Since research exploring the LD experience for a child's perspective is limited, this study conducted by researchers with each over 30 years experience, Marshall H. Raskind, Malka Margalit and Eleanor L. Higgins, (www.schwablearning.org/pdfs/my_ld.pdf Volume 29, Fall 2006) is very enlightening for all who work with students with Learning Disabilities. The Internet begins to provide us with a window from which to view the “inner life” of children with LD.

The project consisted of 4,903 emails sent by 164 selfidentified LD participants ages 9-18 with 108 female and 56 male, consistent with gender preferences in research on children's messages online. The participants were drawn from a pre-existing free-of- charge public website SparkTop.org. The site was advertised and promoted to resource specialists and LD/special education teachers throughout the United States. Children accessed the site from their home and school. The site was a safe site for children with LD to disclose and share aspects of their disability and reveal their thoughts, feelings and attitudes towards living with LD. The survey offered voice support and included the question “Do you have a Learning Disability?”. Users who indicated difficulties only in attention and math were not included. Children registered through a parents and no personal identifiable information was put on the site.

By studying the online messages of this group of young people, the researchers sought to develop a deeper understanding of their thoughts, feelings and attitudes both positive and negative. They further sought to explore how the children described their difficulties and abilities.

Six major themes emerged from the analysis of the children's messages: LD Identity, Disclosure of Academic Difficulties, disclosure of Emotional Attitudes, Disclosure of Social Personal Issues, Asking for Help and Positive LD. The messages they write are vivid expressions of concern such as loneliness, sadness, low self-worth, social rejection, and fear resulting form academic failure.

Several children kept asking questions such as “how did I get a ld, why?” and “How can you have dyslexia and is it contagious?” As to academic difficulties, several expressed clear distress. Most of the descriptions were unemotional and were similar to the full range of difficulties found in research literature.

In the Disclosure of Emotional Attitudes category, the majority revealed “I don't like LD, what do I do?” “Dyslexia is hard for me too..In school I'm doing good, reading and writing are hard.” “When someone reads letters out loud to me, it's really hard for me to write them down right away…like u and w get confused sometimes too. Strange, huh?”, “I feel like my smartness level is at – stupidity. I don't get it?” Several child talked of their loneliness “sometimes I feel like I'm the only one with an LD” and of their fears “How do I catch up?” “I have dyslexia and am in the 3rd Grade. Does it get easier as you get older?”

Teachers are very important in the lives of these children and their attitude affects their quality of life. Some inquired about teachers' attitude “Will ..teachers get really harsh on you if you have LD?” There was also the split between their requests to teachers being met with a lack of concern and being annoyed when teachers show special concern.

Their social exclusion also became very apparent. “I'm a outcast and don't have a lot of friends and always called retarded and dumb.” “I have a LD and people make fun of me because have am have spelled I can't spell help me Please” Another child wanting to hide his LD asked “How do not show that have a LD so people won't make fun of me”

The children's messages of cruelty of their peers are remarkable and emotional. “My friends say that I am stupid”, “My friend is the only friend I've got and if he doesn't want to be friends with me anymore then it will be just like last year and I will have to stand alone and everyone will stare at me and think that I'm a freak”.

The positive expressions were rare with many comments on not getting the help they need. “I get bad grades even when I study hard.” ,“What should I do in class when I try so so so hard to pay attention but I can't?”, “My grades are falling and my homework isn't getting done”.

Many messages contained information about themselves indicating that they see their LD as only part of how they see themselves – “I know I am great at drawing, basketball, and volley ball”. But it clear from the research that the struggle of children with Learning Disabilities is clearly more than academics. It clearly portrays the need for children to have more knowledge of their Learning Disability along with the strategy which can make them successful.