To increase the number of German employees undergoing rehabilitation rather than retiring early because of medical disabilities, a screening process was developed whereby the pension insurance institutions responsible for administering medical rehabilitation measures would identify persons in need of rehabilitation and urge them to take part. An…

This article describes community-based developmental assessment (CDA) sites as one means for early identification of infants and toddlers with disabilities. At CDA sites, developmentalists assess referred children for developmental status and serve as liaison between the referring physician and the early intervention system. CDA sites are cost…

This article reviews neuroimaging techniques such as cranial ultrasound, computed tomography scanning, and magnetic resonance imaging. Their roles in the care of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities include identification of high-risk infants, establishment of the diagnosis and prognosis in affected children, and enhancement of discussion…

A survey of 1 school district found 136 students (out of 14,229) with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) of which 77 were receiving special education services; 40 were also identified as behavior disordered, 22 as learning disabled, and 7 as mildly mentally retarded. Fifty students were in general education classrooms with resource…

Data on 117 adolescents identified or not identified as having serious emotional disturbance and served by public schools or private psychiatric hospitals indicated that girls were a small proportion of the group identified or served by public school, but made up the majority of the group not identified by schools but served by hospitals.…

The Survey of Teenage Readiness and Neurodevelopmental Status (STRANDS), which includes a questionnaire and structured interview designed to assist in assessing learning problems in high school students, was administered to 54 older adolescents either normally achieving or with learning disabilities. Results provided preliminary support for the…

Examined the effectiveness of a nonbiased computerized language screening test, the Kidtalk Interactive Diagnostic Test of Aptitude for Language Knowledge (KIDTALK), in differentiating children on basis of diagnostic category but not ethnic/linguistic background. Found a significant difference between scores of the language learning disabled and…

Describes the Dyslexia Early Screening Test (DEST) and the Cognitive Profiling System, both normed and designed to be administered to children four years and older. Reliability and validity of the tests are discussed, as well as their use to identify children at risk before they fail. (Author/CR)

Eighty-seven elementary students in grades four, five, and six, were administered a 30-item multiplication instrument to assess performance in computation across grade levels. An interpretation of student performance using error ratio analysis is provided and the use of this method with groups of students for instructional decision making is…

Explores the diagnostic criteria of developmental coordination disorder, a condition that is characterized by motor awkwardness and has a strong association with psychiatric disorders and learning disabilities. Delineates the nature of developmental coordination disorder and discusses its treatment through occupational therapy and cognitive…

An evaluation of 3,469 infants at risk found that of those who showed late onset of canonical babbling, fewer than half had been diagnosed with a medical problem accounting for the delay. A follow-up study found those with delayed canonical babbling had smaller vocabularies at 18, 24, and 30 months. (Author/CR)

This study assessed the psychometric properties of two subscales of the Adelaide Behaviour Disorder Scale that have been hypothesized to describe conduct problems and emotional problems of adults with intellectual disability. Criterion scores for identifying individuals needing clinical intervention were established and validated against…

An assessment of foundation processes was administered to 51 Scottish children with reading difficulties and to 56 reading-level-matched controls. Results suggested the foundation is in place by the reading age of 7 years and that foundation-level dyslexia is identifiable in children with reading difficulty whose reading ages fall below this…

Reviews definitional issues of learning disabilities in the context of the Guckenberger v. Boston University federal lawsuit. Four major questions are addressed: (1) Who is learning disabled?; (2) How should learning disabilities be assessed?; (3) Who is qualified to decide whether or not an individual has a learning disability?; and (4) What…

Discusses the importance of screening infants and toddlers for social-emotional problems and the benefits of using parent-completed questionnaires in the screening process. Six screening tools that rely on parent report, including three experimental tools, are reviewed. Additionally, challenges to screening for social-emotional disorders are…