This document describes the present federal effort on behalf of learning disabled children, beginning with its recent history. It traces the field of learning disabilities as a subspecialty within education from 1963, when a steering committee was appointed to organize a symposium on "The Child with Minimal Brain Dysfunction," through the Learning Disability Act of 1969, to the federally-sponsored Child Service Demonstration Programs and the Leadership Training Institute in Learning Disabilities. It details the main characteristics of the 43 demonstration programs and the various components of the Leadership Training Institute. (DDO)