How do students with special needs learn best based on brain research? There was a great deal of strictly scientific information about different types of brain damage and how that can affect learning. Given this, it was surprising that there was very little information on ways in which to assist students with learning disabilities utilizing the…

Described is Project Worker, a program which uses audiotapes and videotapes (showing work stations in various industries) in classrooms to improve the vocational skills of educable mentally retarded, educationally handicapped, or orthpedically handicapped students (14- to 19-years-old). (GW)

The efficacy of training learning disabled (LD) adolescents in social and problem-solving skills was evaluated. While all three groups of adolescents showed increased skill levels following training, LD adolescents demonstrated only a slight gain when compared to non-LD and court adjudicated youths on the cognitive problem-solving skill.…

A study was conducted to demonstrate and evaluate instructional procedures for teaching cooperative leisure skill activities to 23 school-age children with severe learning disabilities. The approach of modeling, social reinfocement, and the availability of cooperative type materials (e.g., games) was effective in facilitating cooperative leisure…

Eight learning disabled children participated in an integrated program of motor and cognitive tasks over a six-month period. Compared to eight control subjects, the treated group showed greater improvement on tests of motor and cognitive skills. A physical activity program can influence basic cognitive as well as motor skills. (Author/RD)

Describes the role of an interdisciplinary team in the assessment of learning disabilities to ensure that the evaluations are comprehensive and nondiscriminatory. Pupil personnel workers play an important role in identifying the diagnostic category which best describes a child's problem and which educational program is appropriate. (JAC)

The effect of auditory free recall on four lists of monosyllabic word ensembles was studied in 10 learning-disabled and 10 nondisabled first grade boys. (Author/PHR)

Discusses the impact national goals, federal legislation, and local reform practices will have on future reform efforts for students with learning disabilities. Twenty-first century predictions are made and indicate the need for effective collaboration processes, with participants making an effort to understand, accept, and/or value different…

Reviews issues concerning learning disabled (LD) students in the college environment, including demographics of this population, related federal legislation, principles underlying policy concerning LD students, distinction between accommodation and privilege for LD students, the uniqueness of each student's needs, and the simple nature of most…

This study compared effects of two approaches to hands-on science, supported inquiry science (SIS) and activity-based science, in six urban and two suburban fourth-grade general education classrooms involving 172 students, 33 of whom had learning disabilities (LD). The study found that students with and without LD demonstrated greater concept…

Thirty-seven college students with learning disabilities were given a reading comprehension task under the following conditions: (1) using an optical character recognition/speech synthesis system; (2) having the text read aloud by a human reader; or (3) reading silently without assistance. Findings indicated that the greater the disability, the…

A review of the research on developing reading comprehension skills in students with learning disabilities found strongest outcomes for teacher-led questioning and self-questioning strategies, text enhancement strategies, and strategies involving basic skills instruction and reinforcement. (DB)

This article describes measures for process assessment of handwriting fluency, spelling, and composition of students with learning or behavioral disabilities. It then discusses common writing problems for these students, and specific process and strategy interventions. (DB)

This study compared the effects of two computer-based writing tools (text-based "FrEd Writer" and graphics-based "Once Upon a Time") on the story-writing skills of nine students (grades four through eight) with language-related learning disabilities. Group results did not clearly favor either tool; however, individual…

The U.S. Secretary of Education describes the Department of Education's READ*WRITE*NOW! Initiative which aims to increase literacy rates by encouraging early and frequent reading as well as summer reading for children and youth, including those with learning disabilities. The need for a closer relationship between research and practice in reading…