The presentation reviews the empirical data concerning the existence and types of language problems experienced by learning disabled (LD) and reading disabled (RD) children. An introductory section provides criteria for classification as LD in research samples and a discussion of research data sources in the field of language assessment. Section II focuses on investigations providing direct evidence of learning disabled children's nonverbal communication, phonology, syntax, semantics, verbal mediation, language in social contexts, scores on intelligence tests, and the relationship of scores on one test of language to one test of academic achievement. Section III considers indirect evidence of language problems provided by intelligence test and family studies. A final section reviews therapeutic and empirical implications of the research. Among conclusions is that in each language area the LD/RD child has significantly greater difficulty or less skills in each of the language areas measured. (SBH)