The validity of using an analysis of patterns of performance on the Meeting Street School Screening test versus using the composite cutoff score for identification of learning disabilities was analyzed for 1,377 first graders. Use of subtest scatter predicted later learning disability placements less accurately than chance. (Author/DB)

The research here reported is a result of growing interest in the early identification and remediation of learning disabilities among preschool and primary age youngsters. A screening test is described. (Author/BY)

Discusses various problems in preschool screening for learning disabilities. Reviews studies which show that, in spite of such problems, early identification of learning disabilities is a viable process. Examines advances in reading theory and research which point to new variables that may enhance the predictive power of early screening devices…

The article provides practical suggestions for teachers working with gifted learning-disabled students. It includes a discussion of whether students can be both gifted and learning disabled, and reviews service options, methods of identification, and programing for this population. (DB)

A review of the literature on gifted students with learning disabilities concludes that the literature is presently unable to provide empirically based guidelines for identifying and serving children who are both gifted and learning disabled. Several key problems are discussed, including identification, characteristics, and intervention.…

Responsiveness to intervention (RTI) is being proposed as an alternative model for making decisions about the presence or absence of specific learning disability. We argue that many questions about RTI remain unanswered, and that radical changes in the proposed regulations are not warranted at this time. Since many fundamental issues related to…

Early identification and intervention for students at risk for reading failure is essential to establish the foundational skills necessary for students to become skilled readers. The focus on evidence-based practices and data-driven decision making leads educators to consider additional instructional approaches, such as formative assessment (FA)…

Response to intervention (RTI) is an approach to instruction, assessment, and intervention that enables early identification of students who are experiencing academic or behavioral difficulties. The jurisdictions served by the Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands expressed interest in a study of whether and how state education…

Findings from "Learning to Achieve: A Review of the Research Literature on Serving Adults With Learning Disabilities" will inform a new professional development program to be offered to practitioners and others working with adults with learning disabilities (LD). The six topics covered in the review--assessment, English language learners,…

The purpose of this article is to describe the development and 10-year implementation of the effective behavior and instructional support model in a midsized northwestern Oregon school district. The district experienced a sustained reduction in students' discipline referral rates, an increase in the percentage of students on track for early…

Most conceptualizations of learning disabilities are based on discrepancies between ability and achievement, but the dimensions of this parameter have not been documented. Discrepancies for 83 third graders, 48 fifth graders, and 50 twelfth graders were compared. The use of ability achievement discrepancies to determine the need for special…

Examines which of three types of severe discrepancy approaches best accounted for students' identification as learning disabled (LD). Results showed that the best explanation for school-based LD identification practices was a relative achievement discrepancy. Implications of these findings for LD identification practice based on an ecological…

The National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD) was funded in late 2001 by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to help address the complex nature of the issues and diversity of discussion surrounding specific learning disabilities (SLD). NRCLD's purpose was to continue the research on critical issues raised in white…

The recent revision of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act; IDEIA) in the United States (U.S.) has created the opportunity for an unprecedented change in the way in which learning disabilities (LD) are identified. As a result of this revision, intense and often polarizing debate has…

The main tenant of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) reauthorization was improving student outcomes through the use of evidence-based interventions. A particularly interesting aspect that found its way into the legislation was the eligibility process. Current methods of eligibility identification for students with learning…