The commentary on three papers (EC 231 669-671) concerned with individual differences in special education notes agreement on the lack of empirical evidence that educational techniques specially adapted to characteristics of the learner differentially enhance learning. Stressed is the importance of the learner's ecological context--cultural,…

Models of working memory were compared in 2 experiments as means of explaining variance in the comprehension of 95 skilled and 80 learning-disabled readers from grades 4 through 7. Results suggest that learning-disabled children's working memory problems are functionally related to higher order processes and not memory alone. (SLD)

Examined, over a 10-year span, continuity in individual differences in cross-modal transfer to visually recognized shapes that had previously been felt but not seen. Found that cross-modal performance showed a left-hand advantage at 11 years. Cross-age correlations were significant when tactual exploration at 11 years was done with the left hand.…

Differentiated instruction is an umbrella concept that allows teachers to pull together many disparate messages about multicultural education, alternative teaching and learning strategies, alternative assessments, learning styles, and standards. Developing a range of instructional strategies represents a fine tuning, not a new instrument. (MLH)

Compared exploratory, symbolic, and social play and interaction of Argentine and U.S. 20-month olds and their mothers. Found patterns of cultural similarity in sex differences and differences in the use of exploratory and symbolic play. Overall, Argentine and U.S. dyads used different modes of exploration, representation, and interaction,…

Tested model relating girls' pubertal timing to mothers' history of psychopathology, mediated by family discord and father absence/stepfather presence. Found that mothers' history of mood disorders predicted earlier daughters' puberty, with the relation fully mediated by dyadic stress and biological father absence. Stepfather presence best…

A study investigated the relationship between speech production and several demographic and developmental factors in 147 children (ages 14-60 months) with hearing impairments. Significant predictors of speech intelligibility and phonetic inventory included the child's age, expressive language ability, degree of hearing loss, mode of communication,…

Examines the between-teacher differences in students' mathematics progress in two studies in London (England), one involving 776 Year 1 students and the other involving 22 schools and 28 teachers. The more of the mathematics curriculum teachers covered, the greater the progress made by students. (SLD)

Investigated individual variation in child vocabulary competence, evaluating mothers' sociodemographics, personalities, and vocabulary and children's' gender, social competence, and vocabulary competence. Specific aspects of children and mothers accounted for variation in child vocabulary knowledge and use. Child's gender and social competence and…

Data gathered over 17 years was used to assess 36 childhood risk factors for personality disorder in young adults (original sample of 776 children). Prediction was shown to be better for girls than boys, and for girls, better over a younger age span. Effects of individual risks are explored. (SLD)

Assesses the relationship of Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning scores to Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children II and Woodcock-Johnson-Revised results in three groups: (1) learning disabled children with reading difficulties; (2) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder children; and (3) nonhandicapped referred children. Total sample…

Assessed coping and stress of primiparous mothers between 7 months of pregnancy and 12 months postpartum; maternal behavior between 1 and 12 months postpartum; and infant development at 12 months. Found that measures of mothers' coping and cognitive appraisals of parenting showed systematic variations over time, and individual differences among…

Reports on an empirical study of how end-users utilize an online bibliographic information system available on the World Wide Web by analyzing the use of a union catalog of academic libraries in Norway. Discusses how hypertext links affect search behavior and considers individual differences in search behavior and problem solving. Interview…

Presents two chain-of-choices models, one for adoptive parents and one for birth parents and adoptees, as possible frameworks within which to consider the role of individual differences, choices, and selections in understanding the process of adoption and adoption outcomes. Discusses the research and practice implications following from the…

In order to examine the influence of interactive media on children's story memory, first-grade children experienced a computer-based story in one of four presentation modes, two of which were interactive. In the interaction groups, there was no relation between the amount of interaction with the story and subsequent memory. (Author)