This digest presents definitions of 30 important terms in the field of learning disabilities. They are: accommodations, assistive technology, attention deficit disorder, brain imaging techniques, brain injury, collaboration, developmental aphasia, direct instruction, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyslexia, dysnomia, dyspraxia, learned helplessness,…

The digest explores aspects of serving the learning disabled (LD) student in vocational education classrooms. It is noted that LD students may have difficulty following directions and understanding lectures and may forget more often than other students. A list of seven accommodations that can be made for LD students in vocational classrooms…

This digest defines learning disabilities, cites their prevalence, describes typical characteristics of learning-disabled students, outlines educational implications of learning disabilities, and lists several printed and organizational resources for further information. (JDD)

The number of adults with learning disabilities (LD) is difficult to estimate. They may comprise as many as 80% of adult basic education students, but a smaller proportion of students in other adult education settings. Many adults with LD exhibit strengths that enable them to compensate for their disabilities and perform successfully without…

This digest discusses children with reading difficulties and how these children can be helped to read and learn more effectively. The digest offers a definition and discussion of dyslexia, examines instructional conditions that help the reading comprehension of children labeled as learning disabled, offers suggestions for choosing helpful reading…

This brief paper reviews the literature and provides guidelines on how instructional practices to promote self-determination can be used to help students with learning disabilities make effective choices and decisions. Self-determination is linked to making good choices through five steps: know yourself; value yourself; plan; act; and experience…

This digest reviews what is known about adult English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) learners and learning disabilities, suggests ways to identify and assess ESL adults who may have learning disabilities, and offers practical methods for both instruction and teacher training. Topics covered in some detail include identifying and diagnosing learning…

This digest summarizes the issues involved in the instruction of college students with learning disabilities and offers a practical approach to teaching these students. It notes first that disability law at the college level is not as prescriptive as that for the elementary secondary level. Since the instructional climate in higher education is…

This digest provides basic information on phonological awareness in the process of learning to read for students with learning disabilities. It considers how phonological awareness fits into this process and the special problems experienced by children with learning disabilities or from culturally diverse backgrounds. Suggestions for teaching…

This digest discusses the dilemma surrounding foreign language requirements at colleges and universities and students with learning disabilities. Many students and professionals question the reasonableness of foreign language requirements for students with learning disabilities, but, according to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,…

This digest describes two major settings for adult literacy education: adult basic education (ABE) and community college remedial programs. Candidates for literacy education tend to be of low socioeconomic status and disproportionately from non-Caucasian backgrounds. The increasing number of immigrants who are not fluent in English, and often have…

Despite the existence of the "Newspaper in Education" program in many elementary and secondary schools, this Digest suggests newspapers remain an often overlooked resource which can be incorporated into almost any teaching curriculum, and which is particularly useful for teaching older remedial students and adults. It discusses some ways…

This brief paper summarizes research on effective instruction in writing for students with learning disabilities. It finds that three components stand out as methods that reliably and consistently lead to improved outcomes in teaching expressive writing to these students. These components are: (1) adhering to a basic framework of planning,…

This digest discusses what research says about learning strategies and how teachers can teach learning strategies. A learning strategy is defined as an individual's way of reorganizing and using a particular set of skills in order to learn content or accomplish other tasks more effectively and efficiently in school and nonacademic settings.…

The information digest presents information on stress management in the schools for learning disabled students. The following questions are addressed: Why does the education "spotlight" need to be trained on stress management in the schools? What is stress? What are possible causes of achievement stress for the learning disabled? (school…