A new book intended to help parents and teachers to understand and aid children with learning disabilities is being distributed to Island schools.

The group BOLD -- Bermuda Overcoming Learning Disabilities/Difficulties -- has produced 2000 copies of the new book with support from the XL Foundation.

Titled `The Bermuda Resource Guide: For Parents and Educators of Children and Teens with Learning Disabilities and Learning Difficulties' the book was researched and compiled by Catherine Harriott over the past two years.

Ms Harriott, who has since left the Island, became involved with BOLD after discovering her child had learning difficulties.

"She wanted to give something back to the community,'' said BOLD chair Mair Harris. "That's why she did the book and it turned out to be a much bigger task than she had thought.'' Ms Harriott is also the author of Bermuda on a Budget and The Maverick Guide to Bermuda .

BOLD sent three copies of the new resource guide to each of Bermuda's schools and Mrs. Harris said that Berkeley Institute has already requested an additional 20 copies. Copies were also sent to Premier Jennifer Smith and to the Learning Disabilities Association of America.

"The citizens of Bermuda owe you a large thank you for your efforts on behalf of individuals with Learning Disabilities,'' wrote LDA president Larry Silver in response to receiving a copy.

This week Mrs. Harris and the BOLD Educator of the Year, Anna Saunders of Dellwood Middle School, will be attending the annual LDA conference in New York. They will also be distributing copies of the resource guide to other attendees.

Producing the resource guide was one of BOLD's main projects since the group formed in 1994.

"When parents find out they have a child with difficulties, this resource book will help them understand those difficulties as well as point them in the right direction for help,'' said Mrs. Harris.

The guide is aimed at both parents and teachers, she added. "We tried to balance it.'' It includes sections on behaviour characteristics of children with learning difficulties, explanations of common disabilities and techniques and resources to help both parents and teachers begin to help affected children.

"We want to open people's minds to what learning disabilities and learning difficulties are,'' said Mrs. Harris. "There is still a stigma attached to them. We hope that the more we can open minds of the public, the more the stigma will be overcome.

"It's like the community has been blindfolded. When we take the blindfold off, people can see and understand the issues. But if you've got a blindfold on, you can't see what's going on around you.'' Learning difficulties and disabilities affect five to ten percent of children.

On average, according to BOLD, these children have average or above average IQs, but may not respond to conventional teaching methods.

BOLD can be contacted at 234-0923 for additional information or copies of the resource guide.

BOLD enterprises: BOLD chairperson Mair Harris (left) and administrator of the XL Foundation Sonia Whayman (right) examine BOLD's new resource guide for parents and teachers of children with learning disabilities.

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