Dyslexia is neurobiological in origin and is characterized by difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition poor spelling and decoding abilities despite average or above-average intelligence. Dyslexia often runs in families and occurs in at least one in 10 people globally of all races, cultures and societies. It is lifelong and can't be cured. Different people are affected to varying degrees. However, with the proper support, they can become highly successful people, finding success in a range of skilled professions. The JDA Advisory Committee member, Dr Barbara Matalon, in a survey conducted in collaboration with the World Bank, found that an estimated 17% of Jamaica's population had a variation of a learning disability. In addition, 15-20% of the people, or one in every five students, has a language-based learning disability, and dyslexia is the most common of these language-based learning difficulties, accounting for 70-80% of people with poor reading skills.