Social validity refers to participants' perceptions regarding the goals, procedures, and effects of a practice. The collection and report of social validity data can serve an important role in understanding, and possibly remedying, obstacles affecting the successful adoption of empirically based practices by the field. Studies published between…

Calls into question the validity and usefulness of classifying poor readers into learning disability and nonlearning disability categories on the basis of the discrepancy between their IQs and reading achievement scores. A review of the research indicates that the premises on which this classification rests are not valid. (SLD)

The article reviews validity and reliability studies on the informal reading inventory, a diagnostic instrument to identify reading grade-level placement and strengths and weaknesses in work recognition and comprehension. Gives suggestions to improve the validity and reliability of existing inventories and to evaluate them in newly published…

Argues that giving students a reading test that is above or below their levels of achievement will yield inaccurate information. (FL)

Reviews the ANSER System, a set of questionnaires designed to collect background information from parents, teachers, and students that would be useful in conducting indepth evaluations of learning and behavioral problems. Concludes that because it relies on subjective interpretations, its use should be limited to specialists. (FL)

Proposes a grouping of subtests corresponding to the three-factor pattern of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) and its revised form, WISC-R, for use with children with reading difficulties. (FL)

Evaluates the utility of the Bannatyne recategorization of WISC-R subtest scores for diagnosing and prescribing instruction for reading/learning disabled children. Concludes that the use of such scores is not warranted. (FL)

Measures of visual perception, such as the Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test (BVMGT) usually require motoric responding, i.e., drawing of figures. An alternative test, the Non-Motoric Visual Gestalt Test (NVGT), is compared with the BVMGT and shown to be superior in measuring visual-perceptual abilities that can discriminate poor and average…

After a brief historical (Orton) and theoretical (Gibson) look at the phenomenon of reversals, two groups of studies are reviewed and evaluated. The first group involves neurological and psychological factors associated with reversals such as age and training. The second relates reversals to reading disabilities and to future reading achievement.…

Reconceptualizes the diagnosis of reading problems, suggesting that a focus on process, prior experience, and observation during assessment will permit a more valid evaluation of readers' abilities. (FL)

The article examines the concepts of power and control in research design and applies them to a review of the validity of three studies (EC 600 064-066) evaluating the effectiveness of using Irlen tinted lenses with reading-disabled persons. Internal validity, external validity, statistical conclusion validity, and construct validity are…

A review of research on "incomplete text," which refers to a variety of adaptations of cloze procedures, illustrates how construct validity has been considered and will need to be considered in future research on the subject. Much of the early research on incomplete text focused on product--providing quantitative assessments of…

Two self-administered, self-scored, and self-interpreted career interest inventories used by adolescents and adults are described, the Self-Directed Search and its Form Easy, an adaptation for poor readers. The paper discusses test components, subtests, and theory; gender issues; interpretation; appropriateness; coding discrepancies; and…

This report synthesizes the key themes and ideas discussed at two 1-day workshops addressing issues in the use of IQ tests in special education evaluation and placement. The first section considers the background and legal context of the issue. The next section looks at IQ tests in school settings. Key ideas raised include the importance of never…

Advances in learning and behavioral disabilities are considered in this 10-chapter volume. Contents include: "Developmental Language Disorders and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (Cynthia A. Riccio and George W. Hynd); "Self-Regulated Strategy Development: A Theoretical and Practical Perspective" (Lisa P. Case et al.); "Mapping the…