What we fund

In the strategic goals of the Learning Differences Programme for 2011– 2016, we seek to support the development of educational organisations and professionals that welcome all learners and are prepared to address a wide range of learning profiles among students. To achieve this, we aim to identify and share best practices and information about successful, evidence-based interventions and approaches that can help all learners.

Where we fund

To date, in the Learning Differences Programme, we have funded projects in the United States, and have supported a limited number of European projects. We will expand to include more international work in 2013.

Priority Areas

Grant-making has focused on three cluster areas:

• supporting efforts to disseminate information learned from successful response to intervention models;
• learning more about the potential of mentoring as an effective intervention for middle school, high school and college students; and
• providing opportunities for students with learning differences to transition to and complete college programmes.

In addition, other objectives of the Learning Differences Programme include:
 

• initiating research and development activities to fill gaps in knowledge and practice;
• staying involved in relevant initiatives; and
• remaining responsive to innovation and development.

In the long term, the programme seeks to identify better ways to describe learners and the expectations of learning organisations, helping to facilitate the introduction and use of non-judgemental descriptions of different learning profiles. This will assist students and families in selecting learning organisations best suited to individual needs and will help teachers prepare their curriculum and instruction for a broader variety of learners.

As research into the neuroscience of learning yields further insights, it will be critical to develop methodologies that integrate this information into teacher training.

The Learning Differences Programme seeks to identify partners, projects and leaders who promote success in learning and life for students who struggle with learning differences.