In Hardin (Montana) schools, where 55% of students are American Indians, the same identification methods are used to identify gifted students among all cultural groups. These methods include nonverbal standardized tests and subjective recommendations based on the Frasier Talent Assessment Profile. Other equitable practices include equal…

Explores the legislative historical roots for controlling fertility of certain classes of women and the use of cultural images to define welfare and fertility legislation. It argues how reforms coerce poor women to postpone childbearing in ways that are injurious to women, particularly for African American women, in excluding them in sharing in…

An expansion of the Social Coping Questionnaire was used to investigate how 229 gifted students (ages 11-17) coped with being identified as gifted. Results found five social coping factors: denial of giftedness, emphasis on popularity, peer acceptance, social interaction, and the hiding of giftedness. Females were more likely to deny abilities.…

Two studies investigated a brief, processing-dependent, nonword repetition task, designed to minimize biases associated with traditional language tests. Results revealed that nonword repetition distinguished between school-age children independently identified as language impaired or normally developing, suggesting its potential usefulness as a…

Discusses the exceptional challenges that abused and neglected children may pose for early-intervention providers, particularly speech-language pathologists. It focuses on practical strategies regarding reporting child abuse, effectively assessing the children who have been abused, and managing the bizarre behavior they may exhibit. (Author/CR)

A study investigating the over-identification of rural minority students as learning disabled used a sample of 123 rural Mississippi students classified as learning disabled. Three possible ways of modifying the assessment protocol were attempted. A discrepancy formula incorporating a minimum full-scale IQ score of 85 balanced the number of…

Children with learning disabilities constitute the largest handicapping condition as well as the largest number of underserved students. Summarizes research concerning cognitive qualities associated with identification and remediation of learning disabilities, particularly in reading, spelling, and math, as described in current literature in the…

A comparison of the reading performance of 30 second-graders with learning disabilities and 30 controls found all but three of 10 subtests of the Woodcock Diagnostic Reading Battery produced significant differences between groups. The three subtests that did not reach significance were Oral Vocabulary, Listening Comprehension, and Memory for…

In 1998, the principal of a rural Oregon elementary school used a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant and Title I funds to design a program to address homeless children's personal and social well-being. Kids eat a nutritious breakfast, take showers, get clothes washed, receive positive feedback, and participate in after-school…

A study examined comorbidity of the five federal definition characteristics among 1,352 students already identified as having emotional disturbance (ED). The extent of comorbidity of ED characteristics was related to the criterion for deviance and to each of the selected student variables, particularly school level and educational placement.…

This interview with Joyce VanTassel-Baska discusses the growth of talent search programs to identify highly gifted students via the Scholastic Aptitude Test and the role of computer technology in what can be offered to gifted students. Also identified are key characteristics of gifted elementary, middle, and secondary school programs. (CR)

This article describes characteristics of individuals with Asperger Syndrome, a developmental disability defined by impairments in social relationships and verbal and nonverbal communication and by restrictive, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Diagnostic criteria, essential features of the disability, and other notable…

This study examined the validity and internal and interrater reliability of the Wing Subgroups Questionnaire, an assessment that classifies children with autism into subtypes. Subjects were 42 students (ages 5 to 22) enrolled in multihandicapped special education classrooms. Findings support the reliability and validity of the questionnaire for…

Internal consistency and construct and criterion-related validity of the Conners Teacher Rating Scale were studied with 540 students (ages 5-10), with emphasis on its utility as a measure of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and other disruptive behavior disorders. Internal consistency of factors ranged from .87 to .94. Convergent validity…

A method for predicting high dental caries increments for children, based on previous research, is presented. Three clinical findings were identified as predictors: number of sound primary molars, number of discolored pits/fissures on first permanent molars, and number of buccal and lingual smooth surfaces of first permanent molars with white…