This study demonstrates the utility of integrating birth certificate record data with an existing disability-tracking database for the purpose of evaluating early identification efforts. The authors examined referral rates of preschool-age children for several known disability risk factors. Low birthweight, low maternal education, and prematurity…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) was reauthorized by the U.S. Congress in 2004, yet ongoing regulatory efforts are required to determine its operationalization and implementation. Of particular concern to school psychologists and others involved in the educational process are the guidelines for identification of…

The existing literature demonstrates that children who are referred by their teachers as presenting with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties in schools are least likely of all children with difficulties to be included in their community school. Two common obstacles to their inclusion have been identified and discussed in the literature: a…

On December 3, 2004, President Bush signed into law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004). The revised law is different from the previous version in at least one important respect. Whereas practitioners were previously encouraged to use IQ-achievement discrepancy to identify children with learning disabilities…

This digest presents basic information for those providing educational services to children with dyslexia who have phonological core deficits. First it provides a brief overview, noting the incidence of dyslexia and the large number of these children with phonological deficits which result in far less academic progress than experienced by other…

This final report describes activities and accomplishments of the Vermont State Project for Children and Youth with Deaf-Blindness, a 3-year federally supported project to provide statewide services, training, and technical assistance to Vermont children (birth to age 21) with deaf-blindness, their families, and service providers. Throughout the…

This report describes activities and accomplishments of the Oregon Project for Services to Children and Youth with Deaf-Blindness, a 3-year federally supported project to ensure effective educational services for this population and provide support for families and service providers. The project focused on: (1) identifying additional children with…

This briefing paper uses a question-and-answer format to provide basic information about children with attention deficit disorder (ADD). Questions address the following concerns: nature and incidence of ADD; causes of ADD; signs of ADD (impulsivity, hyperactivity, disorganization, social skill deficits); the diagnostic ADD assessment; how to…

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were differences between learning disabled and nonlearning disabled students in skill areas and total scores on the Brigance K & 1 Screen for Kindergarten and First Grade. The study investigated whether students with learning disabilities would show significant weaknesses in language-based…

This report summarizes characteristics of students with disabilities in the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS:88), which conducted a base-year survey in 1988 of all U.S. public and private schools containing eighth grades, followed up at 2-year intervals in 1990, 1992, and 1994. Among general observations are the following: (1) students…

This newsletter issue discusses the results of a survey of 242 Family and Youth Service Bureau agencies that investigated the number of youth (ages 16-21) with disabilities served, and the incidence of and response to youth who did not have an identified disability, but whom staff may have suspected had an underlying learning, emotional, or other…

This material is designed to help faculty understand the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). A brief overview notes three key considerations: the definition of disability, reasonable accommodation, and undue hardship, and then discusses faculty liability and responsibility for discriminatory acts. The balance of the…

The Texas Interagency Council on Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) serves 23,000 children a year and funds 71 comprehensive programs and 12 Milestones programs throughout Texas. Comprehensive programs offer a variety of services to help families who have babies and toddlers with disabilities or delays, providing services in the home or integrated…

This paper presents a cognitive model of reading disability that looks at how the disability develops across the age and grade span and how it relates to the process of reading acquisition in normal-achieving readers. The model uses the metaphor of a "road map," which identifies the normal road to proficient reading through six phases: visual-cue…

The National Adult Literacy and Learning Disabilities (NALLD) Center identified as a major goal the design of a tool kit for literacy practitioners. In addition to training materials, the tool kit would provide specific information on instruments and intervention techniques to help identify and teach adults with specific learning disabilities. The…