A meta-analysis by Tran, Sanchez, Arellano, and Swanson (2011) of the published RTI literature found that the magnitude of effect size (ES) between responders and low responders at posttest was significantly moderated by the pretest ES and the type of dependent measure administered, whereas no significant moderating effects were found in the mixed…

The article reviews and interprets some of the literature that has investigated the relationships between refractive status and reading and between binocular status and reading. The characterization of the visual process is pointed out as a major research problem. (Author)

Discussion of conceptual and methodological aspects of reading intervention research focuses on nine specific design limitations of previous intervention research; ways to measure and analyze change as a function of development, treatment intervention and ecological influences; assumptions of individual growth models; and advantages, conditions,…

The review examines evaluations of the efficacy of special education programs for mildly disabled children. The author suggests that serious methodological flaws make our present knowledge in this area very weak and proposes a methodology to address and overcome many of the limitations of previous research. (Author)

The paper reviews the recent research bearing on the single cause/multiple cause controversy in regard to reading disabilities. The inadequacy of the common practice of comparing a group of disabled readers with a control group is noted. (Author/SW)

Reviewed are the technical problems in the work of Grill and Bartel who attempted to demonstrate that a bias exists in the Grammatical Closure subtest of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities against speakers of nonstandard English. (SBH)

In agreement with Coles (EC 220 146), the article comments on the poor quality of research in the learning disability field, and Coles'"interactivity" theory as an alternative to the neurological-deficit theory which is applied to the problem of classification, intervention, and a societal approach. (DB)

Synthesizes information from a 1995 international symposium on longitudinal research in learning disabilities. Discussion of generic considerations of longitudinal research is followed by examination of issues specific to learning disabilities including definition, attrition, composition of research teams, ethical concerns, data collection, and…

A study of 22 learning disabled (LD) and normal children (mean age nine years) was undertaken to illustrate the research problems involved in using analysis of covariance to control for differences between LD and normal children on measures of intelligence. (SW)

A review of 208 studies of children with learning disabilities (LD) published in 10 major journals between 1988 and 1990 examined the extent to which recommendations concerning research design and reporting made in 1980 and 1984 have been implemented. The review found continuing problems, including imprecise subject descriptions, heterogeneous…

Two methodological problems often arising in dyslexia research are considered. The first problem concerns the validity of experimental measures and the related problem of interpreting null results. The second problem involves the effects of sampling from a disabled population if the disorder under investigation has multiple unknown origins.…

A review of 913 studies involving students with learning disabilities found treatment outcomes were significantly affected by the following violations: teacher effects, establishing criterion levels of instructional performance, reliance on experimental measures, using different pretest and posttest measures, using a sample heterogeneous in age,…

Focuses on methodological issues involved in choosing instruments to monitor behavior, once a comprehensive evaluation has suggested trials on Ritalin. Case examples illustrate problems of teacher compliance in filling out measures, supplying adequate placebos, and obtaining physical cooperation. Emerging school-based methodologies are discussed…

This commentary on a paper by Diane Sawyer (EC 602 748) on relations between various language skills and the development of reading ability addresses potential limitations in the implementation of structural equation modeling. The commentary concludes that the data presented by Sawyer do not support the interpretation that reading comprehension…

Several researchers' assumptions regarding social skills of individuals with learning disabilities are refuted as representing an "either/or" empirical view. A postmodern view is presented, contending that exceptionalities are differentiated by looking at the quality of behaviors and possible antecedents rather than comparing them quantitatively,…