Learning disabilities: Current policy and directions for community involvement among the Arab community in Israel

Abstract

This article seeks to identify and review the basic characteristics of learning disability which are specifically mentioned in the literature. In addition, the article intends to conduct a brief analysis on learning disability policy in Israel and the differentiation problems at the level of awareness among the Arab society in Israel. Despite the fact that during the past twenty years this field earned a significant progress in Israel, lags in awareness and educational policy between the Arab and the Jewish communities in Israel still rises. These lags could be attributed to different causes like parents awareness toward the effect of learning disabilities on the academic domain of the students. The article raises the question of the ways that programs of community involvement suggest for increasing awareness on behalf of parents and educators concerning learning disabilities. This intervention model is presented by a suggested ecological quarto-model as a recommended model toward intervention in the Arab community in Israel.

The Challenges Facing Arab Students with Learning Disabilities in Higher Education Institutions and the Role of Support Centers in Their Academic Functioning: A Preliminary Study

“…Yet, the prevalence of learning disabilities among students in Arab society is high (Albatti et al, 2017). Probably due to the traditional nature of Arab society which embraces collectivism and places less emphasis on the individual, there was relatively low awareness of learning disabilities and their implications (Jabareen-Taha & Taha, 2016). Until the last decade, even Arab students studying education, teaching and educational counseling did not receive appropriate training for a proper understanding of LD, and this lack of knowledge is still evident (Jabareen-Taha & Taha, 2016).…”