A relationship between motor and mathematical skills has been shown by previous research. However, the question of whether subtypes can be differentiated within developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and/or mathematical learning disability (MLD) remains unresolved. In a sample of children with and without DCD and/or MLD, a data-driven…

In this study, we tested the outcomes of access to a response to intervention (RtI) model in kindergarten or in first grade on end-of-Grade-2 reading achievement and placement in special education. Across five schools, 214 students who began having access to Tier 2 intervention in kindergarten or first grade were compared in Grades 1 and 2 with…

This study examined the consequences of classifying postsecondary students as learning disabled (LD) using five objective sets of criteria: IQ-achievement discrepancies (1.0 to 1.49 SD, 1.5 to 1.99 SD, and greater than or equal to 2.0 SD), DSM-IV criteria, and chronic educational impairment beginning in childhood. The participants were 378…

Currently, learning disabilities (LD) are diagnosed on the basis of the discrepancy between students' IQ and reading achievement scores. Students diagnosed with LD often receive remedial instruction in resource rooms. The available evidence suggests that the educational policy based on this discrepancy model has not yielded satisfactory results.…

The final session of the National Research Center on Learning Disabilities (NRCLD) Responsiveness-to-Intervention (RTI) Symposium, "What are alternative models to LD identification other than RTI?" included four papers that discussed concerns over the exclusive reliance on an RTI approach to learning disability identification, considerations for…

This study compared level of agreement among four models used to diagnose learning disabilities (LD), including the simple discrepancy, intraindividual, intellectual ability-achievement, and underachievement models. The simple discrepancy model diagnosed significantly more college students with LD than the others. The highest agreement was between…

Comparison of community children referred for learning disability evaluation (CR, n=17) with children not-referred in community general education (CGE, n=161), community special education (CSE, n=30), or from outpatient hospital referrals (HR). CR group performance was equivalent to that of CSE and HR groups. Results suggest conceptualizing…

The problem of choosing educational and psychological tests to identify students with learning disabilities is discussed within a cost-efficiency framework. An efficiency index for estimating the classification accuracy of tests is presented and the use of expert judgment and the cost-effectiveness ratio is demonstrated with a numerical example.…

Students (n=210) in learning disabilities research centers were administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised and the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised. A model considering the reliability of each measure identified learning disabilities three times more often than a regression analysis model. The regression…

This article analyzes how the dominant image of reality in the field of learning disabilities is derived from the diagnostic model. The article proposes an alternative, normative conception of education that emphasizes the importance of caring, social relatedness, and community participation. (Author/DB)

The assessment profiles of 30 school-age children identified with either nonverbal or language-based learning disabilities were examined using a self-organizing systems paradigm. Results suggest that overflow into areas not typically associated with each disability subtype may occur. Concerns regarding ways of determining discrepancy for…

An ethnographic study of one elementary bilingual special education classroom found three profile types of students, ranging from severe language learning disabilities to normal abilities. Results show the inadequacy of the medical model and support a contextual performance view that acknowledges the role of instructional context in revealing the…

Offers a conceptual model for students who manifest symptoms of both learning disabilities and emotional/behavior disorders. The model is based on six functional domains: cognitive processing, social/emotional adjustment, behavioral functioning, academic performance, language functioning, and executive functioning. The model is applied to critical…