The NAEAACLD is offering a free, online course for individuals interested in beginning or enhancing local efforts to help families with children who are struggling to learn. For more information about Beginning Advocacy in the African American Community, click here.
Welcome!
The NAEAACLD is continually updating this website in order to bring you as much information and as many resources as possible. Your requests for information and details of your experiences help us to determine what should be added to the website and where our work should be focused. If the information you are seeking is not here, please contact us. Every inquiry should include an email and physical mailing address as well as a telephone number so that we can keep in touch with you. If you do not receive a timely response to your inquiry, check back to see if any new information has been added to the website.
Most of all, please remember that in the present day educational environment, there are no "quick fixes" for helping a child who learns differently. It will take years to change a failing system. Parents must be committed to learning as much as possible about how to exercise their rights and responsibilities under federal law and use that knowledge throughout their child's education. The educational success of our children depends on each of us.
The NAEAACLD wishes for you and your family a very successful and rewarding journey!
Introduction
According to the National Institute of Health, fifteen percent of the U.S. population, or one in seven Americans, has some type of learning disability. These differences do not go away. They are lifelong and yet are often undetected because they cannot be seen. A lack of information and awareness of this "invisible handicap" has jeopardized the future of many children, but the negative impact is greater for those who are already considered disadvantaged. In addition, the lack of cultural sensitivity in assessment and testing has resulted in mislabeling and a disproportionate representation of African American children in special education.
The National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities (NAEAACLD) was founded in 2000 for the purpose of increasing awareness and promoting an understanding of the specific issues facing African American children. The organization's mission is to link information and resources provided by an established network of individuals and organizations experienced in minority research and special education with parents, educators, and others responsible for providing a quality education for all students. The NAEAACLD believes that any program implemented to benefit African American children will benefit all children.