The identification of specific learning disabilities (SLD) remains fraught with controversy and uncertainty about professionals' capacity to appropriately identify special education eligibility. For students from linguistically minoritized backgrounds, the "exclusionary clause" prohibits the identification of learning difficulties…

Traditional static tests of reading and reading-related skills offer some ability to predict future reading performance, though such screeners may misclassify children with or at risk of reading disorder (RD). Dynamic assessment (DA) is an alternative approach that measures learning potential and may be less dependent on learning background. A…

Some students may be diagnosed with a learning disability in mathematics or dyscalculia, whereas other students may demonstrate below-grade-level mathematics performance without a disability diagnosis. In the literature, researchers often identify students in both groups as experiencing math difficulty. To understand the performance of students…

Much has been written about gifted students with learning disabilities, but there have been few large-scale empirical investigations, and the concept has proven controversial. The authors reviewed the available empirical literature on these students, focusing on (a) the criteria by which the students were identified and (b) the students'…

The paper reviews Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised research that has particular pertinence for the assessment of learning disabilities (LD). Three topics are treated in-depth: factor analysis investigations, recategorization of subtests into Bannatyne's four groupings, and interscale/intrascale scatter. (Author)

The basic assumptions underlying the development of early identification procedures for at-risk children are reviewed. The effectiveness of screening measures designed to identify educationally "at-risk" children is critically examined. It is concluded that there is a general lack of evidence for the usefulness of such instruments. (Author)

Explores current policies and practices concerning the definition, identification, and educational needs of students who are both gifted and learning disabled. Recommendations stress the need for less rigid definitions and cutoff scores for program eligibility and the provision of a wide variety of settings (resource rooms, special classes) and…

The practice of posthumously diagnosing historical figures is discussed. Emphasis is on the unsatisfactory nature of evidence found for those diagnosed as learning-disabled or dyslexic and the possibility of other explanations for identified problems. Posthumous diagnoses of Auguste Rodin, George Patton, Thomas Edison, Woodrow Wilson, and Albert…

A review of the literature regarding the utility of Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) with learning disabled (LD) students was conducted. It is concluded that the WISC-R can be an adjunct to LD diagnosis and one step in educational planning for the LD student. (Author)

This article reviews the efforts made since 1962 to define learning disabilities, discusses 11 prominent definitions, identifies important conceptual elements on which the definitions differ, and calls for a consensual acceptance of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities definition. (PB)

The paper develops the phonological-core variable difference model to conceptualize differences between dyslexic and other poor readers. The model highlights the importance of viewing the concept of dyslexia as the outcome of the application of an arbitrary criterion in a continuous distribution. (Author/DB)

E. Burns' (1984) attempt to explain the below average mean IQ scores reported for samples of learning dsabled (LD) students through the use of the bivariate normal probability distribution was examined. Alternative explanations which focus on issues related to the referral, identification, and placement of children are presented.(Author)

A preventive model is proposed to avoid special education through concentrated early intervention. Several operating programs are described as examples of the practicality of the approach. Issues including numbers of students who could be serviced by such a model and the ongoing role of special education alongside "neverstreaming" are…

In response to Larry Silver (EC 231 774) concerning whether attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder is a learning disability via a related disorder, this article proposes an interactional perspective that stresses the educational needs of the child within his/her total environmental context. It also summarizes the current empirical and clinical…

For successful classification of children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, major issues include (1) the need for explicit studies of identification criteria; (2) the need for systematic sampling strategies; (3) development of hypothetical classifications; and (4) systematic assessment of reliability and validity of hypothetical…