Page 10 - Inclusion Etiquette Booklet: January 2018

Learning Disabilities and Brain Injuries

“I am praised for being a hard worker, but I get in trouble when
I don’t understand the social rules. Why can some employees say
things to each other that I can’t?”

Learning disabilities are lifelong disorders that interfere with a
person’s ability to receive, express or process information. Although
they have certain limitations, most people with learning disabilities
have average or above-average intelligence. You may not realize
that the person has a learning disability because he or she
functions so well. Or you may be confused about why such a high-
functioning person has problems in one aspect of his or her work.
Traumatic Brain Injuries and other acquired forms of cognitive
impairment share similar traits with learning disabilities. A person
with a learning disability or brain injury may have poor impulse
control. He or she may make inappropriate comments and may
not understand social cues or get indications that he or she has
offended someone. In his or her frustration to understand, or to get
his or her ideas across, he or she may seem pushy. All of these
behaviors arise as a result of the injury.
• People with dyslexia or other reading disabilities have trouble
reading written information. Give them verbal explanations and
allow extra time for reading.
• Even very simple instructions may need to be written down.
Because spoken information gets scrambled as he or she
listens, a person who has a learning disability such as auditory
processing disorder, attention deficits or some forms of autism
may need information demonstrated and/or in writing.
• Provide praise and positive reinforcement.
• Provide sensitivity training to coworkers.
• Allow the employee to take a break as a part of a stress
management plan.
• Do not require this employee to work overtime.

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