A review of 32 studies that compared social competence of children with learning disabilities and typical children in inclusive classrooms found children with learning disabilities and low-achieving children were at a greater risk for social difficulties than were average-to-high-achieving children and did not have accurate self-perceptions of…

This study evaluated effects of manipulative instruction on perimeter and area problem-solving performance of three middle or high school students with learning disabilities in mathematics. Students rapidly acquired the problem solving skills, maintained these skills over a two-month period, and transferred the skills to a paper-and-pencil problem…

This article discusses the creation of an archive that permits online access to digital copies of back issues of the "Learning Disability Quarterly." It describes how to access the archive, select and order an issue, and the benefits of providing information in digital formats. (Contains 3 references.) (CR)

A review of 38 articles published from 1990 to 2000 on college students with learning disabilities and writing difficulties (LD/WD) found four major topics were discussed: available assistive technology; effectiveness of assistive technology; characteristics and error patterns in the writings of college students with LD/WD; and instructional…

This article summarizes findings regarding the use of technology in helping students with learning disabilities succeed in postsecondary education settings. It identifies specific technology recommendations found in the literature and issues related to using these recommendations in postsecondary transition. Recommendations for transition planning…

This article reviews problems in identification of learning disabilities and considers proposed alternatives to present procedures. It argues that the major problems of over identification, variability, and specificity, can be eliminated by increasing specificity and consistency of state criteria and strict adherence to identification criteria on…

A case study with two Finnish 10-year-old boys evaluated an intervention designed to promote the spelling skills of students with severe writing difficulties. The intervention comprised strategy instruction, procedural facilitation, and computer-assisted tutoring. Participants showed gains in spelling accuracy, spelling revision skills, decoding…

This article highlights some of the defining characteristics of distance education courses and their impact on traditional assessment practices for instructors and students, including those with learning disabilities. Factors that instructors need to consider for dealing with test accommodations for students with learning disabilities are…

A study evaluated a person-centered counseling intervention on the self-concept of four children (ages 6-12) with moderate mental retardation. The study used person-centered art therapy as an adjunct to counseling. Three of the children indicated an improved self-concept. However, only one teacher indicated a positive movement within the child.…

This article presents research-based examples of effective instructional approaches for improving the quality of stories and essays written by students with learning disabilities. A common goal of the studies examined was to teach students how to organize writing tasks, generate ideas about the writing topics, and produce final written products…

A woman with Down syndrome, who had shown selective mutism for more than 14 years, successfully participated in a program designed to reinforce communication and gradually increase the number of words spoken to one person and then to others. Nonaversive behavior methods were used and response initiative procedures were developed. (Contains…

This article describes strategic content learning (SCL), a strategies-training model that integrates cognitive, behavioral, sociocultural, and constructivist learning theories. The theoretical rationale for SCL is provided, followed by a review of research documenting SCL efficacy for postsecondary students with learning disabilities. Preliminary…

Four alternate versions of a 15-item general outcome measure (GOM) of mathematics conceptual understanding and applications were developed and administered to 117 eighth-graders. Results were correlated with scores on state multiple-choice mathematics achievement tests. Correlations ranged from .81 to .87 with no significant differences, offering…

A study involving 158 college students with learning disabilities who were granted foreign language course substitutions found there were few cognitive and academic achievement differences among students with differing levels of IQ-achievement or achievement-achievement discrepancy on Modern Language Aptitude Test and American College Testing…

The article addresses use of microcomputer-based word processing for students with writing disabilities. The research is briefly reviewed, and four guidelines for choosing word processing software are offered, as are principles for teaching keyboarding. (DB)