Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) has been the focus of four decades of neuropsychological research. However, it has yet to be included as a diagnostic category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (i.e., currently in its fifth edition, DSM-5, American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Many of the characteristics associated…

Students who have problems comprehending textual material tend to experience failing grades, peer rejection, and even social isolation. Furthermore, students with poor reading comprehension demonstrate poor academic performance in all subjects, not due to difficulty in learning specific subject content (i.e., math, history, etc.), but rather their…

Although scholars have suggested that cognitive errors may plague school psychologists' decisions, there is little research documenting these effects or the extent to which school psychologists are trained to spot these biases. I conducted a study using experimental vignette methodology (EVM) in conjunction with a survey of knowledge, attitudes,…

This qualitative inquiry sought to advance metacognitive theory with an understanding in higher-ordered thinking processes to complete a discussion forum as articulated by online undergraduates with learning disabilities. In doing so, descriptions of lived experiences enrich metacognitive theory by answering the research question, how do online…

Students with learning disabilities are often unable to master reading comprehension and often fail to acquire reading comprehension skills at basic levels as measured on reading achievement assessments. Reading intervention programs Compass Learning and SRA Corrective Reading teach students how to apply strategies to their reading to improve…

Students with language-based learning disabilities demonstrate learning challenges that must be addressed to enable them to succeed academically. Some of these students have difficulty with the process of organizing their thoughts about information acquired and expressing them in the form of an explanation, both of which are critical to effective…

Psychoeducational assessment, and specifically cognitive testing, is important to the role of school psychologists; however, the utility of such testing has been called into question, and its future is unclear. Researchers are divided into two camps. One side grew disenchanted with cognitive testing after the failure of the discrepancy method to…

The purpose of this study was to investigate if there are differences in how cognitive and noncognitive variables predict academic performance for college students with learning disabilities. In particular, this study examined the extent to which the cognitive variables of high school grade point average and SAT (combined verbal and math) or ACT…

Approximately 2.6 million students are diagnosed with a learning disability (LD) in the United States. There are many negative psychological and psychosocial consequences that can be attributed to having a LD, including a decrease in self- esteem. Low self-esteem has been shown to be liked to depression, suicidal ideation, and anxiety. Early…

This qualitative study examined the role of arts instruction and arts integrated teaching in the development of cognitive process and personal dispositions of children with moderate to severe learning disabilities. Interviews, observations, and artifact data were gathered to gain a deeper understanding of what and how children learn in and through…

Students with learning disabilities (LD) often struggle with reading comprehension (Shaywitz, 2003), even after attaining basic decoding skills. Similar proportions of students with LD have also been found to differ from their typical peers in some aspect of social adjustment (Kavale & Forness, 1996). Yet there is very little known about the…

Interest in students who exhibit characteristics with difficulties in learning can be traced as far back as 1800. In order to better understand the complexities and causes of learning disabilities, many researchers (Bannatyne, 1968, 1974; Rugal, 1974) have investigated ways to better identify learners who struggle with academics. A strong argument…

The purpose of this mixed research design study was to examine how teachers in a large urban Midwestern district used Thinking Maps® with students in elementary school general education and special education classrooms. In addition, this study examined the use of Thinking Maps® with 30 urban elementary school males in two schools: one second…

The purpose of this mixed-methods research was to examine the impact of mediated cognitive strategy intervention on the reading comprehension and self-efficacy of Palestinian-Arab middle school students with learning disabilities. Eighteen seventh-grade students with LD who were placed in two self-contained special education classrooms and their…