bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Learning Disabled Bilingual Hispanic Students
Authors: Zavala Jesúus , Mims Joan
Published: April 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare bilingual students who had been identified as learning disabled (LD) with a group of bilingual students who were not identified as LD (NLD) based on standardized measures of achievement and potential. In addition, behavioral surveys of both groups were conducted. Subjects were 20 first- through sixth-grade limited-English proficient bilingual Mexican-American children − 10 were learning disabled, 10 were non-learning disabled. Based on analysis of the data the following tests predicted learning disabilities: Prueba de Lectura y Lenguaje Escrito (PLLE), Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI), Test of Reading Comprehension (TORC), Prueba de Desarrollo Inicial de Lenguaje (PDIL), Test of Early Language Development (TERA), and the Perfil de Evaluacion del Comportamiento/Teacher Survey (PEC). Significant differences were found between the LD and NLD groups in 75% of the measures administered. Additional results indicated that the LD students scored poorly on the nonverbal IQ test and the language achievement tests, suggesting that the sample would not have been identified as LD based on the instruments utilized in this study.
Students with Learning Disabilities at Primary, Intermediate, and Secondary Grade Levels: Identification and Characteristics
Authors: McLeskey James
Published: April 2006

This study provided descriptive information about 790 students with learning disabilities at primary (K-2), intermediate (3–5), and secondary (6–12) grade levels who were identified during the 1987–88 school year in Indiana. The results revealed that identification of students with learning disabilities peaked in the first grade, and that 76% of these students were identified by the end of grade 5. Furthermore, students with more severe discrepancies tended to be identified at the primary level; discrepancies became less severe in higher grade levels. Additional findings were reviewed, and the results of the investigation were compared to previous large-scale studies of students with learning disabilities.
The Effects of Two Repeated Reading Interventions on Generalization of Fluency
Authors: Weinstein Gloria , Cooke Nancy L.
Published: April 2006

A multitreatment, single-subject research design was used to compare the effects on gains in fluency of two types of mastery criteria for repeated reading. The subjects were four males with learning disabilities, who were at a beginning reading level. One intervention required the students to reread a passage until they demonstrated three successive improvements; the other intervention required rereading until 90 correct words per minute was reached. Both types of criteria resulted in fluency gains for all students, with a mean gain of 58% under the improvements condition and 62% under the fixed-rate condition. The successive improvements criterion appeared to be the more efficient and showed consistent positive effects of fluency gains on generalization to unpracticed passages.
Contextual Effects on Reading of Individual Words by Reading Disabled Adolescents with Specific Learning Disabilities
Authors: Ganschow Leonore , Wheeler Daniel D. , Kretschmer Richard R.
Published: April 2006

Word recognition involves both decoding of word sounds and retrieval of the meaning of a word. This study examined the influence of context on both decoding and meaning recognition. Reading disabled adolescents with specific learning disabilities were compared to normal adolescent readers and young normal readers. The results showed that (a) context facilitated both decoding and meaning recognition for all readers, and (b) reading disabled adolescents showed deficits on both tasks. Some reading disabled adolescents had primary difficulty in decoding while others demonstrated primary difficulty in meaning recognition. No evidence was found of a specific deficit in reading disabled adolescents' use of context.
Facilitating Learning Disabled Students' Acquisition of Science Classifications
Authors: Mastropieri Margo A. , Scruggs Thomas E. , McLoone Barbara , Levin Joel R.
Published: April 2006

Thirty-six learning disabled junior-high school students were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions to learn three dichotomous classifications for each of eight minerals: hardness level (hard-soft), color (pale-dark), and common use (home-industry). In the direct-instruction condition, students were taught the mineral classifications according to the principles of direct instruction (i.e., student participation with repeated practice and reinforcement). In the mnemonic-instruction condition, students were shown thematic illustrations that integrated each of the minerals and its symbolized attribute classifications. Finally, in the free-study condition, students were instructed to learn the eight minerals using whichever method they chose. Results showed that students who learned via mnemonic instruction outperformed those who were allowed free study. The latter group, in turn, outperformed the direct-instruction subjects. Implications for classroom instruction are drawn.
Response Cost and Reinforcement Contingencies of Managing the Behavior of Distractible Children in Tutorial Settings
Authors: Sindelar Paul T. , Honsaker Miriam S. , Jenkins Joseph R.
Published: April 2006

The effects of differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO) and response cost (RC) on the attending behavior of two distractible children were assessed in two case studies. In the first study, a seven-year-old learning disabled girl was initially rewarded for completing segments of her reader without looking away, then punished by the removal of a token contingent upon lookaways. Both contingencies were effective in reducing the frequency of lookaways although response suppression was slightly greater during the RC phases. Oral reading rates increased concurrently with the reduction in lookaways, and was highest during the RC phases. In the second case study, the same strategies were used with a ten-year-old, behaviorally disordered girl. The DRO contingency failed to control the frequency of her lookaways although the RC contingency proved successful. The differential effects of the DRO contingency in the two case studies were attributed to differences in the reinforcement schedules; the differential effect of the RC contingency was ascribed to the temporal precision with which it was administered.
Meta-Attention in Learning Disabled and Normal Students
Authors: Loper Ann B. , Hallahan Daniel P. , Ianna Susan O.
Published: April 2006

Learning disabled (LD) and normal children (non-LD), matched on age and IQ level, were probed on their awareness of attentional processes. Children were required to make forced choices regarding the relative importance of distraction, reward, and interest level to the process of paying attention. Results indicated significant developmental trends for both diagnostic groups, with younger children being relatively more impressed with the effects of reward and older children placing relatively more value on interest level. No strong diagnostic effects were evidenced for the LDs and non-LDs on the meta-attentional task. However, performance on the meta-attentional task was related to academic achievement for normal but not for learning disabled children. In a second experiment, performance on the meta-attentional tasks was related to academic achievement for learning disabled children after academic intervention. Results are interpreted to suggest that learning disabled children may have deficiencies in the application of acquired metacognitive information.
Figural and Verbal Creativity in Learning Disabled and Nondisabled Children
Authors: Tarver Sara G. , Ellsworth Patricia S. , Rounds David J.
Published: April 2006

Learning disabled (LD) and nondisabled (ND) males and females at four grade levels (1, 3, 5 and 7) were compared on ten measures of figural and verbal creativity. No sex differences were found. In reference to figural creativity, originality was greater for the LD children at all grade levels, while elaboration was greater for the ND children at all grade levels. In reference to verbal creativity, group main effects in favor of the nondisabled were found; however, group x grade interactions revealed higher performance for the LD children at grade 1. This latter finding is discussed in terms of the possible effects of negative reactions of others (e.g., teachers, peers) to the unique verbalizations of young learning disabled children.
Auditory Perception and Reading: Another Look
Authors: Harber Jean R.
Published: April 2006

While several practitioners have noted that learning disabled children often experience difficulties with certain auditory perceptual skills, only limited empirical data can be found to support or refute such an assumption. This study examined the relationship between two auditory perceptual skills — sound blending and auditory closure — and reading performance in learning disabled children. Three measures of reading performance were used: word analysis skills, oral reading, and silent reading performance. With the effects of intelligence and age controlled for, only the relationship between auditory closure and word analysis skills reached educational significance.
Learning Disability and Cultural-Economic Disadvantage: The Case for a Relationship
Authors: Kavale Kenneth A.
Published: April 2006

A case is presented to reveal the existence of a relationship between learning disabilities and cultural-economic disadvantage. Evidence from a variety of sources is presented suggesting that the problem is most properly viewed as a complex interrelationship among the phenomena of learning disabilities, brain dysfunction, and cultural-economic disadvantage. The arguments presented reveal a strong association between learning disabilities and cultural-economic disadvantage. A comparison of the learning disabled and culturally disadvantaged groups in terms of symptomatology found them to be more alike than different. Finally, the question is asked as to why disadvantaged children are excluded from service within the learning disability framework. A reexamination of the relationship is called for since the services provided learning disabled children appear appropriate for meeting the educational needs of culturally-economically disadvantaged children.
The Link between Learning Disabilities and Juvenile Delinquency: Some Issues and Answers
Authors: Keilitz Ingo , Zaremba Barbara A. , Broder Paul K.
Published: April 2006

The suspected relationship between learning disabilities and juvenile delinquency has gained increased visibility in recent years. This article describes a research effort funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to address the hypothesized link between LD and juvenile delinquency. The project has been in operation since 1976 and will continue into 1980. The authors present research results achieved to this point. In addition, an alternative to the “school failure” and “susceptibility” hypothesis concerning the relationship between LD and juvenile delinquency is proposed to accomodate some of the major findings of the research.
Validity and Reliability of Criterion-Referenced Measures: Issues and Procedures for Special Educators
Authors: Harris Larry P. , Wolf Steven R.
Published: April 2006

The controversy over norm-referenced versus criterion-referenced measures is of particular interest to special educators. Over the years, special educators have been encouraged to use CRMs in assessment of learning disorders in order to avoid the biasing and other undesirable features of standardized tests. However, as this article points out, the choice between the two types of measures is not as simple as it might seem. While the reliability of CRMs is generally indisputable, the validity of a measure designed from local curricula is still dependent on the intuitive judgments of teachers. In discussing the advantages and disadvantages of both types of tests, Harris and Wolf emphasize that tests should be selected according to the intended use of the scores, rather than being an all-or-nothing decision. Ultimately, the decision depends on the degree of faith one places in global constructs versus local curricula.
Linguistic Transitions and Learning Disabilities: A Strategic Learning Perspective
Authors: Wiig Elisabeth H.
Published: April 2006

This discussion of the linguistic continuum and learning disabilities takes a strategic learning perspective. The view held is that many students with diagnosed language-learning disabilities do not develop cognitive-linguistic strategies sufficiently adequate to support the development of linguistic competence and metalinguistic ability. Strategic-language use learning is discussed against cognitive theories of logical development and acquisition of expertise. Macro- and micro-level models (Levels of Competence and Process Model for Strategy Development) of language intervention to support linguistic and communication strategy acquisition are introduced. These models are compatible with cognitive theories of concept formation and acquisition of expertise. They also agree with models introduced in special education for “executive strategy training.” The view is taken that language intervention should occur in collaboration between specialists and classroom teachers. Classroom language-intervention options are delineated with an emphasis on a process-oriented approach.
Role of Secretary Vs. Author: Resolving the Conflict in Writing Instruction
Authors: Isaacson Stephen
Published: April 2006

The mechanical and creative skills required to write an original composition may be beyond the abilities of a student with a learning disability. These skills can be characterized, respectively, as constituting the roles of secretary and author. The author has to get ideas, organize his or her thoughts, and select and arrange words and phrases. The secretary, on the other hand, deals with the physical effort of writing and is concerned with the mechanical aspects of the writing task. Learning disabled (LD) writers have difficulty with both the author and secretary roles, but educators are not agreed as to which should be emphasized first in instruction. The purpose of this paper is to (a) present a way of looking at the complexities of written language from the perspectives of both the secretary and the author; (b) discuss four approaches to providing assistance to the struggling writer; and (c) recommend a model of written language on which curriculum should be based.
Comparison if Monitoring and Mnemonic Text-Processing Strategies in Learning Disabled Students
Authors: Graves Anne W. , Levin Joel R.
Published: April 2006

Thirty learning disabled students were given several reading passages for which they first had to identify and then remember the main ideas. Students were randomly assigned in equal numbers to three experimental conditions. In the control condition, subjects were simply taught what a main idea is in accordance with a direct-instruction format; in the monitoring condition, students were taught how to self-question in order to monitor and check their progress toward identifying the main idea of each passage. Finally, subjects in the mnemonic condition were taught to use an adaptation of the mnemonic “keyword method” to create an interactive image between the keyword for the passage title and the main idea for the passage. Consistent with predictions based on both a comprehension-versus-memory distinction and a selective-strategy principle, the monitoring strategy was most effective for main-idea finding, whereas the mnemonic strategy was most effective for main-idea remembering. Implications for theory and practice are considered.
Comparability of WISC-R and WAIS-R Scores for a Sample of College Students with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Slate John R. , Frost Julia , Cross Belinda
Published: April 2006

Given the recent revision of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), information about its comparability to the WISC-R for persons with learning disabilities is unknown. To determine the relationship between WISC-R and WAIS-R Verbal, Performance, Full Scale, and scaled scores, this study analyzed the IQ and subtest scaled scores of 38 college students who applied for entrance to a program for learning disabilities. Results indicated that the WISC-R and WAIS-R Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs were correlated significantly. Even so, subjects tended to obtain higher scores on the WISC-R than on the WAIS-R. Our learning disabilities sample performed higher on only two WAIS-R subtests: Digit Span and Digit Symbol. Only three subtests were not correlated significantly: Similarities, Arithmetic, and Comprehension. Perhaps the most likely hypothesis for the lower WAIS-R scores is the more recent norming of the WAIS-R (1981) versus the WISC-R (1974). Because of its more recent norms, the WAIS-R may represent a better choice for college LD service providers.
Consistency among School Psychologists in Evaluating Discrepancy Scores: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Ross Roslyn P.
Published: April 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether school psychologists possess the psychometric knowledge necessary to evaluate discrepancy scores. Experienced school psychologists were asked to evaluate two discrepancy examples and to rate the usefulness of various test measures for different purposes. Despite knowing that (a) standard scores were the scores of choice for discrepancy analysis, (b) age and grade equivalents offered little usefulness, and (c) standard error of measurement was important, respondents made inconsistent choices in evaluating the discrepancy examples. These findings are explained by the failure of a substantial number of subjects to engage in standard statistical procedures for testing differences between scores. Participants also tended to misinterpret percentile ranks as useful for discrepancy analysis. The implications of these findings for learning disabilities classification and research are discussed.
Learning Disabled Children's Peer Interactions during a Small-Group Problem-Solving Task
Authors: Bryan Tanis , Donahue Mavis , Pearl Ruth
Published: April 2006

Learning disabled children in grades three through eight participated in a problem-solving task requiring group decision making. An analysis of group choices indicated that the independently made choices of learning disabled children were less likely to be among the group's final choices. Analyses of the children's communication patterns revealed that learning disabled children were less likely to disagree with classmates, less likely to try to argue for their choices, and more likely to agree with their peers. In addition, learning disabled children were found to be less likely to engage in “conversational housekeeping” than nondisabled children. Hence, learning disabled children were less persuasive than nondisabled children, apparently as a result of their assuming a submissive, deferential role when interacting with small groups of peers.
Prediction of Reading Difficulty from Parental Preschool Report: A 3- Year Followup
Authors: Colligan Robert C.
Published: April 2006

The Minnesota Child Development Inventory (MCDI) was used to describe the developmental status of 59 children before the start of kindergarten. Three years later children were classified in one of four categories, based on the amount of supplemental reading instruction necessary during the three-year period. A number of variables from the MCDI were highly correlated with this continuum of difficulty in mastering reading, with parental report of the child's general development and knowledge of letters and numbers being most significant. Significant correlations with group achievement tests also were obtained. The findings should encourage the inclusion of parent reports by persons using or constructing preschool screening measures.
Effects of Multisensory Training in Perceptual Learning
Authors: Luchow Jed P. , Shepherd Margaret Jo
Published: April 2006

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of multisensory input on the performance of learning disabled boys on a visual matching task. A thirty-item multiple-choice visual dot pattern matching task was given to 160 boys, ages 6 years through 8 years, 11 months, who were enrolled in special classes for children with learning problems. Of the four treatment groups (visual input only, visual plus tactile input, visual plus auditory input, visual plus auditory plus tactile input), the difference between the means of the visual only and visual-auditory and visual-auditory-tactile groups was significant at p<.05. The results suggest that on a perceptual task not related to reading or mathematics, the addition of input from tactile and auditory sensory modalities does not improve learning performance and, in certain combinations, actually interferes with such performance.
Accommodating the Learning Needs of Reading Disabled Adolescents: A Language-Processing Issue
Authors: Sawyer Diane J. , Kosoff Tess O.
Published: April 2006

The study investigated the effectiveness of listening, as an alternative to reading, in learning content-area material among five dyslexic adolescent boys. Listening comprehension was measured under conditions that controlled for the possible effects of apparent expressive language difficulties and utilized mechanically time-altered speech to optimize individual processing characteristics. Listening was found to be a potential avenue for learning content-area material. Further, findings underscore the value of a response format that minimizes involvement of expressive language in severely disabled students with identifiable expressive language difficulties. Results also suggest that the facilitative effects of time-altered presentations of material for listening merit further investigation.
The Effects of Oral Instructions and Training on the Expansion of Written Language
Authors: Kraetsch Gayla A.
Published: April 2006

This single-subject experiment explored the effect of oral instructions and training on the expansion of written language using a reversal design. The subject, a twelve-year-old boy who attended a tutorial clinic, wrote about a stimulus picture four times a week during a twelve-week period. Productivity was based on the number of words and sentences used in the composition; the type-token ratio for vocabulary diversity was also charted. During the intervention phases of the experiment, the tutor added oral instructions to write many words and ideas. These additional instructions increased the subject's productivity. As the oral instructions were changed, the number of total words and sentences also changed. When a simple training session was provided prior to the writing of a composition, the subject wrote more adjectives.
Process and Product: A Review of the Research on LD Children's Writing Skills
Authors: Lynch Ellen M. , Jones Sheila Dove
Published: April 2006

In the last decade we have witnessed a renewed interest in writing research and instruction in both regular and special education. Although regular education researchers have moved away from a product focus, instead examining the writing process, many contend that special education research has continued to focus on product errors while neglecting the processes involved in composition and spelling. This article contains a review of the writing research literature published during the last five years. Both composition and transcription studies conducted with elementary-aged LD subjects were examined. Conclusions of the studies as well as their implications for writing instruction and research are discussed.
Social Skills Assessment Technology for LD Students
Authors: Newcomer Phyllis L. , Gresham Frank M. , Elliott Stephen N.
Published: April 2006

Advances in a social skills assessment technology for students with learning disabilities are discussed. The modified definition of learning disabilities proposed by the Interagency Committee on Learning Disabilities is presented and discussed in the context of social skills assessment. The proposed definition identifies social skills deficits as a primary learning disability and evidence for this definition is presented. Social skills assessment techniques are reviewed and critiqued in terms of their psychometric adequacy. Finally, directions are suggested for future research in social skills functioning of students classified as learning disabled.
Learning Disabilities and Eligibility for Vocational Rehabilitation Services: A Chronology of Events
Authors: Gerber Paul J.
Published: April 2006

Historically, learning disabled (LD) individuals have been excluded from vocational rehabilitation services because of eligibility criteria that did not recognize learning disabilities as a mental or physical disability. Several significant events including the recognition of learning disabilities by the Diagnostic Statistical Manual III of the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases, and the California Department of Rehabilitation created an atmosphere of acceptance in the rehabilitation community. After initial efforts to maintain the traditional posture towards learning disabilities in the rewriting of the Rehabilitation Comprehensive Services and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978 (PL 95–602), the Rehabilitation Services Administration yielded to a new conceptualization which will now allow the severely learning disabled (SLD) access to rehabilitation services.
A New Definition of Learning Disabilities
Authors: Hammill Donald D. , Leigh James E. , McNutt Gaye , Larsen Stephen C.
Published: April 2006

Learning disabilities is a generic term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning or mathematical abilities. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual and presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction. Even though a learning disability may occur concomitantly with other handicapping conditions (e.g., sensory impairment, mental retardation, social and emotional disturbance) or environmental influences (e.g., cultural differences, insufficient/inappropriate instruction, psychogenic factors), it is not the direct result of those conditions or influences.
Learning Disabilities: An Adult Development Perspective
Authors: Polloway Edward A. , Smith J. David , Patton James R.
Published: April 2006

The nature of learning disabilities in adulthood is examined in relation to theoretical models and research related to adult development. This approach is offered as an alternative to the practice of conceptualizing learning disabilities as primarily reflecting the persistence of childhood disorders into adulthood. The basic assumptions of a life span developmental approach are presented, and specific mediating variables influencing adaptation to significant life events are discussed. Recent research on disabled adults is reviewed in terms of its relevance to adult development with an emphasis on a new conceptualization of learning disabilities in adults. Implications are drawn for future research and intervention directions.
Expert Systems: Implications for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Learning Disabilities
Authors: Hofmeister Alan M. , Lubke Margaret M.
Published: April 2006

Application of artificial intelligence to the problems of education is a relatively recent endeavor. This article will focus on one of the most promising aspects of artificial intelligence — expert systems technology — and some of the characteristics that make expert systems “intelligent”. Selected present and potential applications of expert systems to the field, of learning disabilities are presented along with examples of specific expert systems.
Effects of Error Correction on Word Recognition and Reading Comprehension
Authors: Jenkins Joseph R. , Larson Kathy , Fleisher Lisa
Published: April 2006

Two procedures for correcting oral reading errors, Word Supply and Word Drill, were examined to determine their effects on measures of word recognition and comprehension. The two corrections were applied to 17 learning disabled, poor readers in a within-subjects design. Results indicated that the Drill correction significantly enhanced word recognition and comprehension of sentences which contained original error words. The findings are discussed in terms of “bottom-up” analyses of the reading process and their implications for instructional practice.
The Relationship between Fear of Failure and Learning Disabilities
Authors: Bryan J. H. , Sonnefeld L. J. , Grabowski B.
Published: April 2006

The Test Anxiety Scale for Children (TASC) and the Lie Scale for Children (LSC) were administered to 60 children, half of whom were defined by schools as learning disabled. An analysis of covariance indicated that learning disabled subjects were more anxious than their nondisabled counterparts, and that their test anxiety was significantly related to reading and mathematics achievement scores.
Perspectives on Assessment of Learning Disabled Students
Authors: Ysseldyke James E. , Algozzine Bob
Published: April 2006

Current critical issues in assessment of learning disabled students are described with special emphasis on logical fallacies in the assessment process. New directions in assessment are specified and discussed in the context of current contextual constraints.
Initial Psychoeducational Assessment and Related Consultation
Authors: Adelman Howard S. , Taylor Linda
Published: April 2006

Criticism of current approaches to assessment indicates the need for effective alternatives. Given a general understanding of the criticism, the authors describe the bases for an alternative approach to initial assessment activity. Specifically, the discussion focuses on (1) a conceptualization of initial assessment and consultation, (2) the problem-solving paradigm as a framework for guiding this activity, and (3) a description of procedures and initial data from a demonstration program.
Social Validation: Use of Normative Peer Data to Evaluate LD Interventions
Authors: Epstein Michael H. , Cullinan Douglas
Published: April 2006

Social validation is an applied behavior analysis evaluation strategy that may help educators determine whether a change in academic performance has practical value for pupils with learning disabilities. This paper describes two methods of social validation: social comparison and subjective evaluation. Applied examples of the social comparison method with LD pupils are offered. Several implications and areas for further study are described relating to the use of the social comparison method in evaluating treatment programs for LD pupils.
Using Work Samples as Diagnostic Information
Authors: Bachor Dan G.
Published: April 2006

Instruction as well as learning can be facilitated by analysis of student errors. This article outlines specific procedures for analyzing errors and consequently using the information gained as a tool for making appropriate assessment and instructional decisions about students. Bachor effectively presents a set of strategies for assessing student errors along with specific examples of their application.
Follow-Up of Learning Disabled Children
Authors: Gottesman Ruth L.
Published: April 2006

Limited longitudinal data on learner characteristics and performance are available in the learning disability field. This study, however, follows the course of reading achievement over a five- to seven-year period of a group of children with learning problems. These students' characteristics are described in detail along with their relationship to reading achievement over time. The data support the premise that academically related deficits persist over time in LD populations.
Competencies for Professionals in LD: An Analysis of Teacher Perceptions
Authors: Freeman Mary Alice , Becker Randal L.
Published: April 2006

A major role of any professional organization is to establish standards by which to evaluate the professionals in the field as well as their practices. In 1978, DCLD developed a set of competencies for teachers of learning disabled children and youth (See LDQ, Spring, 1978). In this article Freeman & Becker report the results of a study designed to examine the opinion structure of practitioners regarding the relative importance of the competencies in the DCLD Professional Competency Document. These data have obvious implications for teacher training in the learning disability field.
Imagery Generation by Learning Disabled and Average-Achieving 11-to 13-Year-Olds
Authors: Ferro Susan C. , Pressley Michael G.
Published: April 2006

This study assessed whether associative imagery-instructional gains experienced by students with learning disabilities are equivalent in magnitude to those experienced by average-achieving students. Learning disabled and average-achieving students (11- to 13-year-olds) studied paired associates. They were instructed either to construct images depicting the paired items in interaction or to rehearse the pairings. Half of the pairs were easy to relate using interactive imagery, the other half were difficult to mediate with imagery. Half were presented at a 5-sec rate, the other half at a 10-sec rate. Regardless of item type or presentation rate, both learning disabled and average-achieving students benefited from imagery instructions, with great similarity in the between-condition differences for the two populations of students.
Sociometric Status and Related Personality Characteristics of Mainstreamed Learning Disabled Adolescents
Authors: Perlmutter Barry F. , Crocker Jennifer , Cordray David , Garstecki Dean
Published: April 2006

Learning disabled adolescents rated each other, and were rated by nondisabled classmates and teachers within special education and lower track mainstreamed classes. Results demonstrated that, while disabled subjects were generally less well liked than their peers, a subgroup of the disabled sample was very well regarded. Additionally, most of the remaining disabled subjects were rated in the neutral, rather than the disliked range. Behavioral differences between disabled and nondisabled, and popular versus unpopular disabled subjects were also examined. Comparisons of ratings by teachers in mainstreamed and special education classes revealed that special education teachers tended to view disabled students as less socially, but more academically competent than did teachers in mainstreamed classrooms. Additional areas related to social adaptation, such as ratio of disabled to nondisabled students in a class and social decoding ability, were also examined and discussed.
Learned Helplessness in Learning Disabled Adolescents as a Function of Noncontingent Rewards
Authors: Kleinhammer-Tramill P. Jeannie , Tramill James L. , Schrepel Susan N. , Davis Stephen F.
Published: April 2006

The study was designed to examine the effect of noncontingent rewards on learned helplessness in learning disabled children. Noncontingent rewards are of particular importance for students receiving services in a variety of educational environments. Subjects were exposed to two series of tasks, the first involved replication of a series of block design patterns. Children were randomly assigned to three reward schedules: response-contingent reward, 100% noncontingent reward, and 50% random noncontingent reward. A fourth control group was not exposed to the first series of tasks. The second task series involved the solution of coding problems. On these tasks, all children received response-contingent rewards for performance. Response latency and errors on each coding task served as dependent measures. Analysis of variance yielded significantly greater response latencies for subjects assigned to the noncontingent reward conditions than for those who received contingent rewards and for controls. No differences in number of errors were found. The results suggest that learning disabled children may become “learned helpless” as a result of instructional interventions involving use of noncontingent rewards.
Early-Screening Programs: When is Predictive Accuracy Sufficient?
Authors: Wilson Barry J. , Reichmuth Monica
Published: April 2006

Review of the early-identification literature indicates considerable problems related to describing screening results and determining when a procedure accurately identifies students believed to be at-risk. Several criteria are proposed in this article for determining and communicating screening results. These criteria, which are applied to a screening program for illustrative purposes, provide a context for judging prediction accuracy. It is argued that accuracy of prediction is of little value and cannot be considered sufficient unless the predictions lead to better educational opportunities for the students about whom they are made.
Social Status of Learning Disabled Children and Adolescents: A Review
Authors: Dudley-Marling Curtis C. , Edmiaston Rebecca
Published: April 2006

Low social status is frequently ascribed to learning disabled children and adolescents. This article reviews published investigations of social status among learning disabled children, adolescents, and adults. Results indicate that, contrary to prevailing assumptions, not all or even most learning disabled persons are held in low esteem by their teachers, parents, and peers. In fact, some learning disabled students are popular. Therefore, as a group, the learning disabled may merely be at greater risk for attaining low social status.
Learning Disabilities Definitions Used by State Education Departments
Authors: Mercer Cecil D. , Hughes Charlie , Mercer Ann R.
Published: April 2006

This article features the results of a survey of the 50 State Departments of Education regarding their definitions of learning disabilities, identification criteria, and operationalization procedures. A conceptual framework consisting of 10 components is presented for analyzing the data in terms of definition and identification criteria. Results show a significant impact of the 1977 federal definition and criteria while revealing variations in state definitions and criteria. To determine current trends the data are compared with those from a similar survey conducted in 1976. Survey findings are discussed in terms of trends, heterogeneity of LD, and the NJCLD definition.
Ethnographic Study of Participant Structures in Task Completion: Reinterpretation of “Handicaps” in Mexican Children
Authors: Delgado-Gaitan Concha , Trueba Henry T.
Published: April 2006

Ethnographic studies are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to arrive at the meaning of interactional events through sociocultural and linguistic cues of observed behavior. Using an ethnographic approach, the present study was conducted in an effort to offer an alternative to many teachers' misinterpretation of Mexican children's copying as indicating low academic ability and inappropriate work habits. Through careful observation and recording of the classroom interactions of 7 Mexican students under four different participant structures, copying is shown to be a legitimate activity, based on home socialization patterns that stress collectivity and social cohesiveness. Thus, rather than representing low ability and lack of motivation, copying is considered by Mexican students a constructive approach to intellectual exchanges and the acquisition of new knowledge in a social unit composed of peers. Instructional implications of these findings are drawn.
Correlates of Learning Disabled Students' Peer-Interaction Patterns
Authors: Bruck Margaret , Hébert Martine
Published: April 2006

Results of this study showed LD children's cognitive and affective role-taking skills to be poorer than those of age-matched controls. However, performance on these tasks was not related to measures of peer-domain social skills. Instead, these were found most consistently to relate to hyperactivity ratings.
Sizing up a Situation: LD Children's Understanding of Social Interactions
Authors: Pearl Ruth , Cosden Merith
Published: April 2006

Learning disabled (LD) and nondisabled (NLD) children were shown a series of soap opera vignettes in order to test their comprehension of interpersonal interactions. Results showed that the LD group consistently made more social comprehension errors than did the NLD group. The contribution of LD children's social comprehension problems to their lack of social acceptance is discussed.
Attribution Retraining for Learning Disabled Students: Some Thoughts on the Practical Implications of the Evidence
Authors: Pflaum Susanna W. , Pascarella Ernest T.
Published: April 2006

Given a consistent interaction of student locus of attribution and mode of teacher response, this study sought to determine whether learning disabled students' attribution levels could be changed. The experimental procedure consisted of a reading program in which students gradually experienced a shift from a teacher-determination-of-error mode. It also included exhortations by the teachers to try harder. Two other treatment groups, a teacher-determination-of-error condition and a student-determination-of-error condition, were compared with the experimental treatment. It was hypothesized that students in the experimental group would have significantly higher levels of internal attribution for effort than the other two. Also, the greatest benefits for increased attribution for effort were predicted to accrue to those students in the experimental treatment who were initially lowest on internal attribution. Neither hypothesis was supported by the findings. The results indicate that difficulty is encountered in attempting to change students' attributions, at least when using the indirect approach proposed here.
Enhancing the Motivation and Skills Needed to Overcome Interpersonal Problems
Authors: Adelman Howard S. , Taylor Linda
Published: April 2006

Lack of systematic emphasis on motivational considerations is discussed as a major reason for limited generalization and maintenance of skills learned in social-skills training programs. In this connection, motivation is explored as a primary focus of interventions designed to help individuals overcome interpersonal problems. Specifically, it is suggested that strategies to improve skills for interpersonal functioning are best accomplished in interaction with systematic strategies to enhance motivation for avoiding and overcoming interpersonal problems.
Remediating Systematic Inversion Errors in Subtraction through the Use of Demonstration and Feedback
Authors: Blankenship Colleen S.
Published: April 2006

The literature offers many suggestions for remediating errors in mathematics, however, research on what teaching methods are most effective for remediation of specific errors is almost nonexistent. This study was designed to investigate the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of arithmetic borrowing skills among learning disabled students who made systematic inversion errors in subtraction. Blankenship's teaching technique consisting of demonstration plus feedback is simple and applicable to both special and regular class settings. An important contribution of this study is that it considers the long-term effects of the teaching procedure by assessing the generalization and maintenance effects of the students' performance.
The Effectiveness of the MWM and GOAL Programs in Developing General Language Abilities
Authors: Logan Richard , Colarusso Ron
Published: April 2006

Many practitioners in the field of learning disabilities use training programs designed to improve the general language abilities in children. Two of the more frequently used language programs are the MWM Program for Developing Language Abilities and the GOAL Program: Language Development. This study assesses the effectiveness of the MWM and GOAL programs on the linguistic skills of high-risk kindergarten children. The article underscores the importance of distinguishing between general and specific language abilities when determining the effectiveness of a language training program.
The Test of Language Development (TOLD): A Validation Study
Authors: Wong Bernice Y.L. , Roadhouse Audrey
Published: April 2006

An increasing amount of attention is being given to the contribution of language problems to the learning disabilities experienced by children. To be effective, language intervention must be based on valid assessment procedures. This study, which was designed to determine the validity of The Test of Language Development (TOLD), presents information relating to which subtests of the TOLD best discriminate among normal readers, disabled readers, and language delayed children. Practical educational implications of the results are discussed.
Interactive Effects of Reading Mode, Production Format, and Structural Importance of Text among LD Pupils
Authors: Fuchs Lynn S. , Maxwell Linn
Published: April 2006

This study assessed the effects of reading mode (oral vs. silent), production format (oral vs. written), and structural importance of text on the reading comprehension of LD pupils. Subjects were 44 LD students, randomly assigned to an oral or silent reading mode. Pupils were assessed twice, once using an oral recall and once a written recall, with production format order and passages counterbalanced. Analyses of variance conducted on percentage of idea units recalled at four levels of thematic importance indicated a three-way interaction. Differential performance between written and oral recall formats increased in linear fashion with more important thematic ideas for oral, but not silent, reading. Implications for reading instruction and research with LD pupils are discussed.
Improving Sight-Word Recognition Skills in LD Children: An Evaluation of Three Computer Program Variations
Authors: Torgesen Joseph K. , Waters Mary D. , Cohen Andrew L. , Torgesen Jeffery L.
Published: April 2006

This study evaluated the relative effectiveness of three variations of a computer program designed to increase the sight-word reading vocabulary of young children. Subjects were 17 school-identified learning disabled children in grades 1, 2, and 3. A multi-element baseline design was used to expose all subjects to three different treatment conditions and a no-treatment control condition. In the treatment conditions, word sets consisting of 10 words each were practiced on versions of the computer program that employed either graphic representation of the words alone (visual-only), graphics plus synthetic speech (visual-auditory), or synthetic speech alone (auditory-only). All treatment conditions resulted in significant improvements in accuracy and speed of word identification, with no differences among treatments. The results are discussed in terms of implications for the design of reading software for young children.