bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Verbal and Visual Problems in Reading Disability
Authors: Eden Guinevere F. , Stein John F. , Wood Maria H. , Wood Frank B.
Published: December 2008

Most individuals interested in reading disability favor the view that disordered language processing is the main cause of children's reading problems and that visual problems are seldom, if ever, responsible. Nevertheless, in a preliminary study (Eden, Stein, & Wood, 1993) we showed that visuospatial and oculomotor tests can be used to differentiate children with reading disabilities from nondisabled children. In the present study we investigated a larger sample of children to see if these findings held true. Using 93 children from the Bowman Gray Learning Disability Project (mean age = 11.3 years; 54 boys, 39 girls), we compared the phonological and visuospatial abilities of nondisabled children (children whose reading at fifth grade rated a Woodcock-Johnson reading standardized score between 85 and 115), and children with reading disability (whose reading standardized score was below 85 on the Woodcock-Johnson). In addition to performing poorly on verbal tests, the children with reading disability were significantly worse than nondisabled children at many visual and eye-movement tasks. A high proportion of the variance (68%) in reading ability of both the nondisabled children and those with reading disability could be predicted by combining visual and phonological scores in a multiple regression. These results provide further support for the hypothesis that reading disability may, to some extent, result from dysfunction of the visual and oculomotor systems.
Impaired Recognition of Traffic Signs in Adults With Dyslexia
Authors: Z. Brachacki Gregory W. , Nicolson Roderick I. , Fawcett Angela J.
Published: December 2008

Ten adults with dyslexia (4 women and 6 men, mean age: 26.8 years, range: 19–43 years) and 11 controls (5 women and 6 men, mean age: 20.5 years, range: 18–29 years) were tested on their ability to differentiate between real and false traffic signs. The stimuli, computer-presented color pictures, were chosen to minimize the applicability of verbal or written linguistic skills to the task. The adults with dyslexia recognized the traffic signs significantly less well than did the controls. Furthermore, whereas for the controls there was a significant correlation between traffic sign recognition and driving experience, no such correlation was found for the adults with dyslexia. The results are interpreted in terms of a deficit in implicit learning.
Subtle Symptoms Associated with Self-Reported Mild Head Injury
Authors: Segalowitz Sidney J. , Lawson Sheila
Published: December 2008

We conducted a survey on the relationship between mild head injury incidence and a variety of psychological and educational symptoms in a sample of 1,345 high school and 2,321 university students. Once figures were adjusted to represent a 50:50 gender ratio, 30% to 37% of subjects reported having experienced a head injury incident, with 12% to 15% of the total group of subjects reporting such an incident with loss of consciousness. We found significant relationships between the incidence of such mild head injury and gender, sleep difficulties, social difficulties, handedness pattern, and diagnoses of attention deficit, depression, and speech, language, and reading disorders.
Topical Issues Education
Authors: Leigh James E. , Huntze Sharon L. , Lamorey Suzanne
Published: December 2008

This study investigated the extent to which a sample of 407 special education teachers addressed various topical issues with students who have learning disabilities, mental retardation, or behavior disorders. A survey instrument was employed to gather information pertaining to 45 topical issues that involve controversial or sensitive subjects typically not addressed in the traditional academic curriculum in school. Results indicated that the majority of topical issues are addressed only to a very limited extent with students with disabilities. A 3 · 2 factorial analysis of variance, followed by post hoc comparisons using Scheffe's test, indicated that topical issues are addressed to the greatest extent with students with behavior disorders and to the least extent with students with learning disabilities. Results also indicated differences in the extent to which elementary- and secondary-level students with disabilities receive information from special education teachers about topical issues, with a greater emphasis on coverage of topical issues occurring at the secondary level. Possible explanations for the findings are discussed, followed by implications for special education teachers and recommendations for future research involving topical issues education for students with learning disabilities.
Self-Perceptions and Social Comparisons Among Children with LD
Authors: Smith Deborah S. , Nagle Richard J.
Published: December 2008

The self-perceptions of third- and fourth-grade children with learning disabilities (LD; n = 59) and nondisabled students (n = 57) were compared using the Self-Perception Profile for Learning Disabled Students. Results suggested that the children with LD perceived themselves as less competent than did the controls in the areas of intelligence, academic skills, behavior, and social acceptance. These differences were not related to the length of time subjects with LD had received special education services. Contrary to expectations, subjects' self-perceptions were not affected by whether they chose LD or general education class peers as a reference group.
The Impact of Adults' Communication Clarity Versus Communication Deviance on Adolescents with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Shields John D. , Green Robert J. , B. Cooper Bruce A. , Ditton Patricia
Published: December 2008

Research has demonstrated that confusing styles of parental communication—"communication deviances" (CD)—are associated with cognitive disorder in offspring. The present study examined the immediate effects of adult communication clarity versus deviance on sixty-one 11- to 15-year-old male and female adolescents with learning disabilities (LD). Subjects were randomly assigned to complete the Rorschach Arrangement Task (RorAT) under conditions of either clear (n = 30) or unclear (n = 31) instructions from an adult. Immediately thereafter, the adolescents were administered a test of abstract thinking–-The Twenty Questions Task (TQT). Strategies used to solve the task were assessed. As hypothesized, adolescents in the clear communication condition performed significantly better on the RorAT and used more efficient cognitive strategies on the TQT than did adolescents in the unclear communication condition. A new theory with implications for teaching and parenting is proposed for understanding the influence of adult communication on students with LD.
Pupils with Special Needs
Authors: Morris Lynda , Watt Joyce , Wheatley Pamela
Published: December 2008

The distinction between ordinary and special schooling in Scotland was effectively erased by the Education (Scotland) Act of 1981. This Act recognizes that any pupil who requires extra support to succeed in a regular classroom is a child who has special education needs. Presently, all pupils who, for whatever reason, do not cope successfully at school are collectively referred to as children with learning difficulties. The term “learning difficulties” reflects a broader spectrum of problems than those characteristically found in the category of learning disabilities used in the United States. In cases of dyslexia, the term “specific learning difficulties” (a subgroup of learning difficulties) is also used. All special education provision is based on individual needs. A child's needs are interpreted in relation to a continuum of special education needs and in the context of his or her unique environment. For pupils with learning difficulties, the needs-assessment process is typically informal and rarely results in an official record of need being opened for them. A description of Grampian Region, one of the larger administrative units in northern Scotland, reveals how special educational practice is organized to respond to pupils with learning difficulties in the current educational climate.
Looking Through Other Lenses and Listening to Other Voices
Authors: Poplin Mary S.
Published: December 2008

The articles in this special series have drawn on publications and research outside the traditional special education literature in order to take a fresh look at learning disabilities. The authors have sought to use these different lenses and to listen to different voices, including student voices, to examine our current assumptions---theoretical, practical, and legal. Some of the authors have stood back and asked difficult questions about what purposes are served by the field of learning disabilities in the larger context of schooling and society. On the other hand, many of the authors have sought to get closer to children and youth who are labeled learning disabled and to get a better view from the tiny, yet critical, moments that make up a life and a classroom. Together these telescopic and microscopic views offer us ways to challenge our assumptions and practices, and ways to create new ones.
Escaping the Cave to Dream New Dreams
Authors: Denti Louis G. , Katz Michael S.
Published: December 2008

This essay is predicated on two beliefs: (a) that special educators must critically examine the dominant view of reality undergirding the field of learning disabilities to see the false images built into it, and (b) we must seek a new, empowering vision of the purposes of education as we move into the twenty-first century. The purpose of the article is to analyze how the dominant image of reality in the field of learning disabilities is derived from the diagnostic model, and to propose an alternative, normative conception of education that emphasizes the importance of caring, social relatedness, and community participation.
Multiple Intelligences and Underachievement
Authors: Hearne Dixon , Stone Suki
Published: December 2008

The field of learning disabilities, like education in the main, is undergoing calls for reform and restructuring, an upheaval brought on in great part by the forces of opposing paradigms---reductionism and constructivism. In reexamining our past, we must begin to address the failures of traditional deficit models and their abysmally low “cure” rate. Several new theories have arisen that challenge traditional practices in both general and special education classrooms. Particularly influential has been the work of Howard Gardner, whose theory of multiple intelligences calls for a restructuring of our schools to accommodate modes of learning and inquiry with something other than deficit approaches. At least some current research in the field of learning disabilities has begun to focus on creativity and nontraditional strengths and talents that have not been well understood or highly valued by the schools. In this article, we briefly summarize the findings in our search for the talents of students labeled learning disabled, evidence of their abilities, implications of these for the schools, and a beginning set of practical recommendations.
Phonological Awareness and Beginning Reading
Authors: Majsterek David J. , Ellenwood Audrey E.
Published: December 2008

Experimental phonological synthesis and analysis tasks were administered to children in the spring preceding their kindergarten entry. End-of-kindergarten, end-of-first-grade, and end-of-second-grade measures of beginning reading were collected for the group of 76 children (39 boys, 37 girls). Screening data for the 76 children were correlated with interim measures and standardized reading-performance measures that were administered at the end of second grade. The first experimental task, a phonological-synthesis task (sound blending), was significantly related to most of the interim and outcome measures. The phonological analysis task (rhyme detection) was related to fewer measures of beginning reading.
The Social Construction of Ability and Disability
Authors: Ruiz Nadeen T.
Published: December 2008

Bilingual students' language and literacy skills were compared across three classroom events in a special day classroom for students with language learning disabilities. Events ranged from the teacher-structured, formal class openings to the informal, peer-structured sociodramatic play. Results showed that certain contextual features were associated with enhanced student performance, whereas others were associated with communicative breakdowns and problems with literacy tasks. This ethnographic study, in conjunction with other naturalistic research on bilingual special education classrooms, undergirds the Optimal Learning Environment (OLE) Project by identifying effective instructional contexts for bilingual students identified as having language learning disabilities.
Friendship and Literacy Through Literature
Authors: Palincsar Annemarie Sullivan , Parecki Andrea DeBruin , McPhail Jean C.
Published: December 2008

The exploratory research reported in this article was designed to determine the processes and outcomes of planning thematic literacy instruction in a holistic and contextualized manner. The work was conducted in an upper-elementary, self-contained setting for students identified as learning disabled. Specifically, the instructional activities included (a) interactive readings from literature on friendship, (b) personal written responses to the literature, (c) supported retellings of the literature, (d) performance related to the literature, and (e) journal writing on the topic of friendship. The outcomes are reported in terms of the use of intertextuality over the course of the 6-week unit, the emergence of theme as a salient feature in literature, and a change in the children's conceptions of friendship. More specific literacy outcomes are captured in case studies of 3 children.
A Study of the Effects of an Inclusion Model on Students with Specific Learning Disabilities
Authors: Banerji Madhabi , Dailey Ronald A.
Published: December 2008

The effects of an inclusion program in Grades 2 to 5 were examined in a three-part study focusing, respectively, on the academic and affective outcomes of fifth-grade students who were normally achieving (NA) or showed specific learning disabilities (SLD); teacher and parent perceptions of SLD and NA students' growth in an inclusion context for Grades 2 to 4; and an analysis of anecdotal records. Findings suggested that students with SLD made some academic and affective gains at a pace comparable to that of NA students; parent and teacher surveys indicated improved self-esteem in students with SLD, and, in some cases, improved motivation. Anecdotal data suggested reduced stigma for students with SLD.
A Mexican Perspective on Learning Disabilities
Authors: Fletcher Todd V. , Lopez Cynthia Klingler Kaufman de
Published: December 2008

Editor's Comment: In the June/July 1992 issue of the Journal of Learning Disabilities (Vol. 25, No. 6), we began our special International Perspective on Learning Disabilities series (see that issue for an introduction to the series). To date, we have published perspectives from Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Colombia, Italy, Scotland, and Portugal, and two different perspectives from the United States. In this issue, Todd Fletcher and Cynthia Klingler Kaufman de Lopez present their perspective on learning disabilities in Mexico.

This is an ongoing series, and manuscripts from several countries are in progress. Individuals wishing to contribute a manuscript for the special series should contact Dr. George Hynd, University of Georgia, School of Professional Studies, 570 Aderhold Hall, Athens, GA 30602, or the Special Series Editor, Doreen Kronick, 221 Broadway Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 1W1. Readers' comments are welcome.—JLW

Given the worldwide trend toward the integration of children with special needs into the general school system, and the Program for Educational Modernization (1989-1994) in Mexico, Mexican educators have had to reassess the politics of special education, focusing on different service delivery models. One model, Integrated Groups, which has been functioning since the 1970s and is primarily for children with learning and language disabilities, is described. New legislation recently enacted recognizes and encourages the collaboration of general education and special education to meet the needs of all children. During the school year 1994-1995, the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP; the Mexican centralized public school system) is piloting, in Mexico City, a proposal for the integration of children into the general classroom. This new model of service delivery is designed to provide greater site-based approaches to the education of individuals with learning disabilities.
Linking the Needs of Students with Learning Disabilities to a Whole Language Curriculum
Authors: MacInnis Carole , Hemming Heather
Published: December 2008

Editor's Comment: In this issue we continue with the four-part special series on a constructivist view of learning disabilities. For an overview of this special series, see Dr. Mary Poplin's Introduction in the August/September 1995 issue (Volume 28, Number 7) of the Journal of Learning Disabilities.—JLW

As a curricular approach to language arts instruction, whole language has gained prominence in the last decade. Many researchers and practitioners working in the field of learning disabilities have questioned the appropriateness of whole language for students considered to be learning disabled. In this article a rationale is presented for how the whole language approach provides the type of environment that is particularly suitable for these students. This is developed by analyzing the documented characteristics of these learners and the implications of those characteristics within a whole language curriculum.
The Assurance of Things Hoped for
Authors: Kau Ina J.
Published: December 2008

This article describes the experience of first- and second-grade students as they put together the pieces of literacy knowledge necessary for each to discover a writing process that produces readable work. Woven into the description is the unfolding of the author's own understanding of how to help her students make sense of the literacy code.
Valuing Differences
Authors: DuCharme Catherine C.
Published: December 2008

The author of this essay shares her personal experiences as a teacher of young children, and her professional approach to facilitating growth in unique children. The author suggests that as educators, our responsibility lies not in explaining differenes in young children or labeling and diagnosing differences, but in responding to those unique differences in the classroom by supporting students and utilizing their strengths. The author suggests that responswe teaching requires educators to listen to children and reflect upon their practice.
Looking Forward
Authors:   VODD Group:, Cousin Patricia Tefft , Diaz Esteban , Flores Barbara , Hernandez José
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this series has been to invite educators involved with individuals with learning disabilities to look through other lenses and listen to other voices. In this article, the authors use a sociocultural perspective of teaching and learning, based on cultural—historical and activity theory, to synthesize the articles of this series and to project where inquiry in the field of learning disabilities might be headed. A model is used to organize the discussion and help illuminate the sociocultural nature of the pathways of ideas, expectations, and activities that either foster or hinder students' school experiences. This final article invites readers to refocus and reframe their conversations about learning disabilities based on the “new visions” that have been presented in this series.
Students with Learning Disabilities in Canadian Colleges and Universities
Authors: Cox Donna Hardy , Klas Leroy D.
Published: December 2008

The authors, both of whom are involved in providing support services to university students with learning disabilities, describe some of the current issues and challenges faced by students, staff, and faculty. Programs and initiatives in some Canadian institutions that have proven to be successful are described, such as a sequential five-step procedure model that directed the delivery of services at the university. Resource and reference lists are also provided.
Community Transition Teams as the Foundation for Transition Services for Youth with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Blalock Ginger
Published: December 2008

This article synthesizes descriptions of and recommendations for community transition teams found in research articles, model project reports, and state department documents. The levels, composition, and functions of transition teams are described. Community-level transition teams are shown to be critical support vehicles for helping communities improve their transition programs for youth and adults with learning or other disabilities. Highlights of the changes generated by community teams illustrate their potential impact; the experiences of team members illustrate the challenges to which future efforts need to respond.
Transition in an Era of Reform
Authors: Bassett Diane S. , Smith Tom E. C.
Published: December 2008

Transition services for students with learning disabilities have not always been a priority in public schools. Although school personnel have long acknowledged the transition needs of students considered to have more severe disabilities, such as mental retardation, physical problems, and emotional disturbance, they do not always consider that students with learning disabilities also need transition programming. The result has been a neglect of these students' transition needs, which has likely contributed to some of the problems experienced by young adults with learning disabilities. This article focuses on the effect of educational reform on transition services for students with learning disabilities. General education reform—fueled by some of the critical reports of the 1980s — inclusion, and some of the more recent efforts to reform public education (namely, Goals 2000) are all discussed as they relate to the transition needs of students with learning disabilities.
Post—High School Employment: A Follow-Up of Apache Native American Youth
Authors: Ramasamy Rangasamy
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to assess the post–high school employment status of Apache Native American youth. In 1992, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 106 former high school students who exited from Alchesay High School between 1988 and 1992. Fourteen students who received special education services and 19 who received general education were employed. The remaining 38 special education students and 35 general education students expressed various reasons for their unemployment. The unemployed Apache youth stated that their lives would be better off if they had suitable employment. Results are discussed in light of their cultural implications for employment and the transition mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Risk Factors for Substance Use by Mexican American Youth With and Without Learning Disabilities
Authors: Katims David S. , Zapata Jesse T. , Yin Zenong
Published: December 2008

This survey study was designed to (a) investigate the prevalence of minor and major substance use among low socioeconomic status elementary and middle school Mexican American students identified with learning disabilities (LD; n = 150) and without LD ( n = 150), and (b) identify psychosocial and environmental risk factors that may lead to the use of various substances among both non-learning disabled (non-LD) students and students with LD in an all–Mexican American sample. No differences were found in the use of substances between the two groups. Risk factors that were found to influence the use of minor substances for students identified as learning disabled, as opposed to the non-LD students, included use of substances by close friends and susceptibility to peer influence. Risk factors that were found to affect the use of major substances for students identified as learning disabled, as opposed to the non-LD students, included the number of minor substances used and stressful life events. Findings are discussed in the context of differing pathways leading to the use of substances for non-LD students and students with LD within an intraethnic group study.
Social Skill Deficits and Learning Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kavale Kenneth A. , Forness Steven R.
Published: December 2008

Over the past 15 years, increased attention has been directed at social skills and their relationship to learning disabilities. Using the methods of meta-analysis, this investigation explores the nature of social skill deficits among students with learning disabilities. Across 152 studies, quantitative synthesis shows that, on average, about 75% of students with learning disabilities manifest social skill deficits that distinguish them from comparison samples. Approximately the same level of group differentiation is found across different raters (teachers, peers, self) and across most dimensions of social competence. Although social skill deficits appear to be an integral part of the learning disability experience, a number of questions about the relationship between learning disability and social skill deficits remain unanswered. Until these questions are answered, social skill deficits are best viewed as one among many elements of the learning disability constellation, and no significant definitional changes related to social skill deficits appear warranted.
An Examination of Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Language Learning Disabilities: A Clinical Study
Authors: Javorsky James
Published: December 2008

This study examined the performance of 96 youth hospitalized at an acute-care psychiatric hospital on a battery of language measures. The participants were separated into four groups: (a) participants with language learning disabilities (LLD; n = 14), (b) participants with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 26), (c) participants with both ADHD and LLD (ADHD/LLD; n = 18), (d) participants with neither ADHD nor LLD (Neither; n = 38). Participants with ADHD/LLD performed significantly more poorly than did the ADHD group or the Neither group on measures of phonology and syntax, but not semantics. However, participants with ADHD/LLD did not significantly differ from participants with LLD on a majority of language-based measures. This finding suggests that participants with ADHD/LLD have profiles more similar to those of participants with LLD than participants with ADHD. Educational implications for instruction for students with ADHD/LLD are presented.
Factors That Influence Phoneme---Grapheme Correspondence Learning
Authors: Mauer Daria M. , Kamhi Alan G.
Published: December 2008

The present study examined (a) the relative impact visual and phonetic factors have on learning phoneme–grapheme correspondences, and (b) the relationship between measures of visual and phonological processing and children's ability to learn novel phoneme-grapheme correspondence pairs. Participants were 20 children with reading disabilities (RD), 10 normally achieving children matched for mental age (MA), and 10 children matched for reading age (RA). The children ranged in age from 5 years 2 months to 9 years 3 months. All children completed a phoneme–grapheme learning task consisting of four novel correspondence pairs, a visual processing task, and five measures of phonological processing. The MA and RA groups learned the four correspondence pairs in significantly fewer trials than the RD group. The RD group had the least difficulty learning the correspondence pair with different phonemes and graphemes and the most difficulty learning the correspondence pair with similar phonemes and graphemes. Performance on the learning task was significantly correlated to performance on the visual processing task and the five measures of phonological processing. Performance on the phonological processing task of short-term memory was the best predictor of overall performance on the learning task. Although children with RD were able to learn the four novel correspondence pairs, their processing deficiencies affected how readily they learned each of the correspondence pairs.
An Investigation of Documentation Submitted by University Students to Verify Their Learning Disabilities
Authors: McGuire Joan M. , Madaus Joseph W. , Litt A. Vivienne , Ramirez Michele O.
Published: December 2008

To become eligible for support services at the postsecondary level, students with learning disabilities (LD) must submit documentation to verify the existence of a specific LD. The documentation submitted over a 5-year period by 415 students to a large public research university that offers a comprehensive program for students with LD was examined. An analysis of the documentation indicates that serious problems exist in the type and quality of evaluation reports. Problems include flaws in the comprehensiveness of the assessments, and the use of questionable instruments for this population. Recommendations for establishing guidelines for acceptable documentation are offered.
Research Designs and Statistical Techniques Used in the Journal of Learning Disabilities, 1989--1993
Authors: Baumberger Julie P. , Bangert Arthur W.
Published: December 2008

One hundred seventy-four research articles published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities from 1989 through 1993 were analyzed and coded by the type of research design and statistical technique used. Eighty percent of the research designs employed were identified as nonintervention methods. Fifty-five percent of all statistical techniques in the research articles reviewed were coded as primary, 32% were found to be intermediate, and the remaining 14% were considered advanced. The most frequently reported designs and analyses were those that are typically taught in most introductory and intermediate courses in research methods and statistics. Thus, the study indicates that readers would need at least a strong conceptual understanding of basic and intermediate statistical procedures to interpret research reported in the Journal of Learning Disabilities.
Using Technology to Enhance the Writing Processes of Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: MacArthur Charles A.
Published: December 2008

This article reviews the ways that computers can support writing by students with learning disabilities, with an emphasis on applications that go beyond word processing. Following an overview of research on word processing is a discussion of software that assists with the basic processes of transcription and sentence generation, including spelling checkers, speech synthesis, word prediction, and grammar and style checkers. Next, applications that support the cognitive processes of planning are reviewed, including prompting programs, outlining and semantic mapping software, and multimedia applications. Finally, the use of computer networks to support collaboration and communication with diverse audiences is addressed.
The Effects of Computer-Assisted Versus Teacher-Directed Instruction on the Multiplication Performance of Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Wilson Rich , Majsterek David , Simmons Deborah
Published: December 2008

The acquisition of multiplication facts by 4 elementary students with learning disabilities was compared under two instructional delivery formats—teacher directed and computer assisted. The two interventions were compared in terms of opportunities to respond and success rate. All students mastered more facts in the teacher-directed condition. In addition, teachers provided many more opportunities to respond and showed a higher success rate than did the software program. Implications of teacher-directed and computer-assisted instruction are discussed in terms of efficacy and feasibility.
Hypertext Support for Remedial Students and Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Higgins Kyle , Boone Randall , Lovitt Thomas C.
Published: December 2008

Student use of pop-up text windows that support or extend information found in a high school social studies text provides a detailed look into the instructional effectiveness of a set of hypermedia study guides. Twenty-five students, 19 male and 6 female, with a mean age of 14.6 years participated in this study. Thirteen were students with learning disabilities and 12 were remedial students. Findings from the study indicate that hypertext (text-only) support provides adequate reinforcement to move remedial students and students with learning disabilities toward continued, unprompted use of a hypermedia study guide, and that short-term and long-term retention of information can be expected from text-only information support. Students who had access to the hypermedia study guides exhibited better information retention than students who did not use the hypermedia study guides.
The Relationship Between Anxiety and Problem-Solving Skills in Children With and Without Learning Disabilities
Authors: Fisher Barbara L. , Allen Rhiannon , Kose Gary
Published: December 2008

This study compared the effects of low, medium, and high pretest anxiety levels on the social and nonsocial problem-solving performance of 45 boys with learning disabilities (LD) and 45 boys with no learning disabilities (NLD). Participants ranged from 9 to 11 years of age. Boys with LD reported significantly higher pretest trait and state anxiety on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children than did NLD boys, and their perceived state anxiety escalated over the course of the problem-solving session. There were no pervasive effects of LD status on problem solving by itself, boys with LD being as effective in problem solving as NLD boys. However, means for task solution suggest a tendency for an interaction between group and anxiety level, which should be examined using a larger, well-defined sample and an unstructured task.
Assessing Children With Traumatic Brain Injury During Rehabilitation
Authors: Farmer Janet E. , Clippard Dana S. , Wiemann vette Luehr , Wright Edward , Owings Stephanie
Published: December 2008

Children with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) require a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation during rehabilitation to promote recovery and to facilitate a smooth transition to home and school. This article summarizes the common consequences of TBI and reviews a process-oriented approach to assessing children with moderate to severe TBI during rehabilitation. An emphasis is placed on early and regular communication among rehabilitation specialists, family members, and educators. Such collaboration permits clear identification of functional abilities and increases the child's potential for a positive long-term outcome.
Validity Of The Auditory Continuous Performance Test In Differentiating Central Processing Auditory Disorders With And Without ADHD
Authors: Riccio Cynthia A. , Cohen Morris J. , Hynd George W. , Keith Robert W.
Published: December 2008

The use of continuous performance tasks has been examined as a potential measure for clinical/laboratory identification of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The present study compared the performance of 30 children, 26 boys and 4 girls ranging in age from 9-0 to 12-11, with central auditory processing disorders (CAPD) who did not meet criteria for coexisting ADHD with the performance of children with CAPD coexisting with ADHD (CAPD/ADHD) on the Auditory Continuous Performance Test (ACPT). In interpreting the results, the variability as well as the actual counts for correct responses and total errors were considered. Results indicated limited potential for the use of the ACPT in the differential diagnosis of ADHD. Implications of the results as well as considerations for future research are discussed.
The Effects of Inclusion on the Social Functioning of Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Vaughn Sharon , Elbaum Batya E. , Schumm Jeanne Shay
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this study was to provide data on the social functioning (i.e., the degree of peer acceptance, self-concept, loneliness, and social alienation) of students in second, third, and fourth grade who participated in an inclusive classroom for an entire year. The social functioning of students identified as learning disabled (LD; n = 16), low achieving (LA; n = 27), and average/high achieving (AHA; n = 21) was assessed at the beginning and end of the school year. The students with LD were less well liked and more frequently rejected than AHA students. Although students' overall self-worth did not differ by achievement group, the students with LD demonstrated significantly lower academic self-concept scores. The students with LD did not differ on ratings of loneliness, and they demonstrated increases in the number of within-class reciprocal friendships from fall to spring. Discussion focuses on the effects of inclusion on the social functioning of students with LD.
Management of Attention and Memory Disorders Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Mateer Catherine A. , Kerns Kimberly A. , Eso Karen L.
Published: December 2008

Disorders of attention, memory, and executive function are common sequelae in children who have sustained traumatic brain injuries. Given the persistent nature of these deficits, there is a need for efficacious remedial approaches. Typically, remediation is approached through one of three general intervention strategies: externally focused interventions aimed at changing the environment so that the effect of the dysfunction is minimized, internally focused interventions aimed at improving the underlying cognitive ability, and compensatory interventions aimed at teaching children to use alternate strategies that lessen the impact of the dysfunction. This article describes current research involving these approaches for the treatment of attention and memory disorders in children.
Alcohol and Drug Use Among Young Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Kreutzer Jeffrey S. , Witol Adrienne D. , Marwitz Jennifer Harris
Published: December 2008

The pre- and postinjury patterns of alcohol and illicit drug use of 87 persons with traumatic brain injury ages 16 to 20 were examined. Follow-up data were collected at two time intervals averaging 8 and 28 months postinjury. A comparison with large-sample studies revealed that patients had preinjury drinking patterns similar to those in the general population. A review of data provided evidence of a decline in alcohol use at initial follow-up; however, preinjury and second follow-up alcohol use patterns were similar. Analyses suggested that drinking quantity and frequency increased over time, perhaps eventually returning to postinjury levels. A review of the literature and the findings of the present investigation indicate that men and persons with a history of preinjury heavy drinking are at greatest risk for long-term alcohol abuse postinjury. Postinjury illicit drug use rates remained relatively low, falling below 10% at both follow-up intervals. Among persons taking prescribed medications, 17% reported moderate or heavy drinking at second follow-up.
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Conoley Jane C. , Sheridan Susan M.
Published: December 2008

Experiencing a brain injury is a traumatic event not only for the child who is directly affected, but also for his or her family system. Recently, attention has turned toward the potentially deleterious effects of having a child with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) on parents, siblings, and extended family members. Specifically, families of TBI survivors may suffer major psychological, financial, role, and relationship risks. Therefore, treating the child with a brain injury is only one component of a comprehensive recovery program. This article describes common experiences of families following a child's brain injury, and specific strategies that might help families through the recovery/reentry process.
How Education Should Respond to Students with Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: D'Amato Rik Carl , Rothlisberg Barbara A.
Published: December 2008

This article focuses on the educational implications of traumatic brain injury (TBI). It details the conceptual issues surrounding TBI and discusses how assessment of this group differs from that of other groups with disabilities. Finally, the article offers suggestions for an integrated intervention approach based on the idea of bringing order to the life experiences of these students. The S. O. S. (Structure, Organization, and Strategy) Approach offers a framework from which to consider the variable needs of these learners.
Teacher Response to Learning Disability
Authors: Clark Margaret D.
Published: December 2008

Attribution research has identified student ability and effort expended as causes of achievement outcomes that result in differing teacher affect, evaluative feedback, and expectation of future performance. Ninety-seven elementary-school general education teachers (84 women and 13 men) rated their responses to the test failures of hypothetical boys with and without learning disabilities. In most cases, greater reward and less punishment, less anger and more pity, and higher expectations of future failure followed the negative outcomes of the boys with learning disabilities, when compared with their nondisabled ability and effort matches, indicating that learning disability acts as a cause of achievement outcomes in the same way as ability and effort. This pattern of teacher affect and response can send negative messages that are often interpreted as low-ability cues, thus affecting students' self-esteem, sense of competence as learners, and motivation to achieve.
The Effects of Goal Setting and Self-Instruction on Learning a Reading Comprehension Strategy
Authors: Johnson LeeAnn , Graham Steve , Harris Karen R.
Published: December 2008

This study examined the contributions of instruction in goal setting and self-instruction, separately and combined, on the acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of a reading comprehension strategy by fourth-through sixth-grade students with learning disabilities. A previously validated strategy involving the use of story structure to analyze and remember story content was taught to 47 students with learning disabilities using the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) model. Comparisons were made among students with learning disabilities in four conditions (strategy instruction, strategy instruction plus goal setting, strategy instruction plus self-instruction, and strategy instruction plus goal setting and self-instruction). Results indicated that instruction in the reading strategy produced meaningful, lasting, and generalizable effects on students' story comprehension skills. Furthermore, the comprehension performance of the students with learning disabilities after strategy instruction was indistinguishable from that of a social comparison group of normally achieving students. Explicit instruction in goal setting and self-instruction, however, did not augment the comprehension performance of students with learning disabilities.
Instructional Design in Mathematics for Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Carnine Douglas
Published: December 2008

The low achievement level of students with learning disabilities has multiple causes. One is the mismatch between the students' learning characteristics and the design of instructional materials and practices. Design principles better suited to the characteristics of students with learning disabilities are described and illustrated for five areas: (a) big ideas; (b) conspicuous strategies; (c) efficient use of time; (d) clear, explicit instruction on strategies; and (e) appropriate practice and review. Wider application of these design principles, in instructional material and in actual teaching, could contribute to far higher achievement levels in mathematics for students with learning disabilities.
Mathematics Instruction for Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Thornton Carol A. , Langrall Cynthia W. , Jones Graham A.
Published: December 2008

Recent research in mathematics instruction requires educators to rethink long-established beliefs about teaching, learning, and assessment. In particular, this research underscores the need for problem solving and higher level thinking in mathematics. Consistent with these recommendations, this article presents and illustrates four promising themes for mathematics instruction that have emerged from research involving students with learning disabilities. These themes—(a) providing a broad and balanced mathematics curriculum; (b) engaging students in rich, meaningful problem tasks; (c) accommodating the diverse ways in which children learn; and (d) encouraging students to discuss and justify their problem-solving strategies and solutions—suggest ways for rethinking the teaching and learning of mathematics in relation to students with learning disabilities.
Preparing Teachers to Teach Mathematics to Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Parmar Rene S. , Cawley John F.
Published: December 2008

The purpose of this article is to put forth a discussion of teacher preparation in mathematics in a manner that recognizes the Professional Standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Knowledge and Skills Competencies list for teachers of students with learning disabilities compiled by the Division for Learning Disabilities.
Learning Disabilities Existing Concomitantly with Communication Disorder
Authors: Schoenbrodt Lisa , Kumin Libby , Sloan John M.
Published: December 2008

This article describes the characteristics of language disorders that occur with learning disabilities. In this context, formal and naturalistic language, including specific standardized test batteries and curriculum-based language assessment, portfolio assessment, and others, are discussed. In addition, service delivery models and interventions that focus on the enhancement of semantic, syntactic, and pragmatic development are presented. Finally, future directions for research in the area of learning disabilities and secondary language disorders are suggested. Intervention strategies, including supportive scaffolding, whole language, and collaborative consultation, are reviewed; and implications for language assessment, intervention, and future research are discussed.
The Student with a Visual Disability and a Learning Disability
Authors: Erin Jane N. , Koenig Alan J.
Published: December 2008

Existing studies indicate that between 14% and 65% of students with visual disabilities also have learning disabilities. The similar symptoms of the two conditions and the earlier identification of a visual disability often mask the presence of a learning disability. This article addresses definition, assessment, intervention, and future implications related to educational practices with students who have both learning and visual disabilities. The definitions of the two conditions are compared, emphasizing features that make identification difficult. The article examines common assessment procedures, describing approaches that are inappropriate for students who have low vision or blindness. Intervention approaches are described, including adaptations of the environment, enhancement of vision, instruction in compensatory skills, the use of learning strategies, and the availability of learning opportunities. Future directions include refinement of diagnostic approaches, and research related to the characteristics and instructional needs of students who have both visual and learning disabilities.