Describes the needs of adults with learning disabilities and offers recommendations for appropriate environmental and instructional supports for their success in postsecondary education and the workplace. A table matches assistive technologies with learning characteristics and settings. (SK)

Outlines social capital theories in functionalist and Marxist traditions and their implications for people with learning difficulties. Identifies multiple factors influencing their ability to access social capital, including ability/inability to conform to social norms and economic inequities. (SK)

Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, item analysis, and construct and concurrent criterion-related validity of the Writing Essential Skill Screener-Preschool Version were studied using four independent samples of children (ages 4 to 5). The test displayed a high degree of reliability and validity for a brief pre-writing skills screener.…

This case study evaluates the extent to which seven basal mathematics programs for fourth-grade students adhered to salient instructional design criteria when teaching the mathematics skill of subtraction across zeros. Results indicated that across the 1994-1995 mathematics series, only Silver Burdett & Ginn satisfied most criteria. (Author/CR)

The progress of a 12-year-old boy with learning disabilities and severe writing difficulties is followed from initial assessment through instruction in strategies for planning, revising, and managing the composing process using a validated instruction model, Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD). Recommendations for applying the SRSD model to…

Seven students with language and learning disabilities in fourth through eighth grades were interviewed to determine their understanding of and attitudes toward a writing-process instructional approach. Students' attitudes toward this approach were positive but their understanding of prewriting elements and of revising and editing were quite…

Details a tutor's experiences in teaching a 12-year-old gifted student with learning disabilities. The positive effect of allowing the student to choose his own literature and working with his strengths is recounted. The narrative highlights the importance of honoring a student's gifts. (CR)

Examines, from the perspective of the plaintiffs, the 1998 Guckenberger v. Boston University case in which the plaintiffs claimed the university failed to provide reasonable accommodations for students with learning disabilities. The authors view the complex decision as a ruling against the university under the Americans with Disabilities Act,…

Describes the 1998 Guckenberger federal lawsuit from the perspective of attorneys who litigated on behalf of Boston University. Discusses events leading up to the lawsuit (which claimed Boston University failed to provide reasonable accommodations for a student with learning disabilities), policy changes at the university, the trial itself, and…

Research is reviewed on stress, depression, and suicide among adolescents with learning disabilities from the risk resilience perspective. Adolescents with nonverbal learning disabilities and/or those who are less academically adept manifest higher rates of depression. Some evidence also exists to support an increased risk of suicide among this…

A study of 125 elementary students with and without learning disabilities compared effects of concrete to semiconcrete to abstract (CSA) instruction in fraction concept and skills to instruction that was based on textbook curriculum. Students taught fraction concepts and skills in a CSA sequence performed significantly better. (Author/CR)

Two position papers by the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities (NJCLD) present (1) the core competencies needed by regular and special education teachers who work with children with learning disabilities, and (2) recommendations for operationalizing the five constructs underlying the NJCLD definition of learning disabilities for…

Describes the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised and discusses its use in diagnosing learning disabilities or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescents and adults. It addresses ethical and legal issues, the schism of standardized testing vs. modifications, assessment alternatives, and practitioner guidelines. (DB)

Focuses on environmental issues that affect learning disabilities and provides a rationale for learning disabilities as a public health and economic-risk issue. The link between learning disabilities and poverty and the impact of low birth weight and lead poisoning are discussed. Action steps are provided. (CR)

Responding to a previous article written by a college student with learning disabilities (LD), this article discusses cognitive and affective barriers faced by college populations with LD and the need to provide support. The anxiety, alienation, drive to succeed, and "masks" of students with LD are explored. (CR)