Over the past decade, there has been a rapidly declining trend in the prevalence of students with learning disabilities in South Korea. In 2019, only 1.5% of students receiving special education support were identified as having learning disabilities. This column reports on three current issues related to learning disabilities to provide a greater…

The purpose of this project was to examine programs and services for students with emotional/behavioural disorders (E/BD) across Canada. It is a replication of a survey undertaken a decade prior intended to examine similarities and differences in Canada's provinces and territories, as well as exploring overall changes to policy and process in this…

As school psychologists, educators and parents most often approach us with questions relating to a concern. We have the privilege of serving students in their natural learning environment where skills and behaviors can be observed and analyzed, where interventions can be created and tested, and, hopefully, where a positive change can be made…

In East Asia, Taiwan is one of only a few countries that has a clear definition of learning disabilities (LD) as well as operational criteria for the identification of LD. In Taiwan, special education services for students with LD are mandated in the Special Education Act of 1984. According to the official statistics from the Taiwanese Special…

"Intellectual disability" is a term used when a person has certain limitations in mental functioning and in skills such as communicating, taking care of him or herself, and social skills. These limitations will cause a child to learn and develop more slowly than a typical child. Following a brief story about a child with an intellectual…

To determine the degree of controversy or consensus regarding definitions at the state level, questionnaires focusing on six learning disability topics were sent to each state education agency (SEA) and the District of Columbia. In general, more consensus than controversy exists when broad areas are considered. Changes in some SEA definitions…

In Study 1, 85 percent of 248 third-, fifth-, and twelfth- grade students identified as normal could have been classified learning disabled (LD). In Study 2, 88 percent of a low achieving fourth grade sample could have been identified as LD, with 4 percent not meeting any criteria for classification. (Author/CL)

The underlying reasons for muddled definitions of emotional disturbance and their resultant befuddled diagnostic processes are discussed in terms of four factors: (1) the impact of theory, (2) societal diversity, (3) benchmarks for decision making, and (4) instrumentation. The author presents a method for diagnosis that is practical, functional,…

The author suggests that controversies over defining learning disabilities (LD) have resulted from confusion between diagnosis and definition and from disagreement over the discrepancy issue. He further suggests that LD students are a subset of age- and ability-referenced underachievers. (CL)

Results of a survey of state departments of public instruction regarding criteria for diagnosis of mental reardation within public schools are reported. States varied widely in their definitions and procedures. Many states deviated from AAMD (American Association on Mental Deficiency) guidelines even though AAMD guidelines are included in federal…

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)

A study of the status of underidentification of behaviorally disordered children in special education in British Columbia reviews provincial funding categories, identification guidelines for autism and behavior disorders, and data on total school enrollment, estimated and actual enrollment in programs for behavior disorders, district criteria, and…

Four primary issues are covered: the role of different measurement models in disparities of LD children serviced across states, types of students served as LD but not actually LD, components of severe discrepancies between aptitude and achievement, and state of the art in evaluating LD students. (CL)

This digest analyzes the definitions of disability in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It notes that, in order to be eligible for special education services under the act, the child must meet two criteria: (1) he/she must have one or more of the specific disabilities listed in the act, and (2)he/she must require special…

Data from reports of the federally funded Child Service Demonstration Centers (CSDCs) are said to show that only three CSDCs adhered to all criteria in the federal definition of learning disabilities. The author suggests that LD should be adopted as a generic term for all mild handicaps. (CL)