This paper was developed as a result of a 1999 conference on substance abuse and learning disabilities. An introductory chapter urges early identification of learning disabilities and appropriate treatment for both problems when they co-exist. The second chapter discusses the differences between learning disabilities and behavioral disorders, the…

Mexican Americans were legally defined as Whites as a result of treaty obligations with Mexico that expressly allowed Mexicans to become U.S. citizens. Federal laws of the time required that an alien be White to become a U.S. citizen. The government of Mexico and the U.S. Department of State pressured the U.S. Census Bureau to reclassify Mexican…

This digest discusses the problem of overrepresentation of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in special education and provides examples of strategies created by researchers and practitioners to reduce overrepresentation. Strategies include: (1) promote family involvement and respect diverse backgrounds by taking time…

This manual is designed to assist Nebraska school districts in identifying high-ability students. Chapter 1, "Philosophy Regarding High-Ability Learners," explores characteristics of high-ability learners, the unique needs of high-ability learners, roadblocks to meeting student needs, the need for staff development, the importance of…

This study investigated the impact of cultural identification of Native American college students on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III). It assessed the relationship between cultural identification and cognitive-testing scores between a group of off-reservation students attending the University of North Dakota (UND) and…

This study examines the changes of relatedness levels in identity exploration among female adolescents along with the factors associated with the changes. The expanded Ego Identity Interview, which covers the domains of occupation, friendships, dating, and sex roles, was administered to university students (N=31) during their first semester as…

The categories of race used by school administrators to report student racial data assume racial purity. The omission of a category for mixed racial heritage is indicative of a deeper neglect on the part of society in recognizing this segment of its people. This mindset, which ignores the existence of biracial Americans, coupled with the implicit…

This report assesses racial differences among Hispanic Americans. Since 1970, the U.S. Census has asked all Americans to identify their race and, separately, whether they are Hispanic. This means Hispanics can be of any race. Data come from the 1980, 1990, and 2000 Censuses and from pre-tabulated summary files from Census 2000. This report…

This study investigated the effectiveness of a performance-based assessment (DISCOVER (Discovering Intellectual Strengths and Capabilities through Observation while allowing for Varied Ethnic Responses)) in identifying gifted minority middle school students. Research questions focused on examining the alignment between DISCOVER and Gardner's…

This brief paper summarizes information collected from state education agencies concerning: (1) state-level special education data collected by gender; and (2) gender and special education issues identified as concerns. A section on the study's background notes that about two-thirds of students receiving special education services are boys,…

This study examined the relation between teacher suspicion of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and teacher ratings on common behavior measures used to identify and diagnose ADHD. The children, urban, Midwestern, African-American first graders, (N=372) completed the Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT), an objective measure of…

This study examined the impact of the Opening Doors Summer Research Institute, an intensive summer research program designed to reverse negative retention trends among minority college students. The study examined experiences of minority students participating in a research program designed to introduce culturally diverse undergraduates to the…

This monograph explains dysgraphia in students and offers a range of practical suggestions tailored to individual children with specific dysfunctions that obstruct the transcription of their thoughts to paper. Chapters address: (1) why students avoid writing and the need for students to understand the purpose of writing; (2) underlying processing…

This package contains the Learning Disabilities Diagnostic Inventory (LDDI) and the LDDI examiner's manual. The LDDI is intended to help identify intrinsic processing disorders in children and adolescents. Items represent specific observable behaviors associated with learning disability (LD) in listening, speaking, reading, writing, mathematics,…

A discussion of the Sindhi language diaspora, the biradari, across India and Pakistan looks at the implications of this geographic dispersal for the cohesion of the Sindhi-speaking community and culture. Three sociocultural characteristics of the scattered population are identified: urbanization; near-universal literacy; and bilingualism. Patterns…