This article proposes use of a life-span developmental perspective in research on adults with learning disabilities. Considerations for incorporating such essential concepts as mediating variables, context, and age-span phases into research on this population are discussed. (DB)

Research indicates that students with learning disabilities may experience significant difficulty with taking notes during teacher lectures. Approaches for helping students include task accommodations (such as taping the lectures or purchasing notes) and notetaking skill/strategy instruction (such as paraphrasing, outlining, using abbreviations,…

Presents case of fourth-grade boy with learning disability that keeps him from being able to read at his own ability level. Examples of the student's writing (prose and poetry) are included. Presents steps in plan to encourage student to continue writing and to improve in his ability to write. (NB)

Describes Green Chimneys, therapeutic residential farm education and treatment center where animals help troubled children and adolescents. Contends that human-animal bond can promote learning and that nurturing animals and receiving back unconditional attention and love reestablishes the worth of the child. Describes residents of the program, a…

Discusses the definition of cooperative learning; cooperative-learning groups and learning disabilities; cooperative-learning methods used in reading and in writing; and perspectives on cooperative-learning groups. (RS)

Achievement and intelligence test scores of a nonclinical sample of adopted and nonadopted Colorado children were compared at 7 years of age (n=415) and 12 years of age (n=230). Results provided little or no evidence for an increased risk of learning disabilities in "easily placed" adopted children. (Author/JDD)

Expectations for the future of students with mental retardation (n=93), learning disabilities (n=158), or students without disabilities (n=178), were examined. Students with mental retardation were significantly less hopeful than were their peers with learning disabilities or without disabilities. Students with learning disabilities were less…

Discusses the challenges of sexuality education for students with specific learning disabilities and reviews the content of a program designed to teach human sexuality to this population. The critical role of parents/families is discussed, a course outline is provided, and a list of possible resources is given. (Author/CR)

A study examined the utility of the Mathematics Strategy Training for Educational Remediation (MASTER) program for teaching 42 students with learning disabilities and 42 others with mild mental retardation. Results showed that use of the self-instruction program resulted in significant improvement over the general-instruction program. (Author/CR)

Describes a technique for helping children learn the names of the letters of the alphabet. In the Alphabet Mnemonic System, each alphabet letter is assigned a phrase that will cue the learner to recall the name of the letter. A table is provided of the mnemonic alphabet cues. (CR)

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act forbids discrimination on the basis of learning disability, institutions of higher learning must establish academic achievement standards. A recent case ("Guckenberger v. Boston University") involving course substitutions for a foreign-language requirement illustrates this point. Boston…

Introduces an instructional program designed to teach students with learning disabilities to identify a story theme and relate it to their own real-life experiences. The program focuses on understanding a text as a whole, and integrating text meaning with concepts and experiences that are personally meaningful. (Author/CR)

In the July 1997 issue of "Journal of Law and Education" (EJ 552 042), three professors describe Disorder of Written Expression (DWE) and prescribe that law schools must create appropriate accommodations for students with DWE which do not alter school's basic program of instruction. Reviews this argument, introduces counterpoint (EA 535…

Examined effects of instructing students to read silently as another person reads aloud on comprehension in secondary students with learning disabilities. Fast and slow treatment conditions were implemented with a silent-reading control condition. Differences in results on literal and inferential questions and their implications are discussed.…

This study investigated the hypothesis that examining student performance one time in spring is an adequate method of assessing the effects of long summer breaks or the need for an extended school year. Performance and progress of students with mild mental handicaps varied from students with learning disabilities. (Author/EMK)