Pragmatic language skills are important for developing relationships with others, and for communicating with a range of interlocutors in a variety of contexts, including preschool and elementary school classrooms. Pragmatic language difficulties frequently are a primary area of disability for children diagnosed with autism, Asperger's syndrome,…

Background: While researchers have attempted to address the difficulties of diagnosing affective disorders in the intellectually disabled population, diagnosing bipolar disorder in an individual with severe intellectual disability (ID) remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to identify what symptoms can predict a diagnosis of mania in the…

This booklet provides basic information regarding attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD), in their separate modalities, with hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Explanations are offered concerning short attention span, impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, and beginning new activities before completing the previous one. Theories…

Use of the Slingerland Screening Tests to detect auditory, visual, and kinesthetic handicaps among children in the classroom is advocated in reference to implementation of Tennessee Public Law 839 which mandates educational services for handicapped persons 4 to 20 years of age. (JC)

Learning disabilities are a health threat because they prevent a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and they should be treated with a variety of remedial strategies reflecting their multiple causes. (MB)

The study investigated the effectiveness of three instruments in discriminating 20 autistic from 20 trainable mentally retarded children (ages 3-12): Autism Screening Instrument for Educational Planning (ASIEP), Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), and Diagnostic Checklist for Behavior Disordered Children. The CARS and ASIEP provided for a…

Examines referral information for 269 learning disabled students in grades one through five. Referral reasons were classified as academic, behavior, and academic and behavior and were analyzed according to particular concern (e.g., reading deficits, attentional problems, etc.). The majority of students were referred for either academic or both…

Advantages and disadvantages of behavior rating scales and observation systems are presented, followed by preliminary validity data for the Mayes Hyperactivity Observation System, a clinically feasible system to identify preschool children with both Attention Deficit Disorder and Hyperactivity. Hyperactive and normal children were identified with…

The debate over expanding the legal definition of behavior disorders to include social maladjustment is presented; both sides of the issue are addressed including such aspects as confusion in terms, unclear incidence figures difficulty in identification, and legal and ethical ramifications. (CL)

Evaluation of the relationship between hyperactivity and learning difficulties in 1,593 Australian elementary students indicated twice as many males as females with learning difficulties; 11% of the sample were hyperactive; 41% of the subjects with learning difficulties were also hyperactive; and 3.2% of all subjects had both hyperactivity and…

The article examines reasons for over-referral of language minority students for learning disabilities placement including misinterpretation of problem behaviors stemming from linguistic or cultural differences and stresses the importance of documenting prior interventions to distinguish differences from handicapping conditions. (DB)

The study applied a standard-score and regression-analysis procedure to achievement-potential discrepancy data for new learning disability placements of about 90 (LD) learning disabled students. Results indicated that only two-thirds of the initially placed students exhibited a severe discrepancy suggesting the frequent placement of slow learners…

Problem-behavior rating scale data on elementary-aged learning disabled and normal boys were factor analyzed. Somewhat different factors were identified for normal and learning disabled groups. Implications of the findings for hyperactivity as distinct from other conduct problems and for classifying youngsters' behavior and emotional problems are…

Results of the study indicate that much of the variance among states in terms of numbers of handicapped students identified and use of special versus mainstreamed placement is accounted for by the amount of financial resources states and locals commit to education, a state's minority enrollment, and the number of children living in poverty.…

Three standardized language assessment measures (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised, Test of Early Language Development, and the Preschool Language Scale) were individually administered to 25 nonreferred, White, middle-class preschoolers. Correlations among the three measures were statistically significant suggesting an interrelationship of…