FAQ

Learning differences are the unique ways that people process information. The term is a strengths-based shift from “learning disability,” acknowledging the rich and diverse ways that people learn.

The term “learning disability” was first introduced in 1963. It refers to brain-based differences that impact how a person learns, understands, applies, organizes, and evaluates verbal and nonverbal information. Examples of learning disabilities include dyslexia (reading), dysgraphia (writing), dyscalculia (math), dyspraxia (movement), and auditory processing disorder. While Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and other neurological diagnoses are not classified as learning disabilities, they are brain-based differences that affect how a person processes information.

While diagnosing or naming a disability can be empowering and open doors to support, for some, the term “learning disability” can be stigmatizing, meaning it comes with a set of negative attitudes or beliefs about a person or group of people. This is why, outside of medical and academic settings, “learning difference” is the preferred term.

Learning differences affect each individual differently, and many factors can influence how they impact daily life or learning. If an individual consistently faces challenges with reading, writing, math, focus, memory, organization, or following instructions, despite immense effort and support, it could be a sign of a learning difference. Some common signs include:

• Taking longer to complete tasks, especially literacy or math tasks
• Difficulty following multi-step directions
• Challenges with focus, time management, or organization
• Trouble remembering what was just read or heard
• Avoidance or frustration with academic-based activities, work, or schoolwork.

For ongoing challenges that impact daily life or learning, a formal assessment can provide clarity, identify strengths and areas for growth, and help identify appropriate supports. Assessments are typically done by doctors, psychologists, or learning specialists.

While LDS does not provide diagnostic assessments, we do offer formal and informal assessments that can give insight into an individual’s learning profile.

We offer “Level A” assessments, which are informal assessments for reading, writing, spelling, math, and more. Informal assessments are run within our programs throughout the year.

We also offer “Level B” assessments, which are formal assessments, including the *KTEA-3 and **BRIEF. These psychological or educational assessments are designed to provide in-depth information about an individual’s cognitive, academic, or behavioural functions. In some situations, LDS can refer individuals with specific learning profiles for psychoeducational or neuropsychology assessments through our partners at UBC PSCTC.

*KTEA-3: Kauffman Test of Academic Achievement [academic skills]
**BRIEF: Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function [executive function skills]

Research-informed, individualized, one-to-one instruction is one of the most effective ways to support learning.

LDS’ unique Research-Informed Individualized Student Education (RISE) approach offers one-to-one specialized support, aligning with the needs of individuals with learning differences. Our instructors create programs tailored to each learner’s strengths and needs, monitoring their progress to adjust their goals and strategies as needed to help them learn, develop, and succeed.

September to June
Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 7:30 pm
Saturdays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

July and August
Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

See our academic calendar for closures and changes to our schedule.

LDS offers a holistic approach to academic and social-emotional development to ensure all individuals, ages 3 to adult, have the skills and confidence they need to realize their full potential.
  
We offer one-to-one individualized instruction, assessments for identification of strengths and areas of growth, assistive technology services, professional development and training, and guidance and support sessions. 

Yes, LDS offers group programs, including:

Social Explorers (grades 4-5 and 6-7) a neuroaffirming social communication group developed and led by a Speech-Language Pathologist giving students the opportunity to practice social skills, emotional and personal development, and build friendships.

Camps (grades 3-6), customized and creative week-long Vancouver summer camps focused on helping students with learning differences develop new skills through fun, hands-on camp programs with high instructor-to-camper ratio.

Teen Mentorship (ages 15-21), a neuroaffirming program designed to empower teens with self-advocacy skills, practical job search tools, an employment profile, and workplace readiness in a supportive environment.

Learn more: Group program page

LDS’ programs run through the academic school year (September to June) with a summer session (July and August). The length of time that a learner attends an LDS program is dependent on their learning profile and goals. Some learners may require multiple years of explicit instruction to achieve a desired skill level or independence in learning.
Group programs vary in length.

LDS does not require any diagnosis or formal assessment to enroll in our programs.

We are pleased to receive your application on an ongoing basis.

Placements for our RISE One-to-One program for each academic year (September to June) open in spring and continue until April. Placements for summer (July and August) open in early spring.

Placements for our Adult Learning program are open all year, with placement renewals for each academic year (September to June) and summer (July and August).

Placements for other programs may vary; please see our programs page or subscribe to our newsletter for details.

After filling out an online application, you will receive an email with an invitation to book an intake meeting. Intake meetings take place on Zoom or in person.  
 
For RISE One-to-One and other group programs, our team will speak with you about your child’s strengths and stretches, take a history of learning challenges, get to know your family better, and verify the information you provided in your application. This meeting takes up to an hour. 
 
Following the intake meeting, our team will review the educational documents and all other information you have provided. We then carefully match each learner with a specialized instructor based on learning needs and scheduling requirements. We follow up with you on a schedule for sessions, assist with funding applications, if needed, and introduce you to your child’s profile on our learning platform.  

For Adult Learning and other youth and adult programs, we will verify the information shared on the application, ask about learning history, preferences, and goals, and discuss the next steps in the placement process. This meeting takes up to 30 minutes.

Following the intake meeting, we email a copy of our program policies, along with a list of next steps. We then review the application and any documents shared to carefully match the learner with a specialized instructor. Placement offers are sent via email, and once the placement is confirmed, the learner will gain access to their profile and schedule on our learning platform.

Our academic partnerships enable us to deliver programs grounded in the latest education research and drawing from various curricula to provide effective individualized support to individuals with learning differences. Such collaborative work has led to program innovations, such as using social robotics and other leading-edge assistive technologies that create ongoing opportunities for lasting change in education.
LDS academic partners include:

• Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital PEARL
• UBC Faculty of Medicine – Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
• UBC Faculty of Education – Psychological Services and Counselling Training Centre
• UBC Faculty of Education – Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education

All programs at LDS start with an application so we can ensure a great fit between learners, instructors, and programs. An application does not guarantee a placement, but it does start an individualized intake process.

• Complete an application online via the Programs link on our site (feel free to give us a call if you have issues navigating our application form). In the application, you’ll provide information on location (including online), timing and other preferences.
• Book an intake meeting to review your application and supporting educational documents about the learner.
• Our team matches instructors and learners to meet the learner’s needs and schedule, and location needs.
• A placement offer is sent via email that will be open for a certain period of time. You will confirm the placement and sign off that you’ve reviewed our policies and procedures.
• Gain access to your Teachworks account to see your schedule and update your personal or billing information.
• Begin your program!

LDS instruction programs follow our unique Research-informed Individualized Student Education (RISE) approach to meet the needs of each learner. You can learn more about our RISE approach here.    

Our carefully designed RISE programs are multi-curricula-based, incorporating Orton-Gillingham as one of many approaches. This approach achieves the most effective, individualized support for each learner. Our multi-year studies conducted with UBC show that our K-12 students are catching up to their general classroom peers on average by up to ½ grade level per year with significant increases in self-confidence and self-esteem. 

Read Beyond Orton-Gillingham – Personalized Learning for Your Child. 

Each program page also includes testimonies from families that have participated in those programs. If you would like more specific references, please contact us at info@ldsociety.ca.

We carefully match each learner with one of our skilled and experienced instructors based on the information gathered in the application and intake appointment. Our instructor team includes BC-certified teachers, special education assistants, specialized/certified instructors such as Orton-Gillingham-certified instructors, speech-language pathologists, and experienced inclusive education instructors. We recognize and value the importance of relationship building between our learners and instructors, and ensure that they continue with the same instructor, notwithstanding extenuating circumstances. 

At LDS, we design individualized programs and match learners with instructors to meet each learner’s needs. Continuity of service and regular exposure to the learning methods crafted for each individual are crucial in ensuring each learner receives the maximum benefit from our programs.  

If a learner is unable to attend a session in person or online, the LDS instructor will prepare a personalized take-home study package that can be completed in the learner’s own time. LDS must receive at least one hour’s notice that a session cannot be attended in person or online. If LDS does not receive this notice, the session is a no-show and cannot be credited. A take-home study package is not created for a no-show.  

• If you or your child are unwell, please do not attend in-person sessions.  
• If your child stayed home from school due to illness, please do not attend in-person sessions. 
• If an in-person session can be moved online, we will facilitate this adjustment.  

Please see our program policies page for more details on our attendance and continuity of learning practices. Please contact us if you have any questions or need support in ensuring regular attendance (e.g., if you need access to a loaned device for online sessions).  

Instructor schedules are typically full and set for the year, so we will cancel the session and credit you the amount you would have paid. 
 
In some circumstances, we may be able to offer a make-up session at an alternate agreed-upon date and time.  

For Adult Learning, each learner has a Learning Profile, which is a living document that helps better understand the learner – how they learn, what types of support they need, and what they want to achieve. It is strengths-based, neuroaffirming, and learner-centered, guiding tailored support to each learner’s unique brain, experiences, and goals.  
 
Working with Learner Profiles helps instructors and case managers understand learners, offer personalized instruction, and track progress to adapt support over time. The Learner Profile is created in the intake and updated collaboratively by the learner and instructor throughout the year. They are uploaded to the learner’s Teachworks profile at various points throughout the academic year.  
 
Adult learners have a choice in whether their instructor writes session notes and the details included in session notes. For adult learners with full-time guardianship, instructors write short session notes after each session with updates about content, structure, and approach, to keep their support team updated. 

We work with 19+ technology company partners to carefully integrate assistive technologies (AT) into our programs to enhance learning, furthering the accessibility and inclusiveness of our support. Examples of AT integrated into our programs include visual organization software, speech-to-text, and screen-based reading enhancement. In partnership with the University of Waterloo, we also incorporate socially assistive robots into some of our programs, successfully increasing student engagement and social-emotional learning.  

Read Empowering Learners with Assistive Technology 

Structured, regular and repetitive academic interventions are critical to helping students with learning disabilities thrive. Continuity of service and regular exposure to the learning methods crafted for each student are crucial in ensuring maximum benefit is realized from our programs. 

As with many other activities and specialized programs you may enroll in, we match you with a specific instructor who is best suited to work one-to-one with your child based on their learning needs. We plan our staffing and programming around commitments for the entire academic school year and require families to make that commitment too. 

The 2025-26 academic school year rate for one-to-one instruction is $104 per session.   

All LDS programs operate on a sliding scale, meaning we adjust fees according to each family’s household income. Our goal is to be fair, equitable, consistent, and accessible. Learn more about how we set fees here.  

The billing cycle depends on the program you are enrolled in. For RISE One-to-One and Adult Learning, payments are taken on the first business day of the month following service (e.g., on the first business day of October, families will be charged for sessions that happened in September). Payment dates for social programs will be clarified during your intake meeting. 

Your fee is determined by your household net income. Please see this post for detailed information on how we aim to build fairness and equity into our fee structure. https://ldsociety.ca/2023-update-equity-fee-structure/ 

Teachworks, our online document management, scheduling, and invoicing platform, takes the agreed-upon fees for your program(s). All families must have a valid credit card on file. Card details are encrypted and held via Stripe (our card processing system). Please note that we do not retain your credit card details; you can log in and change them at your convenience.   

Tax credits are available to eligible families and relate to educational services that are additional to the primary education of a person with a learning disability or an impairment in mental functions.    

Families who wish to take advantage of available tax credits should seek advice from an accounting professional with knowledge of tax provisions for persons with disabilities. Possible resources include:   

• Government of Canada   
• Disability Alliance BC   
• Disability Tax Credit (DTC) and Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) online workshop  
• T.J. Firenze at Firenze Financial Services Inc.   
• Vancity   

Please note that families may be required to provide proof of diagnosis by a medical practitioner or disability designation to certify that the support services are needed and qualify for the tax credits.    

LDS does provide supporting documentation, including receipts for lesson fees paid, to families applying for disability tax credits. You can download or print your receipts from your Teachworks account. 

For RISE One-to-One, families who meet specific eligibility requirements related to household income and other criteria may be able to apply for and access bursaries provided by third parties and, in some cases, via the LDS Bright Futures Bursary.  

The external providers we refer families to include CKNW Kids Fund, Variety Children’s Charity, Jordan’s Principle, and the Government of BC’s autism funding unit.  

For Adult Learning, post-secondary students can access funding through Appendix 8.  

Our case managers form a critical part of our carefully matched learning support team for each student. Working together with our Senior Manager, Instruction & Innovation and other specialists on staff, our case managers develop an individualized learning program for each student. This program identifies learning goals, curricula, and resources, including assistive technologies, as appropriate, that our instructors use to address specific skill gaps and learning needs.   
 
Throughout the year, the case manager assigned to each learner provides a consistent first point of contact for students and families and, together with our instructor, develops assessments, progress monitoring, and reporting to ensure each student achieves sustained progress in their learning and development. 

Progress monitoring is a key aspect of our RISE One-to-One instruction program. Once a learner has begun sessions, gotten to know their instructor and they have identified learning preferences and learning goals for the year, we create a learning plan to map out goals and share them with you via your child’s case manager. 
 
Progress-monitoring in one-to-one sessions is primarily conducted via informal, observational skill-assessment as opposed to formal or standardized assessment or tests. This allows our instructors to assess learner progress while maintaining the positive, enjoyable learning environment our learners are used to in their sessions, without any test anxiety. 

Short session notes, written by the instructor, and shared after every one-to-one session via email. These notes provide day-to-day updates about the approaches used in sessions, as well as content, structure, and pacing.  

Additional reporting is provided in the form of a comprehensive RISE Learning Plan (RLP), developed by the instructor. RLPs have learner-specific measurable goals and objectives that guide instruction across the year. RLPs are typically updated twice a year and shared with the family and/or learner.  Learn more about RISE Learning Plans here: https://ldsociety.ca/rise-learning-plans/  

LDS diligently reports on your child’s progress twice a year. In January, a mid-year progress report goes out to families to share their child’s academic, social, and emotional learning progress. Following this, we may update your child’s learning plan. End-of-year reporting is provided in June. These reports can be shared with your child’s teachers, school or other professionals working with your family in accordance with our holistic service principle. 

Regular reporting is shared with families via email.  
 
After each session, your child’s instructor will write a session snapshot outlining the session activities and how the session went. This information is available to you via our program software.   

RISE Learning Plans are shared twice a year. This includes a mid-year progress report in January and an end-of-year report in June.  

It is up to families and learners if information is shared with schools or other professionals. LDS does not share personal information without a family or learner’s consent. Our case managers are more than happy to speak with school-based teams about RISE Learning Plans and to join IEP meetings. 

We require at least one month’s notice to discontinue service with LDS. Please refer to our program policies to learn more: https://ldsociety.ca/program-policies/