Response to intervention (RTI) is increasingly being implemented in schools as a means to identify students with specific learning disabilities (SLD). Despite its wide use, there is limited research regarding school psychologists' graduate preparation in and familiarity with RTI for SLD identification. This study examined how school psychologists'…

Several studies have reported high comorbidity for reading disability (RD) and psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the comorbidity of subthreshold and full psychiatric disorders with RD while comparing subgroups based on age of RD recognition (early vs. late). We analyzed data from 130 children with RD and 82 typically…

In the number to position task, several studies have shown that typically developing children shift from a biased (logarithmic) to an accurate (linear) mapping of symbolic digits onto a spatial position on a line. The initial pattern of overestimation of small numbers and the underestimation of larger numbers is compensated by means of age and…

In Germany, parents can request counseling and assessment of school-related learning and behavioral issues from either independent counseling centers or school-based ones. Focusing on giftedness consultations at independent counseling centers, the goal of this study is to provide a detailed description of the reasons for and the issues discussed…

The regression-based discrepancy definition of learning disabilities has been suggested by Rutter and Yule as an improvement of the well-known and much criticized achievement-intelligence discrepancy definition, whereby the examinee's predicted reading attainment is substituted for the intelligence score in the discrepancy expression. Even though…

Much of learning disabilities research relies on categorical classification frameworks that use psychometric tests and cut points to identify children with reading or math difficulties. However, there is increasing evidence that the attributes of reading and math learning disabilities are dimensional, representing correlated continua of severity.…

Underidentification of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD; emotional disturbance or ED in federal language) is a critical issue, perhaps explainable in part by causal attributions of problem behavior associated with conservatism. Conservatism in 58 counties in the state of California was measured by finding the percentage of…

This article describes research supporting the use of the Learning Difficulties Assessment (LDA), a normed and no-cost, web-based survey that assesses difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, mathematics, listening, concentration, memory, organizational skills, sense of control, and anxiety in college students. Previous research has supported…

The study was conducted to look at differences between children who outgrew and did not outgrow an early diagnosis of mathematical learning disorder (MD; n=13), and peers without MD (n=13). Children were tested at 5, 6, 7 and 10 years of age. About 54% of the children with an early diagnosis of MD still experienced mathematical difficulties at the…

Auditory processing disorders (APDs) are of interest to educators and clinicians, as they impact school functioning. Little work has been completed to demonstrate how children with APDs perform on clinical tests. In a series of studies, standard clinical (psychometric) tests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition…

This study used computer simulation to provide information on the percentage of students with learning disabilities expected to be identified under different aptitude-achievement discrepancy eligibility models and criteria and to demonstrate the consequential effects in terms of the extent to which the different models identify students of…

The paper examines three models still considered useful in identifying achievement-aptitude discrepancies: the prediction model, true score regression model, and prescore partialling model. Data are cited to provide support for the regression model as the simplest to use and most efficient statistically. (Author/CL)

Considers regression over simple difference models for assessing severe intelligence quotient (IQ)-achievement discrepancies. Identifies expected outcomes following change from simple difference to regression discrepancy model. Compares outcomes in determination of overall identification rates and identification of students by race, grade, and…

Explains the rationale, methodology, and advantages of the regression equation approach to quantifying academic discrepancy, an aspect of learning disability. Variations of the expectancy formula and IQ-achievement difference approach produce serious errors of including too many above average children and too few below average. (JAC)

Regression-based procedures were used to identify 17 phonological and 15 surface dyslexics from a sample of 68 reading-disabled third graders by comparing them to chronological age controls. Defining dyslexic subtypes by reference to reading-level controls identified the phonological dyslexics, but only one of the surface dyslexics. (SLD)