Adults with Hidden Disorder Known as Dyscalculia

Recent studies are helping to diagnose people with dyscalculia. People with dyscalculia may be afraid to admit to other people that they have trouble with simple mathematical solutions like counting change, doing groceries and even balancing their checkbooks. However diagnosing dyscalculia has been difficult. Fortunately for adults with dyscalculia in the UK, Loughborough University’s Mathematics Education Centre (MEC) in partnership with assistive technology specialist iansyst Ltd (www.iansyst.co.uk) and public sector service provider Tribal developed the first online dyscalculia screener called DysCalculiUM. Dyscalculia, defined as disability in learning and understanding anything related with math, has only been discovered recently. This is a great development, specifically for those people who are suffering from this disorder, because now they have an idea of what is going on with them and no longer think that they are stupid in terms of doing simple mathematical problems. According to an article, entitled Dyscalculia Screener to Reveal Extent of Hidden Disability in Adults, statistics showing that people with poor numeracy skills are twice as likely to be unemployed as those who are competent, dyscalculia can impact dramatically on the life chances of those with this condition. DysCalculiUM is the first tool to be used in identifying dyscalculia in an adult and thereby, allowing them to seek professional help. By identifying why an individual is having difficulties understanding numerical solutions, the first step is to assist them in overcoming these difficulties. DysCalculiUM offers a quick and effective method of profiling numeracy difficulties. This tool is made available anytime online by Tribal’s Advance learning platform that enables the users to conveniently access it easily. The secure portal enables administrators to access user’s reports and profiles at any time, as well as materials to assist with supporting the users through the screening process. It is through people like Clare Trott’s, of Mathematics Support Tutor at Loughborough University, commitment in looking for solutions to solve disabilities like dyscalculia that help in making life’s difficulties easier to handle. DysCalculiUM is such a welcome tool in UK that has the possibilty of making a dyscalculics life a more normal one.