The article contains suggestions for assessing and instructing culturally and linguistically different students with special emphasis on ways to distinguish the learning disabled from students who differ due to cultural and linguistic background and the need to focus on students' strengths and previously gained knowledge. (Author/DB)

Results of a content analysis of (1) recent statements of professional competence for learning disability specialists and (2) college textbooks in special education and learning disabilities indicated little emphasis in either the statements or curriculum materials on multicultural issues. (DB)

Case studies illustrate ways in which disturbed, learning disabled, and abused children and adolescents participate in therapy through the use of computers. The approach analyzes the interaction of learning problems and self esteem and the use of computers in a group. A list of approximately 120 software programs is included. (CL)

The Southern California Perceptual Motor Tests were examined due to questions about test validity and because they were being used in the development of Individualized Education Programs. A factor analysis was made based on the subjects' performances on individual test items. Findings are discussed. (Author/DF)

The combination of two cognitive behavior modification procedures--self-monitoring of attention and self-monitoring of academic accuracy--with a group of low functioning students in a LD self-contained class was effective for all four students in improving attention-to-task and for three of the four children in percentage of accurate responses on…

In special education, computers can assist with individualized instruction and manage recordkeeping, but instructional applications are frequently limited by software. Educators must become advocates by supporting computer literacy programs and becoming consultants for researchers and software developers to assure the development of quality…

Learning disabled students face problems with content area textbooks in the areas of vocabulary, syntax, concepts, and appearance. LD students should be taught how to use their books effectively as well as how to study. Formats are suggested for guided reading in the content area. (CL)

Compared the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) and the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (W-J) for 142 children with regular and learning-disabled (LD) class placement. The W-J and WISC-R evidenced low to moderate correlations and significant mean differences. W-J/WISC-R correlations for the regular students exceeded…

Students (N=54) not designated as learning disabled completed the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised. Significant differences were found in the mean scores between the two measures, suggesting that the Woodcock-Johnson may be loaded with verbal factors. (NRB)

Clarifies special education and its purpose by comparing it to athletics. Discusses picking the team, instruction, practice feedback, and playing the game (applied performance). (EL)

A self-control strategy training procedure was effective in improving two elementary learning disabled students' use of parts of speech and mean number of words per story. Additionally, stories written after training received substantially higher quality ratings than those composed during baseline. (Author/CL)

Analysis of a 10th grade competency test administered to 2,257 learning disabled students as part of Florida's minimum competency testing program indicated that large numbers of students performed poorly on many items involving basic communication and mathematics. (CL)

Learning disabled (LD) students (N=412) from grades one to six generally received more negative ratings from their special education resource teachers and their regular education mainstream teachers on task orientation, adaptability, and reactivity. Results of multiple-regression policy-capturing analyses were interpreted to mean that temperament…

Six adolescents with learning disabilities participated in an eight-step cognitive strategy designed to enable students to read, understand, carry out, and check verbal math problems encountered in the general math secondary curriculum. Visual analysis of the data indicated the strategy was an effective intervention for Ss with deficits in verbal…

Studies are reviewed regarding the outcome of interpersonal skills training; vocational skills training; and academic, intellectual, and job performance data on learning disabled and dyslexic students. (Author/CL)