The paper examines issues concerned with the incidence of visual perceptual learning disabilities among deaf and partially hearing children. Evidence indicating a high incidence (15.5 percent of 682 deaf students) of visual perceptual deficits is offered, as is a definition of visual perception. The impact of visual perceptual deficits on…

The development of a new definition of learning disabilities accepted by organizations comprising the National Joint Committee for Learning Disabilities in 1981 is reviewed including reasons for a new definition, procedures followed in its development, the Committee's intended meaning for each phrase, and the current status of the definition. (DB)

A survey of 54 personnel preparation programs in the education of the hearing impaired found that most teacher educators believe there is a need to modify existing curricula in order to prepare teachers of learning-disabled hearing-impaired students, though neither separate state certification nor a specific teacher preparation program was…

It is argued that the same problems associated with the learning disabilities classification for hearing children may accompany this emerging classification for deaf children. Problems are discussed in light of instructional methods, individual learning and motivational styles, and parents' tendency to promote the learning disability level.…

The prevalence of communication disorders in a population of 242 children with learning disabilities between 8 and 12 years of age was determined. A speech, language, or hearing problem was exhibited by 96.2 percent of the children. Only six percent of the children were considered to be receiving appropriate services. (Author/DB)

Presents evidence to show variability across states in the use of the severe-emotional-disturbance designation for students and the frequency of comorbid and trimorbid cases being classified as learning disabled. Findings are presented from ongoing projects to illustrate differential profiles for comorbid children. (Author/CR)

Evaluation of 357 students with either learning disability (LD), serious emotional disturbance (SED), or both (SED/LD), ages 6 to 18, found that children with LD differed from those with SED mainly in terms of severity of problem, not type of problem. Results suggest that students with both LD and SED are under-identified and underserved. (DB)

This article, from the "Journal of College Admission's" Special Diversity Issue, which in its entirety has won the 1997 Muir Award, discusses various misconceptions regarding individuals with multiple learning disabilities and whether or not these individuals should consider college as an option. The author contends that students with learning…

Subtest scores on the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children did not clearly distinguish learning disabled children from other children in a study; a diagnostic model is proposed here which considers how a child organizes information in order to distinguish between content and behavioral deficiencies. (Editor/MM)

The Pitch, Loudness, Rhythm, Time, and Tonal Memory subtests of the Seashore Measures of Musical Talents were administered to 31 learning disabled (LD) children (10-15 years old) in order to formulate their musical profiles. (Author/BD)

Observation of 97 teachers during group instruction of elementary students with mental retardation, severe multihandicaps, and learning disabilities and/or behavior disorders revealed that teachers made limited use of praise over criticism in managing classroom behavior. (CL)

The study investigated the temporal stability and estimated the standard error of measurement for subtests of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) with 60 learning disabled and emotionally handicapped children (9 to 13 years old). (Author/SBH)

Responds to Miguel, Forness, and Kavale, who argued that the social skills deficits typically found in children with learning disabilities are largely due to the comorbidity of learning disabilities with psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depressive disorder. This review finds this relationship for LD…

This report describes activities and accomplishments of a four-year project to develop a doctoral program at the University of Kansas Medical Center to prepare teacher educators, researchers, supervisors/managers, and clinicians in programs in either deafness or learning disabilities and in a combined deafness and learning disabilities program.…