The Coping Analysis Schedule for Educational Settings (CASES), an observation instrument to identify students' primary coping or interaction styles, was evaluated with 44 educable mentally retarded (EMR), learning disabled (LD), or normal children (7 to 11 years old). CASES is intended to be a quantitative tool for collecting the data required under Federal guidelines as part of the student placement process. The study also investigated whether CASES could distinguish between learning disabled and other students. Ss were observed on two different days in similar settings by two different observers with results coded into the 19 CASES categories. Among results were the EMR Ss were less resistant and nonconforming than LD Ss and more other directed and task oriented than LD Ss or normal Ss. LD Ss did not differ significantly from normal Ss. CASES did appear to be appropriate and useful as a means of collecting observational data for diagnostic purposes. (DB)