Recent research suggests that most 4-year college students diagnosed with specific learning disability (SLD) do not meet objective criteria for the disorder, show normative deficits in academic skills, or have childhood histories of SLD. The purpose of this study was to examine the functioning of students diagnosed with SLD attending community…

Reading, writing, and math are academic skills involving a number of different executive functions, particularly working memory. Children with specific learning disabilities (SLD) may present myriad academic difficulties, depending on their specific area(s) of processing weakness. is study examined differences in academic achievement and working…

This study examined whether a large group of postsecondary students participating in a support program for students classified as having learning disabilities (LD) met criteria for five objective diagnostic models for LD: IQ-achievement discrepancy (1.0 SD, 1.5 SD, and greater than 2.0 SD) models, a "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of…

The literature has long pointed to heightened frequencies of learning disabilities (LD) within the population of law offenders; however, a systematic appraisal of these observations, careful estimation of these frequencies, and investigation of their correlates and causes have been lacking. Here we present data collected from all youth (1,337…

Stakeholders are debating the value of cognitively focused instruction for students who have not benefited from a skills-based approach. Much of the discussion, however, is occurring without recognition of research that has been conducted in the past 2 decades. In this article, we reviewed the research. Electronic databases and hard copies of…

Learning disabled college students (N=16) were tested to compare the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) with the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT). Significantly different scores are derived when WRAT norms are compared with PIAT norms, indicating that the tests are not interchangeable instruments for academic achievement. (RC)

Compared Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) arithmetic and reading performance of randomly selected primary grade children (N=70) in a suburban school district to grade placement in reading and math and text placement in reading. WRAT scores overestimated actual achievement in all grades tested. (Author/NRB)

Many postsecondary students who request academic accommodations for learning disabilities actually show no documentable learning disability but a discrepancy between their intellectual ability and their achievement aspirations (i.e., a "yearning disability") rather than a discrepancy between their ability and achievement (i.e., a…

Results indicate that the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (Revised) is a valid predictor of achievement for children referred for learning disabilities. The verbal Scale IQ, and the Freedom from Distractibility IQ proved especially useful predictors of academic achievement. (JAC)

The study sought to determine if significant predictive relationships could be found between diagnostic psychological test data and the changes in academic achievement of learning handicapped children participating in a resource specialist program for one period per day. The 102 students, with a mean age of 9 years, were administered the Wide…

Predicted and actual scores on subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) and the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised (WRAT-R) were obtained from 40 normally achieving postsecondary students (NA) and 92 adult students with learning disabilities (LD). LD students had major deficits in reading-related areas. It was…

Examines differences between 45 learning disabled, mentally retarded, and Title I elementary students on intelligence, academic achievement, and behavior measures. Indicates that such students perform similarly on academic achievement and behavior measures. Learning disabled and Title I students were similar on an intelligence measure; mentally…

Biased assessment instruments and practices can lead to over-representation of minority children in special education classes. This paper analyzes the amount of variance in Mexican-American achievement test scores attributable to sociocultural factors. Fifty learning disabled Mexican-American elementary school students completed the Peabody…

This study investigated the relationship between measured intelligence and discrepancies existing between actual achievement levels and projected achievement levels in mildly handicapped resource room students in Arkansas. Twenty-seven students had been identified as learning disabled and 19 as mildly mentally retarded. Subjects each received…

The use of regression equations to predict the expected achievement levels of five- and six-year-old children on the Wide Range Achievement Test are discussed. Problems are found in identifying underachievement for children in the lower primary grades. Implications for the early identification of specific learning disabilities are described.…