Variability of attention to task and its relation to instructional contexts for learning disabled (LD) children was investigated. Subjects were 24 mainstreamed elementary grade LD children. The children's behaviors relating to academic engagement and the situational contexts in which they occurred were observed and coded in both the regular class and the resource room settings. Significant differences in rate of engagement were found for classroom setting, type of instruction, and level of peer involvement. LD students were more academically engaged: in the resource room than in the regular class; during teacher directed instruction than during seatwork in both settings; and when entire class engagement was high. Results indicated that degree of attending is highly related to the context in which it occurs and is not a fixed quality of the child. Implications for the assessment of attentional problems and instructional practices, especially as related to the resource room program, are discussed. (Author/DB)