The demands on mathematical problem-solving have increased in almost all school systems internationally and may constitute a barrier for children with special educational needs (SEN). This study explored the role of fluid reasoning (FR), working memory (WM) and complex executive function of planning (EF) in children (N = 62) referred for…

We used pupil-level data from the National Pupil Database in England to conduct a longitudinal analysis of the identification of moderate learning difficulties (MLD) and social, emotional, and mental health difficulties (SEMH) among 550,000 pupils ages 5 to 11 years. Survival analysis was used to determine the hazard ratios (HRs) for time to first…

In Canada, there is a recent trend toward non-categorization of services of students with emotional and behavioural disabilities (EBD). Yet in Alberta, the coding of students with EBD provides opportunities to diagnose students' learning difficulties but is hindered in this process, in large part, by being tied into special needs funding. Current…

Experts have yet to reach consensus about what a learning disability is, how to determine if a child has one, and what to do about it. Leading researcher and clinician Deborah Waber offers an alternative to the prevailing view of learning disability as a problem contained within the child. Instead, she shows how learning difficulties are best…

Special education referral and identification rates have risen dramatically over the last thirty years. In fact, several studies report an increase of nearly 200% (Cortiella, 2008; Vaughn, Linan-Thompson, & Hickman, 2003). During the last several years a new model of identifying students with learning difficulties has received much…

The problem. Bradley, Danielson, & Hallahan (2002) suggested that research was needed to specify the impact of early identification and intervention on district costs, number of special education referrals, and the degree of intensity required to be effective. Horowitz (2007) stated that additional research was necessary in the study of students…

During the past several years, one of the most frequently addressed topics at conferences and in professional journals is responsiveness to intervention (RTI). This is because it is viewed by many as a new way to think about both early intervention and disability identification. Despite its relative newness, a subset of RTI proponents contend…

Proposes how good practice can be developed in the assessment of dyslexia with bilingual children, presents evidence that language minorities are underrepresented in special programs, and highlights the value of recent approaches to defining dyslexia that do not depend on exclusionary criteria or on IQ-achievement discrepancy. (Author/VWL)

School study teams' use of results from traditional psychoeducational measures in determining eligibility for special education is examined. Three groups of students were studied: (1) learning disabled (N=47); (2) mildly mentally retarded (N=43); (3) low achievers (N=60). Relatively low agreement was found between eligibility and research…

The relationship between 13 demographic social variables and the numbers of students placed in four objective and four subjective special education classifications for one school year was examined using 50 states and Washington, DC. None of the objective, but two of the subjective classifications were strongly associated with socioeconomic…

A response-to-intervention model (RTI) has been identified as a promising way to identify and intervene early with children who are experiencing learning difficulties. The general RTI approach also holds promise of preventing learning difficulties with preschoolers. This article examines the potential benefits of implementing a RTI model in…

Contemporary schools are faced daily with the challenge of identifying the instructional needs of migrant learners who are having notable difficulty learning. Given this reality, it is important to consider contemporary questions of special and general education practices. To explore these questions, this article draws from observation in a…

Special education instruction in the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) for students with learning difficulties is shamefully ineffective. These students, usually classified as having a "Specific Learning Disability" or "Speech and language impairment," comprise more than half of all children receiving special…

Students with disabilities across the nation, including Baltimore City, are failing to achieve their academic potential. Inadequate instruction and other inappropriate or unlawful practices cause and conceal the dysfunction of special education. At long last, the illusion and broken promises of special education have been publicly exposed. Under…