To honor the founder of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities, William M. Cruickshank, this collection of essays reflects a range of perspectives on the "state of the art" in learning disabilities, documenting both commonalties and differences across countries. After an introduction, essays include: (1) "The Lives and Careers of Bill and Dorothy Cruickshank" (Doris Johnson and Barbara Keogh); (2) "Neurobiological Basis of Learning Disabilities" (Michelle Y. Kibby and George W. Hynd); (3) "Comorbid ADHD and Learning Disabilities: Diagnosis, Special Education, and Intervention" (Ronald A. Kotkin and others); (4) "Social Functioning of Students with Learning Disabilities" (Dheepa Sridhar and Sharon Vaughn); (5) "Using Assessment To Account for and Promote Strong Outcomes for Students with Learning Disabilities" (Lynn S. Fuchs and Douglas Fuchs); (6) "Strategic Learning in Students with Learning Disabilities: What Have We Learned?" (Lynn Meltzer and Marjorie Montague); (7) "Structure and Effective Teaching" (Margaret P. Weiss and John Wills Lloyd); (8) "The Concept of the Least Restrictive Environment and Learning Disabilities: Least Restrictive of What? Reflections on Cruickshank's 1977 Guest Editorial for the 'Journal of Learning Disabilities'" (Jean B. Crockett and James M. Kauffman); (9) "Learning Disabilities: A Life Span Approach" (Paul J. Gerber); (10) "Learning Disabilities in Australia" (John Elkins); (11) "Learning Disabilities in Canada" (Bernice Y. L. Wong and Nancy Hutchinson); (12) "Learning Disabilities in Germany: A Retrospective Analysis, Current Status and Future Trends" (Gunther Opp); (13) "British Orientations to Specific Learning Difficulties" (K. Wedell); (14) "Learning Disabilities in Japan" (Masayoshi Tsuge); (15) "Learning Disabilities in the Netherlands" (Luc M. Stevens and Wim van Werkhoven); (16) "Reading Disabilities in Scandinavia" (Ingvar Lundberg and Torleiv Hoien); (17) "Learning Disabilities Studies in South America" (Lusi Bravo-Valdivieso and Neva Milicic Muller); and (18) "The Challenge of International Research in Learning Disabilities" (Susan A. Vogel). (Chapters include references.) (CR)