Thirteen full-length autobiographical essays written by individuals with learning disabilities about the challenges of living with their disabilities. Five essays written by educators and scholars regarding psychotherapy, minorities, and the special education classroom.

'A bold wake-up call for those who doubt what people with learning disabilities can do' – Sally Phillips 'A call to arms to confront continued discrimination' – Sir Norman Lamb 'A gem of an anthology... this collection will contribute to our growing understanding, acceptance and celebration of "neurodiversity"' – Simon Baron-Cohen Success is a crucial part of being human. But what if society thought success and aspiration didn’t apply to you? A human rights campaigner. A critically acclaimed actor. A civil rights activist. A singer–songwriter. A Paralympian and elite swimmer. A fine artist. An award-winning filmmaker and drag artist. An elected UK mayor. These professionals have achieved astounding and awe-inspiring success. They've won national accolades in competitive fields such as film, theatre, music, fine art, campaigning and politics... and like 1.5 million people in the UK today, they all also happen to have a learning disability. In Made Possible, these eight remarkable individuals present their authentic experiences – in their own words – and show us what society misses out on by overlooking them, pitying them, patronising them, simply tolerating them and labelling them in terms of their conditions. Edited by social affairs journalist Saba Salman, this collection of groundbreaking and illuminating essays shatters preconceptions and offers a glimpse of the many types of success that can be achieved by people with a learning disability. Crucially, it reveals how people can make invaluable contributions to society when their potential is acknowledged and supported by those around them.

DYSLEXIA MY LIFE - one man's story of his life with a learning disability. In elementary school Mr. Sagmiller was diagnosed as mentally retarded by his teacher and school administrators, who recommended that his family institutionalize him. In reality he suffered from dyslexia, which can affect speech, reading, time perception, and can slow learning in some subjects. In his book, DYSLEXIA MY LIFE, Mr. Sagmiller discusses his struggles to overcome the ignorance and prejudice of his friends, family and society in general, to succeed in school (getting his MBA), business and life.

"Carolyn is in a wheelchair, but she doesn't let that stop her! She can do almost everything the other kids can, even if sometimes she has to do it a little differently"--

These moving sketches highlight remarkable children and adults who lead fulfilling lives because of their hard work, courage, and resilience. This edition includes a "10-years later" update on each individual.

Ten percent of the population is affected by a learning disability, but few of us understand what being learning disabled (LD) is really like. When he was fourteen, Bradlee was diagnosed with Velo-Cardio-Facial-Syndrome (VCFS), a wide-spread, little-understood disorder that is expressed through a wide range of physical ailments and learning disabilities. In this funny, moving, and often irreverent book, Bradlee tells his own inspirational story of growing up as an LD kid -- and of doing so as the child of larger-than-life, formidably accomplished parents: long-time Washington Post executive editor Ben Bradlee and bestselling author Sally Quinn. From his difficulties reading social cues, to his cringe-worthy loss of sexual innocence, Bradlee describes the challenges and joys of living "a different life" with disarming candor and humor. By the end of A Different Life he will have become, if not your best friend, one of your favorite people.

This book is intended to provide a summary of current research in learning disabilities, suitable for use as a reference source for researchers, and as a graduate level text.