Identifies salient characteristics of learning disabilities, how learning disabilities affect individuals in social relationships, and how groups can be used to effectively facilitate individual growth. This is achieved due to therapeutic factors such as universality, instillation of hope, altruistic information sharing, and group interaction.…

This introductory article describes a study that explored the meaning of special education in the context of full-time mainstreaming and the Regular Education Initiative. The study involved observing five full-time mainstreaming models of service delivery for elementary-age students with learning disabilities (described in subsequent articles).…

This article describes the inclusion model implemented in one Kansas elementary school and the educational experiences of two children, both with learning disabilities. The model is a variant of the Hudson Class-within-a-Class model, in which a substantial number of students at risk or with disabilities are grouped in a single class where they…

Consideration is given to using the branching strategy to teach mathematics to children with learning disabilities, or any elementary school child having difficulties. Branching involves altering instructional goals and expectations for students based on developmental levels, learning characteristics, and sensory needs, and changing the antecedent…

Legal protections for individuals with learning disabilities are considered through a review of the qualification requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Differences between IDEA and Section 504 are examined, along with decisions from…

A survey of eligibility determination systems used in 49 states and the District of Columbia to qualify preschool children under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act found that such systems were characterized by various categorical, combination, and noncategorical approaches. The learning disabilities category was particularly varied…

Current thinking about language, learning, and literacy are discussed, focusing on such themes as: literacy as a part of language learning, understanding text and written language modes, the "metas" in language and cognition, and maintaining a clinical focus in classroom contexts and beyond. Four researcher-clinicians offer observations about…

Use of the Foxfire approach to instruction is described as a means of developing learning communities that serve all children. Examples from several elementary classrooms illustrate instructional processes that integrate content with skill development for diverse students, including children with learning disabilities. Core principles of the…

A Shakespearean play was taught in a resource room with students with learning disabilities in grades 10 through 12, in a manner that took advantage of the students' learning differences. Questions about "Macbeth" were developed and investigated before reading the play. The experience increased self-esteem and academic motivation. (SW)

This study refines criteria for identifying children who are both gifted and learning disabled (LD). A figural forms test was completed by 3 groups of students in grades 5 through 8 to determine creative thinking variables distinguishing children who were gifted from those who were LD and those who were gifted and LD. (SW)

The most influential definitions of "dyslexia" are subjected to a critical analysis. Definitions are grouped according to the principles of symptoms, causality, and prognosis. The major conclusion is that proposed definitions of dyslexia should be treated as hypotheses that should primarily describe symptoms. (SLD)

The National Joint Committee for Learning Disabilities' definition of learning disabilities is presented, followed by a discussion of parameters to be considered in operationalizing the definition. Major definitional issues are then explored, including using testable and meaningful constructs, linking definitions to neuropsychological evidence,…

Comparison of teaching behaviors across grade level and educational setting (resource and self-contained) of 65 beginning teachers found main effects for both grade level and educational setting including that elementary teachers provided more transitions between instructional activities and that teachers in self-contained settings exhibited more…

This study compared attitudes of college students with (n=60) and without (n=144) specific learning disabilities toward studying a foreign language. Findings suggested that foreign language learning difficulties of learning-disabled students are not related to lack of motivation or anxiety but to the oral and written language problems of these…

The author of EC 604 972 describes the evolution of her interest in the motivational aspects of computer-assisted instruction for students with learning disabilities. The paper cites research findings that impact on the selection and implementation of computer activities and notes the complex relationship between student achievement and…