Studies are reviewed in four topic areas: (1) learning disabled (LD) students' spontaneous use of language; (2) their ability to adapt language to listener characteristics; (3) effectiveness of their communications; and (4) their ability to fulfill listener responsibilities. Noted are methodological flaws which cast doubt on implications for…

This study examined the conversational engagement techniques employed by children with and without learning disabilities in dyadic interactions. Analysis indicated that the 60 learning-disabled subjects (9-13 years old) employed engagement-related techniques as sophisticated as those of their nondisabled peers, though they did so less consistently…

A comprehensive intervention model for learning disabled (LD) students is described in terms of curriculum aspects (tutorial approach, basic skills remediation approach, compensatory approach, and strategies approach), communication to coordinate all the individuals interacting with LD students, transition, and evaluation. (CL)

In Part 2 of a two-part article individual educational program objectives are applied to nonverbal communication areas as follows: proxemics, or the use of distance, spatial arrangements, and territories; vocalics, or the use of prosodic, paralinguistic, or nonlinguistic features; and artifactual cues involving clothing and cosmetics. (Author/SBH)

Narrative abilities of 24 learning disabled (LD) and 27 nondisabled children (ages 7-12.5 years) were compared. Although LD students were able to reconstruct stories as well as were nondisabled students, narrative analysis of both original and retold stories can provide useful information on language skills beyond the sentence level. (Author/DB)

The independent and relative influences of social discourse and social skills on problem behaviors were examined in 50 children with language learning disabilities (LLD) and 50 control children. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that both impaired social discourse skills and poor social skills accounted for the negative effects of LLD on…

The study examined the communicative competence of 30 learning disabled and 30 non-learning disabled children (ages 9 to 13) in both referential and semistructured dyadic communication tasks. The use of both instructional strategies influenced the quality of subjects' verbal communicative interactions. (Author/DB)

Twenty parents of learning disabled elementary school children were trained in facilitative communication skills. Investigated were parents' ability to learn such skills; change in parental attitudes as an effect of training; and change in attitudes, achievement, and attendance of students whose parents received training. (SBH)

Reviewed is the Sequenced Inventory of Communication Development, a test intended to provide speech and language pathologists information on early communicative behaviors. (BD)

The study analyzed communication performance of tenth grade learning disabled (LD) students (N=1,098) on the Florida State Student Assessment Test-II (a minimum competency test). LD students demonstrated better literal communication skills and poorer interpretive and written communication skills. Employers (N=240) also supported the importance of…

This article synthesizes the research defining social problems of some children with learning disabilities, especially the role of communication skills deficits. Traditional emphases on family dysfunction, school failure, or personality disturbances are seen to be negated by research which suggests that neural aberrations trigger deficient…

This exploratory study evaluated the efforts of one sixth-grade student with learning disabilities to use voice-input technology in written communication. The major problem encountered was the inability of the program to recognize more than 74% of the boy's utterances, thus requiring keyboard correction procedures. The technology is seen to have…

This article addresses the academic difficulties of children with language disorders (including dyslexia) and suggests that their persistent academic vulnerability results from the lifelong need to acquire language, to learn with language, and to apply language knowledge for academic learning and social development. The need for continuing…

Bilingual students' language and literacy skills were compared across three classroom events (varying in degree of formality) in a special classroom for students with language learning disabilities. Results showed that certain contextual features (usually holistic-constructivist in nature) were associated with enhanced student performance, whereas…