Funded Research Project

Project Title: Success despite learning difficulties: The effectiveness of a coping program for adolescent students

Chief Investigators: Dr Lyndal Bond (Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences), Associate Professor Erica Frydenberg and Ms Nola Firth

Administering Organisation: The University of Melbourne

Funded by: ARC Discovery Project grant 2008-2010

Project Summary: Despite skilled teaching and average general ability, people with specific learning difficulties (SLD) will never learn to read or write with ease. As approximately 10 percent of the population has SLD, the higher than average risk of negative life outcomes for these people is of significant social and economic cost to the community. Expected outcomes of this study are theory and practice that can assist schools to implement programs that help Australian adolescent students with SLD to be empowered and successful in school and adult life. This will be of significant long-term national and community benefit.