A lack of clarity continues as to the precise terminology and classification concerning the concepts of learning disabilities in the fields of school psychology and special education. This paper reviews the complex logical and socio-political issues of learning disabilities as they relate to current educational and social realities. (Author/JDM)

A survey of intervention articles published in major learning disabilities journals over the past 5 years found only 18.5 percent of these studies measured the integrity with which treatments were implemented, thus casting doubt on treatment effectiveness. This article discusses treatment integrity logic, threats to experimental validity without…

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)

Explored the differential application of a self-regulatory strategy on mathematics performance among three eighth-graders with learning disabilities and diverse planning abilities. Found that all students improved on fraction probes as a function of using a cue card strategy. The student with high planning ability demonstrated consistent…

Identifies subgroups of children with reading disabilities using the regression method--children who were poor in phonological, compared to orthographic, word decoding were identified as phonological-type participants, and children who were poor in orthographic, compared to phonological, decoding were identified as surface-type participants.…

This article discusses the development and uses of a cross-content learning strategy: Read, Imagine, Decide, and Do (RIDD) and suggests ways to incorporate the strategy into instruction for students with learning disabilities. Examples apply the strategy to the solution of math word problems. (Contains 10 references.) (DB)

An interview with Edwin S. Ellis, an expert on cognitive-based interventions and curriculum for students with learning disabilities (LD) focuses on the roots of his interest in strategic learning, the teacher's role in effective schooling, the need to go beyond labels, knowledge elaboration in learning, effective learning strategies for adolescent…

Discusses a policy at Baylor University for accommodating students with language learning disabilities so they can meet the university's foreign language (FL) requirements. Explains how language-based learning disabilities are diagnosed and how they are related to FL learning, the legal obligations of an institution, and how universities cope with…

This article examines a 1995 treatment validity model as a framework for identifying learning disabilities. This model: (1) examines both student performance and responsiveness to instruction; (2) delays special education referral until the effects of individual student adaptations in the regular classroom have been explored; and (3) verifies that…

Seeks to help dental educators recognize potential causes of students' learning problems by presenting a series of diagnostic questions designed to identify the underlying etiology of the learning deficiency. Introduces strategies for helping the academically struggling student based on these etiologies. (EV)

A survey of 140 parents and 323 teachers about careers in science and engineering for students with learning disabilities (LD) found that parents think teachers do not make enough accommodations and employers are reluctant to hire persons with LD. Both groups felt students with LD were not encouraged to take science and engineering courses.…

A study examined the executive functioning of 55 elementary school children with and without problems in written expression. A model that reflects some of the executive function domains (initiate, sustain, set shifting and inhibition/stopping) which significantly separate good writers from poor writers was used, however, none of the executive…

This study examined the arithmetic computation performance of 229 normally achieving students (ages 9 to 14) and 101 students with learning disabilities. Results found that the students with learning disabilities performed at lower levels and that their progress from one age to another was extremely limited. (Author/CR)

This study examined the effectiveness of reciprocal teaching during social studies instruction with several students with learning disabilities in inclusive classrooms (grades 4-6). Results indicated that all students improved their performance on comprehension measures and students with learning disabilities significantly improved their ability…

Examines the efforts to find effective ameliorative measures for literacy difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia, focusing on noneducational techniques found in holistic medicine, complementary therapies, and nutritional supplements. Maintains that dyslexia has become big business for drug companies and that the appropriate research regarding…