The purpose of the present study was to examine self-reported fears and related anxieties in children and adolescents (7-18 years of age) having learning disabilities (LD) or mild mental retardation (MIMR), and whether these fears and related anxieties differ based on gender and age. Students responded to two well validated instruments, The…

The investigation assessed whether 6 learning-disabled boys (ages 10-12) who were taking stimulant medication reported fewer adaptive attributions in academic situations than their 8 nonmedicated peers. Boys who were not taking medication reported more internal-effort attributions in failure situations than boys who were taking medication.…

This study compared attitudes of college students with (n=60) and without (n=144) specific learning disabilities toward studying a foreign language. Findings suggested that foreign language learning difficulties of learning-disabled students are not related to lack of motivation or anxiety but to the oral and written language problems of these…

High school students (N=26) with learning disabilities, their parents, and their special education teachers rated the students' skills in 21 specific areas such as general ability, oral language, reading, written language, and social skills. Parents' ratings were consistent with teachers' in 16 areas and lower in 5 areas. Students' ratings were…

This study examined cognitive, academic, and attitudinal predictors of college grade point average (GPA) among 84 college students with learning disabilities (LD) attending a large midwestern university. Results indicated that Full Scale IQ and one factor (delay/avoidance) on the self-reported study habits scale accounted for a significant amount…

Students in grades four, five, and six who represented three classifications of ability were compared for their conceptualizations, attributions, and attitudes about school grading practices. Intellectually gifted, learning disabled, and normally achieving students were assessed. Significant differences were found among the three groups,…

Maintains that educational integration assumes that heterogeneous grouping will increase the extent to which the learning disabled are accepted by peers. Reports on a study of 128 adolescents in integrated and nonintegrated schools. Finds that the frequency of contacts, not the type of school attended, led to more positive expectations. (CFR)

Evaluation of a classroom mnemonic instructional method to teach science content to 19 mildly disabled students (grades 6-8) found mnemonic instruction resulted in improved initial content acquisition, higher delayed-recall scores than traditional instructional procedures, and generalization of mnemonic strategies to novel content. Students…

Reports on 2 studies of the perceptions of 51 nonhandicapped children about severe learning difficulties. Finds that the understanding of severe learning difficulties can be interpreted in terms of three conceptual changes. Discusses these changes in the broader context of the development of social cognition. (CFR)

This paper summarizes the information available regarding the effects of teacher enthusiasm in elementary, secondary and postsecondary settings and reports on a recent study examining effects of teacher enthusiasm with learning disabled adolescents. Operational definitions of enthusiasm as well as speculations regarding the nature of its effects…

Three second-grade students with learning disabilities were measured twice a week for 12 weeks on 2 types of curriculum-based measurement (computer maze and oral reading) and an intervention of repeated readings was implemented. Data indicated that the repeated reading intervention affected oral reading CBM, but not performance on the maze…

Evaluation for acceptability and utility of 5 common reading methods and materials by 32 middle school students with learning disabilities found the basal reader approach preferred over the other methods (language experience, direct instruction, multisensory, and neurological impress) which were all rated equally. (Author/DB)

Reports on a study of self-concept among 424 Greek elementary students classified as normal achievers, low achievers, and those with learning difficulties. Finds that special education students rated themselves lower than their normally achieving and low achieving peers on academic self-concept. (CFR)

The assigned and received social status of mildly learning-disabled, mildly behaviorally disordered, and nonhandicapped high school students (n=66) was examined. The samples' social status differed significantly from a larger nonhandicapped population. Cross-categorical comparisons of assigned social status showed no significant differences,…

Comparison of 100 college students, half with and half without learning disabilities (LD), found the LD students had lower grades, test scores, and perceptions of their scholastic/intellectual abilities. However, students did not differ in their perceptions of global self-worth, perceived importance of academic competence, or domain-specific…