This article provides a concise and objective synthesis of the federal legislation, regulations, and agency policy interpretations; state laws; and case law, including hearing officer and complaint investigation decisions, concerning specific learning disability (SLD) identification since the 2006 IDEA regulations. The results reveal wide latitude…

Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has emerged as a powerful new tool to identify genomic abnormalities associated with a wide range of developmental disabilities including congenital malformations, cognitive impairment, and behavioral abnormalities. CMA includes array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and single nucleotide polymorphism…

The debate over expanding the legal definition of behavior disorders to include social maladjustment is presented; both sides of the issue are addressed including such aspects as confusion in terms, unclear incidence figures difficulty in identification, and legal and ethical ramifications. (CL)

This article documents the eligibility procedures and student assessment result of a project for identifying university students with learning disabilities. Many legal issues are relevant in the classification of young adults with disabilities, including the use of standardized procedures for establishing disability status which are meant to…

To reconstruct school lives of 93 children who had been removed from regular classrooms because of behavior problems, data were compiled, 14 students were selected for in-depth case studies, and 21 interviews were conducted. Anayses touched on issues of school intervention, policy, effects on family, and legal rights. (CL)

The article discusses problems that may arise in relation to identification, evaluation, Individualized Education Programs, related services, and due process protection for inmates eligible for special education. Problems include failure to identify and evaluate adequately and issues related to discipline, suspension, and exclusion. (Author/CL)