Learning disabilities, 2022

Release date: October 8, 2024
Infographic: Learning disabilities, 2022
Description: Learning disabilities, 2022

In 2022, 5.6% of Canadians (more than 1.6 million individuals) aged 15 years and over had a learning disability.Note 1

Proportion of Canadians with a learning disability, by age group

  • 15 to 24 years – 9.2%
  • 25 to 44 years – 6.0%
  • 45 to 64 years – 4.6%
  • 65 years and over – 4.1%

Women+ (5.9%) were more likely than men+ (5.2%) to have a learning disability.Note 2

The most commonly used aids and assistive devices among those with learning a disability were…

  • Writing and spelling aids (18%)
  • Recording or note-taking equipment (13%)

Less than a quarter (24%) of students with learning disabilities were enrolled in school part-time.Note 3 Of these, half (50%) were studying part-time because of their learning disability along with other types of disability they may have.

Top accommodations students with learning disabilities needed and received for their course

  • Extended time during tests and exams – 27%
  • Computer, laptop or tablet with specialized software or application – 13%
  • Quiet room or sensory room10%

52% of Canadians aged 25 to 64 years with a learning disability required one or more workplace accommodations.Note 4

  • Those aged 25 to 64 with more severe learning disabilities were more likely to require an accommodation (67%) than those with less severe learning disabilities (36%).

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022.

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