Critical theory is applied to determine why larger numbers of children are now identified as having special needs; acquiring such labels is found to be the result of complex social, economic, and political considerations. Explanations for educational problems are offered at three levels: personal/interpersonal, environmental/institutional, and…

Perspectives on going through the education system are offered by an adult who was diagnosed with learning disability. Experiences are shared concerning elementary school, high school, college, employment, and graduate school. Ten tips are also offered for teachers of students with learning disabilities. (SW)

This model assessment procedure for gifted/learning-disabled students utilizes the concepts of the tetrahedral learning model and self-regulation versus other-regulation. Stage one focuses on the compilation of a summary profile of learner strengths and weaknesses; stage two deals with the learner in context, using a structured interview format.…

An ethnographic study is reported using participant and nonparticipant observations, interviews, and analysis of school files on 77 Hmong students to probe factors affecting tendencies to incorrectly label Hmong students as learning disabled. Case studies are discussed in the context of Hmong history, refugees' experiences, and language factors.…

This article describes the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing, an assessment instrument designed to assess the phonological processing skills of individuals between the ages of 5 and 24.11 years and to identify those with phonological processing difficulties. Its administration, standardization, reliability, and validity are discussed.…

This article summarizes research findings related to the characteristics, identification, and programming for gifted students with learning disabilities. It also presents data from 2 projects that examined the identification and characteristics of this population. Research-generated recommendations are provided and the need for a continuum of…

Information on admission to psychiatric inpatient units is lacking from the literature on contemporary services for people with intellectual disability and mental health needs. Here we report on predictors of admission for a cohort of 752 adults from this population living in community settings; 83 were admitted. We also report on two subsamples…

This final report of a 2-year research project examines how the needs of pupils with non-recorded learning difficulties were identified and met in the mainstream schools of one region in Scotland. Non-recorded pupils were defined as those pupils who were identified as experiencing learning difficulty but whose difficulties were not pronounced,…

This workbook was developed for an inservice workshop to assist regular education teachers and others in screening and making more appropriate referrals for suspected learning disabilities. The first part of the workbook consists of a series of topic papers that form the theoretical base of the decision-making process used in the workbook for…

This study examined agreement rates between identified strengths and weaknesses in shared abilities and influences on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC). Sixty-seven students in the first through seventh grades referred for learning disabilities (LD) evaluation were…

A survey of 135 Pennsylvania regular classroom teachers (kindergarten through grade 8) examined their understanding of learning disabilities (LD) and the degree to which they felt prepared to work with LD students. The survey sought information on: (1) teacher preparation, knowledge, and experience related to identifying and working with LD…

A study was conducted of special education referral and placement practices within Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools. A group of 650 low-achieving elementary school students, identified to be "at risk" for failure, was monitored to examine special education referrals or placements. Three hundred of the students were studied to…

An 18-week demonstration, remediation project was undertaken to improve educational effectiveness for 14 preschoolers with minimal cerebral dysfunction. A literature search indicated that these children can be appropriately educationally programmed for their sensorimotor problems and suggested that such early intervention can prevent later…

This paper presents survey results of the attitudes and practices of elementary school board members in Ontario, Canada in relation to early identification of children's learning abilities and related intervention. A short questionnaire, intended to provide a global picture of early identification work being carried out was sent to all elementary…

In exploring the bases of learning disabilities, the following areas are considered: a working definition of perceptual handicaps; the relationship of perceptual handicaps to IQ; diagnosing perceptual handicaps; effective learning experiences for the perceptually handicapped child; and recommendations for developing new curricula. The appendixes…