Explores metacognitive strategies that can help students with learning disabilities significantly raise their Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores. META-TEST SAT contracts that outline a student's personal test-taking strategy are explained, along with possible test accommodations, test-taking tips, and practice strategies. A mini-case study is…

A meta-analysis of 79 studies of reading performance of low achievers with and without learning disabilities found students with the learning disabilities label performed considerably worse on reading measures. Use of timed tests greatly increased the difference in reading performance between underachievers and students with the learning…

This article discusses the development of the story form, examines the written narrative patterns of students with learning disabilities, and discusses the reasons for their difficulties with this genre of writing. Instructional approaches are presented that have been effective in improving written narrative skills of these students. (Contains…

Special education teachers (N=22) monitored the mathematics progress of 42 students (grades 2-8) with mild to moderate disabilities (mostly learning disabilities) for 20 weeks using curriculum-based measurement (CBM). Evaluation of instructional adjustments based on individual CBM results found that students whose instruction had been individually…

This article compared two speech recognition systems, discrete speech and continuous speech, for remedial reading and spelling with 52 students (ages 9-18) with learning disabilities. Both discrete and continuous speech groups showed significant improvement in word recognition and reading comprehension over the control group and the discrete…

An investigation explored the use of Holland's Self-Directed Search (SDS) by 185 readers and 152 non-readers (ages 14-21) with learning disabilities or mild mental retardation. The SDS was reliable for both readers and non-readers, able to validly measure preferences, and sensitive to preferences with respect to disability group membership.…

This article describes implementation of a Sharing Chair as part of literacy program in a third and fourth grade special education learning disabilities class. Following free writing in their personal journals, students could share and receive feedback from a peer/teacher audience. The article presents results of analysis of videotape recordings…

Describes a year-long study of five fifth grade students with learning disabilities with written language deficits that used a specially designed computer program, ROBO-Writer, as a writing tool to assist them in a weekly writing curriculum. Discusses effects on the students' behavior, attitudes, and their written products. (Contains 32…

Presents a sociocultural view of inclusion, highlighting a student with learning disabilities who was successfully included in a diverse classroom. The study analyzes segments of instructional discourse, illustrating how the general educator enacted interactional inclusion to build an inclusional culture that repositioned the student and her…

The Autism Research Institute says autism-like disorders affect 15 out of 10,000 children. Cases are climbing in schools, partly due to expanded diagnostic codes (see sidebar). Autistic children are often misdiagnosed as having attention-deficit, learning, or emotional disorders. Schools can help by providing good teachers and early intervention.…

Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) is presented as way that middle school students with learning disabilities can learn task-specific strategies for composing. A strategy for planning expository essays is discussed, along with the PLAN and WRITE strategies for teaching basic parts of an essay, different types of sentences, synonyms, and…

Discusses the difficulty children with learning disabilities have in making friends and describes a strategy for incorporating children's literature into teaching friendship skills. A practice lesson that used this strategy with five elementary children with disabilities is described and found to be effective in promoting friendship skills. (CR)

Because of the universal, phonological nature of writing systems, functional proficiency in decoding is essential if a child is to become literate. This is the heart of the problem for many dyslexics and many other disabled readers. The whole-language approach that eschews decoding is inappropriate in light of this fact. (MSE)

This tribute to Samuel Kirk, an early leader in the field of learning disabilities, describes his prominent achievements in reading instruction, including research in remedial reading and identification of reading instruction principles such as stages of reading development, importance of prereading abilities, and the need for explicit, systematic…

Discusses use of "mediated texts" as a classroom practice which meets requirements of "accommodation" for alternative demonstrations of competency in academic writing. Defines mediated texts, describes case studies which use these texts with deaf students who are basic writers; and shows connection between this heuristic and…