Questionnaires were completed by parents and fifth- and sixth-grade children (1,180 healthy, 151 chronically ill, 54 hyperactive, and 54 with severe vision or hearing impairments). The instruments were designed to measure three types of value: utility value (how important success at a task is for achieving future goals); attainment value (the degree that success on a task confirms one's values and identity); and intrinsic value (inherent enjoyment of or interest in a task). One-way and two-way analyses of variance, and planned comparisons were performed, with results computed for the group as a whole and for each sex separately. In general, results suggested a pattern whereby hyperactive Ss view academics as less useful and less important to their identity than the other groups. Chronically ill Ss for the most part paralleled the healthy Ss. Ss with severe vision and hearing deficits, especially the girls, consistently scored higher on the value constructs. Findings suggest that there may be differences in the extent to which children with health problems value what they are learning in school. Further, since belief in the usefulness of academic pursuits and their importance to self concept is associated with achievement behavior, such attitudes may be linked to lower achievement in chronically ill and hyperactive students. Three pages of references and numerous tables and graphs are included. (CL)