Expressive activities are suggested to help teachers understand the underlying emotional problems of learning-disabled children. Activities include the teacher-made questionnaire, the sentence completion exercise, the student-made autobiography, and student drawings of self and family. (DB)

Discusses the progressive movement which brought about curriculum differentiation in the form of special classes in the Atlanta, Georgia, Public Schools during the period 1898-1923. Examines a number of recent interpretations of curriculum differentiation through an analysis of the establishment of Atlanta's first special classes. (KO)

Introduces ecological framework for assessment and rehabilitation planning of learning disabled persons to facilitate integration of information and perspectives. Operationalizes framework through four dimensions: individual attributes; environmental attributes; nature, quality, and sequence of interactions; and perceptions of involved…

This article discusses definitional differences, survey data, and studies relevant to the question of a discernible hearing-impaired, learning-disabled subgroup. The existence of such a group is a subject of speculation, and diagnostic difficulties and the inadequacies of current standardized testing procedures have prevented the formation and…

The literature on the critical role of parents in the education of children with severe learning difficulties is discussed in the context of playgroups and nursery schools, language training, home-school contacts, teaching by parents, and school leaving. (DB)

This paper discusses theories and techniques of motivation in the context of special education. Cognitive, need/drive and instinct theories are discussed, as are contributing factors such as self-concept and anxiety. Classroom techniques such as peer tutoring and intrinsic vs. extrinsic reinforcement are considered in terms of these theories. (PB)

The article raises concerns about educational approaches which rely heavily on extrinsic reinforcers and offers instructional guidelines to promote intrinsic motivation in children with learning problems. Stressed is the importance of mediational dynamics between teacher and student in the learning process. (DB)

The paper traces the histories of several language disorders and the recommended educational treatment for them. It covers the historical events in medicine and education that have contributed to the confusion in relation to aphasia, dyslexia, and perceptual-motor disorders. (JDD)

Results are reported from research which evaluated a program designed to teach learning disabled students to outline text material. Students (aged 15-17) received instruction on selecting important ideas, seeing the relationship of subordinate details to superordinate points, and organizing information in a traditional format. (IAH)

A comparison of 44 semi-rural learning-disabled postsecondary-age youth with 64 urban nonlearning-disabled same-age peers found significantly higher dropout rates and significantly lower basic skills competency levels among the learning-disabled youth. No differences were found between learning-disabled graduates and dropouts in terms of…

This research focuses on problems involved in identifying children who are both gifted and learning disabled (GLD). The state of the art is demonstrated by surveying procedures in use in Texas by special education and gifted programs. Results yield characteristics of GLD children that are consistent with observations in the literature. (Author/PB)

Many learning-disabled students experience social skill problems which call for training to promote success in school, work, and social settings. Social skill problems fall into three categories: skill deficits, performance deficits, and behavioral excesses. Interventions generally focus on increasing the individual's repertoire of skills, using…

This paper describes cooperative learning techniques, outlines outcomes from cooperative learning, and discusses factors in cooperative learning that impact on its effectiveness with learning-disabled adolescents: interdependent goal structure, individual accountability, group composition, group size, physical arrangement, accommodation of diverse…

Learning-disabled elementary-school students (n=126) who received computerized math and spelling drill-and-practice for a year expressed more positive attitudes toward academic work on the computer than toward similar academic tasks. They also reported more favorable opinions toward academic work than did 89 learning-disabled students not using…

The study assessed elementary students' (N=680) preferences concerning special instruction for learning difficulties. Results of student interviews indicated children's preferences for in-class and pull-out services were affected by the service delivery model they experienced though most children preferred to receive additional help from their…