Commentary on Sections of the Act Part 2 – Additional Learning Needs Key terms Section 2 - Additional learning needs
12.Section 2 defines the term ‘additional learning needs’ (ALN) for the purposes of the Act. This definition is very similar to the definition of ‘special educational needs’ (ALN) under the 1996 Act but is not limited to children and registered pupils of a school below the age of 19, as in the case of the definition of ALN. A person has ALN if the person has a “learning difficulty or disability” (see subsections (2) – (3) for the meaning of this) which calls for additional learning provision (see section 3 for the definition of this).
13.Subsection (1) clarifies that a learning difficulty or disability may, but need not, arise from a medical condition. Also, a person is not considered to have ALN because their home language is different to the language in which they are taught (subsection (4)).