers the questions like whether or not there are distinct signs of LD; can these distinctions enable a layman to identify whether or not a child has the probability of LD.

Chapter 5: The different Learning Disabilities

This chapter is included to enable the understanding offunction of perception and the role it plays in gaining information, learning, understanding and organizing thoughts. This in turn facilitates an easier route to understand the problems faced by the disabled learner.

Chapter 6: Social factors

In this chapter the writer explores the social factors that affect children with LD. As compared with their schoolmates, without developmental problems, these children have lower self esteem, more depression and anxiety and play truant more often. The chapter stresses on the need for extra emotional support and help that a learning disabled child requires in everyday life.

Chapter 7: How is Learning Oisability Assessed?

The chapter covers the aspects related to 'How to identify a Learning Disabled Child and why Timely Diagnosis is Important'. It also emphasises on a number of strategies used for analysing and assessing Learning Disability.

Chapter 8 : Unproven Controversial Therapies

There are number of non-standard treatments used for LD (Learning Disability). A number of 'Alternate Medicines' have been prescribed and deliberated upon in this chapter.

Chapters 9 &10: What Parents and Teachers can do?

Both these chapters trace son:e positive steps for parents and teachers dealing with LD.

Chapter 11: Flashbacks and Flash-forward

This chapter highlights two real life stories of children with LD. The writer has very beautifully made use of learning life skills through drama to plan an intervention programme for these children.

This book is a proven asset for doctors, school teachers and parents of children diagnosed with Learning Disabilities. The writer's interactions with two LD children who attended her 'Learning life skills through drama' classes, is the crux of this entire book. Students studying Psychology can read the given case studies which can further enhance their knowledge related to 'Learning Disabilities' .

• Insight regarding the different types of Learning Disabilities were helpful in identifying the different LD's . • The Accommodation and Modification methods given in the book were used in Planning Intervention Programme for the Learning Disabled Students.

Psychology Faculty
Salwan Public School , Gurgaon